Nevada legislature

Over the past several years, misinformation and propaganda have taken over social media, creating confusion and division. That’s why Republican Assemblywoman Jill Tolles is introducing a measure aimed at promoting information literacy in public schools. KUNR’s Paul Boger spoke with Tolles to learn more about her bill.

They may be in the minority, but Republicans in the Nevada legislature have set an agenda that includes bolstering the economy and reopening the state's schools. They also want to enact what they're calling common sense election reform. KUNR political editor Paul Boger joined Morning Edition host Noah Glick to break down the latest developments in Carson City.

Normally, a new legislative session is cause for celebration. Families and spouses crowd the floors as they watch their lawmaker take the oath of office. Halls are filled with the excited buzz of lawmakers, lobbyists, press and members of the public chatting and catching up. But this year, Nevada's 81st Legislative Session has moved mostly online. That's raised questions about transparency. KUNR's Paul Boger has this report.

Week One of Nevada's 81st legislative session is in the books. And while it may be off to a slow start, lawmakers are digging into bills. KUNR Morning Edition host Noah Glick checked in with political editor Paul Boger for an update from Carson City.

Tax revenues in Nevada have declined during the pandemic, which may soon force lawmakers to make some tough decisions in the months ahead, such as possibly making cuts to state services or even raising taxes. To get a sense of how this legislative session may impact the state’s business community, KUNR’s Paul Boger spoke with Ann Silver, who runs the Reno-Sparks Chamber of Commerce.

Nevada lawmakers say bipartisanship will be key to pulling the state through the pandemic’s economic challenges.

Nevada's 81st regular legislative session convened in Carson City Monday. Over the next 120 days, lawmakers will craft and debate hundreds of bills and draft a state budget for the next two years. While that process can be tricky by itself, the legislative session is bringing a whole new set of challenges. KUNR Morning Edition host Noah Glick checks in with political editor Paul Boger to discuss what that might mean for the state.

Here are the local news headlines for the morning of Monday, Feb. 1, 2021.

More than 1.3 million people in Nevada voted in the 2020 general election. That's roughly 200,000 more ballots cast this year than in 2016. While results from across the state have continued to trickle in over the weekend, it appears most races are nearing their conclusion. KUNR's Michelle Billman spoke with political editor, Paul Boger who's been following all of the twists and turns to get the latest.

For 156 years, Nevada’s constitution has included the Board of Regents. That’s the 13-member panel of elected officials tasked with governing the state’s higher education system and the eight institutions that fall within it. Now, in 2020, Nevadans will get to vote on whether that inclusion was the right choice with Question 1, a ballot measure that would pull regents from the state constitution.

Three candidates in Sparks are looking to replace outgoing Democratic Assemblyman Greg Smith in the legislature next year. One of them is Natha Anderson, an educator and president of the Washoe Education Association. She spoke with KUNR’s Paul Boger to give her take on the challenges facing the state.

Skip Daly has represented residents living in eastern Sparks and the North Valleys for eight years, non-consecutively, in the Nevada Assembly. This year, he once again faces a challenge from Jill Dickman, the Republican who defeated him for a term in 2014. KUNR’s Paul Boger spoke with incumbent Democratic Assemblyman Skip Daly about his work in the legislature and his bid for reelection.

Rapid population growth in Washoe County has led to a critical shortage of affordable housing and higher demands on services across the region. Alexis Hill is the Democratic candidate for the District 1 seat on the Washoe County Commission.

She spoke with KUNR's Paul Boger about how the county should respond to this issue.

Washoe County’s population has exploded in recent years. In 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that roughly 420,000 people lived in the county. Now, that number is more than 471,000. That growth has led to a housing crunch and greater demands on services across the region.

KUNR’s Paul Boger spoke with Marsha Berkbigler, the incumbent Republican running for a third term representing District 1 on the Washoe County Commission. They spoke about the challenges currently facing the county.

Throughout this election season, a vast majority of the coverage has focused on the contentious presidential race, but in Nevada, voters will also be asked to decide the fate of several down-ballot contests.

That includes a relatively competitive race in western Washoe County where newcomer Democrat Wendy Jauregui-Jackins is looking to represent District 15 in the state Senate. KUNR’s Paul Boger spoke with Jauregui-Jackins about what lawmakers should do to address the issues related to COVID-19.

Throughout this election season, a vast majority of the coverage has focused on the contentious presidential race. But in Nevada, voters will also be asked to decide the fate of several down-ballot contests.

That includes a relatively competitive race in western Washoe County where incumbent Republican Heidi Gansert is looking to maintain her seat representing District 15 in the state Senate. KUNR’s Jayden Perez spoke with Gansert about her time in office and what lawmakers should do to address the issues related to COVID-19. 

Since its creation in the 1980's, Nevada's Second Congressional District has sent only four representatives to Congress, all of them Republicans, but demographics in the district are changing and Democrats are becoming a larger percentage of the electorate in Northern Nevada.

One of them is political newcomer Particia Ackerman, a retired high-altitude mountaineer who is challenging five-term incumbent Mark Amodei for the seat. KUNR's Paul Boger caught up with Ackerman at a recent campaign event to talk about the election and the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since its creation in the 1980's, Nevada's Second Congressional District has sent only four representatives to Congress, all of them Republicans, but demographics in the district are shifting and Democrats are becoming a larger percentage of the electorate in Northern Nevada. Despite that, five-term incumbent Mark Amodei has remained relatively popular among voters.

KUNR's Paul Boger spoke with Amodei about his bid for a sixth term as well as the federal government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Any one of three joint resolutions passed during the recent special session of the Nevada Legislature could ultimately change the way and rate at which mines are taxed in Nevada, and rural counties and mining companies are worried. As a warning, this story contains language that some readers may find offensive.

The 32nd Special Session of the Nevada Legislature is over. Lawmakers adjourned sine die early Thursday morning after spending a week passing several resolutions and pieces of legislation meant to address a litany of policy issues. Noah Glick spoke with KUNR’s Paul Boger and Lucia Starbuck, who were in Carson City and covered the session in its entirety.