Nevada legislature

Reno assemblywoman Amber Joiner, a Democrat, is choosing not to run for reelection in 2018. Joiner was appointed to her seat in Assembly District 24 in 2014, and since then has served for two regular sessions and two special sessions.

But in an email to The Nevada Independent, Joiner says the financial burden of campaigning and serving is unsustainable.

An effort to recall three state Senators from Las Vegas, two Democrats as well as a Republican-turned-independent, could swing the balance of power in the Nevada legislature. Reno Public Radio's Paul Boger spoke to Michelle Rindels -- a reporter with the Nevada Independent -- to get the latest on the petitions.

Can you give us a little background on the petition process itself? How does it work, and how do you actually recall an elected officials in Northern Nevada?

Schools in Nevada are getting a little boost in funding as part of a new weighted student formula. The program seeks to put more money behind students needing additional resources. Reno Public Radio’s Noah Glick sat down with our education reporter Paul Boger to find out what the program could mean for schools in Nevada.

One bill signed into law by Governor Brian Sandoval during the recent legislative session will help preserve the Hillside Cemetery in Reno and all historic cemeteries. Our News Director Michelle Billman spoke with contributor Bob Conrad of ThisisReno to learn more. 

The law (AB203) restores local government oversight of cemeteries, and it requires a government entity “to make determinations before a cemetery authority may order the disinterment and removal of human remains.”

Drama in the 2017 legislative session hit critical mass Thursday, after Senate Republicans voted against a bill that would have created a new tax on the sale of recreational cannabis. By killing the measure, lawmakers began a tit-for-tat domino effect that could possibly end in the governor calling a special legislative session. Reno Public Radio’s Paul Boger reports.

There is less than one month left in the 2017 Legislative Session, and that means, more and more, lawmakers are starting to turn their attention to the state budget. The latest numbers suggest that budget writers will have close to $8 billion to work with over the next two years. Reno Public Radio’s News Director Michelle Billman spoke with our political reporter Paul Boger about the revenue projection and other bills making their way through the process.

Optimistic Revenue Projections

Nearly 370,000 Nevadans could lose their health coverage by 2019 under a plan passed by the U.S. House of Representatives Thursday.

Under the proposed American Health Care Act, Nevada could see drastic changes especially to the number of people covered under the state’s Medicaid program. 

"They can't get in to see, unless they can pay for it, primary care provider," says Chuck Duarte who runs the Community Health Alliance, a federally qualified health center that provides medical, dental and psychological care for thousands of residents in Northern Nevada.

A bill that would mandate fluoridating the water in Truckee Meadows is receiving heavy opposition. Our News Director Michelle Billman spoke with Bob Conrad of ThisisReno to learn more. 

KUNR: Who is proposing this bill and what reasons have they given?

One bill in the Nevada legislature aims to protect small waste haulers against the exclusive contracts that many cities have with larger companies. Our News Director Michelle Billman spoke with Bob Conrad of ThisisReno to learn more. 

Lawmakers are quickly approaching the halfway point of the 2017 Legislative session. There are officially 62 days left, and there’s still a lot of work to be done. So let’s recap the past seven days.

COMMITTEE BILL INTRODUCTIONS

Monday marked yet another deadline for the introduction of bills by committees. Over the course of the day, the legislature 21 committees dropped another 175 bills.

Monday marked the first major deadline for lawmakers during the 2017 legislative session in Nevada. Legislators worked late into the evening to introduce personal bills.

A Northern Nevada lawmaker says he may file an ethics complaint against a fellow legislator who was recently outed as a foreign agent for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 

Sanctuary State...it’s a term that’s cropped up in the months since President Donald Trump took office. With promises from the administration to ramp up deportations, some states hope to protect their undocumented residents by prohibiting their local law enforcement from working with federal immigration officials, and Nevada could become one of the first states to pass such a law.

Democratic leaders in the Nevada Legislature are wasting no time in setting a progressive agenda. 

Typically, lawmakers use the start of a new session to be sworn-in, take photos with family and pleasantly reacquaint themselves with fellow legislators. Partisanship is usually checked at the front door for the first day. 

Governor Brian Sandoval has announced his proposal to create two new state parks, including the Walker River State Recreation Area. Reno Public Radio's Michelle Billman explores what this could mean for Lyon County.

For the first time in generations, this park would provide public access to more than 12,000 acres of ranch land, specifically 28 miles of the East Walker River. The area is home to deer, mountain lions, and sage grouse, and it's filled with juniper and pinyon trees.

After devastating losses in 2014, the Democratic Party seized back majority control of both houses in the Nevada state legislature. 

Reno Public Radio’s Noah Glick reports.

Democrats won in a landslide in the Assembly, claiming 27 seats in the 42-member chamber.

During last night’s Washoe County GOP Viewing Party, Incumbent Republican Assemblyman Ira Hansen, who represents District 32 in Northern Nevada, said he’s not surprised.

Northern Nevada is watching the state senate races for districts 13 and 15. Our News Director Michelle Billman spoke to political analyst Fred Lokken to break down those races.

KUNR: I want to start with district 15. We’ve got Democrat Devon Reese, a Reno lawyer, running against Republican Heidi Gansert and Libertarian David Colborne. What do we know about these candidates?

Two years ago, Republicans won the majority in the Nevada Assembly. Now, Democrats have the chance to take it back, if their voters turn out. Let's turn to our News Director Michelle Billman to learn more. She recently spoke to political analyst Fred Lokken to get his prediction on what that chamber could look like post-election.

KUNR: In Washoe County, we’re watching several state assembly races, but before we get into the specifics, let’s talk seat counts.