3 things to watch for on Legislative Session Day 29
It’s Day 29, and the start of the fifth week of the 2017 Legislative Session. It’s a packed day. Here’s what to watch for.
1. Body cameras for cops. SB176, sponsored by Sen. Majority Leader Aaron Ford and up at 1 p.m. in Senate Government Affairs, requires police officers who routinely interact with the public to wear body cameras. Body cameras are currently authorized, but not mandated.
2. Making nuns pay for birth control. Politicians will consider two bills attacking religious liberty. Sen. Julia Ratti, D-Sparks is sponsoring SB233, which is up at 3:30 p.m. in Senate Health and Human Services. Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson is backing AB249, which Assembly Health and Human Services will hear at 1 p.m. Both bills remove an exemption that allows religious organizations to not pay for contraceptive coverage they object to on religious grounds. Both would also mandate Medicaid and all private insurers in Nevada cover all contraception drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration. This includes abortive drugs.
3. Automatic voter registration. Initiative Petition 1 would automatically register to vote anyone getting a driver’s license from the DMV. After passing the Assembly on a party-line vote, it’s up in Senate Legislative Operations and Elections at 3:30 p.m. If not approved by March 17, it’ll go to the ballot in 2018.
Contact Victor Joecks at vjoecks@reviewjournal.com. Follow @victorjoecks on Twitter.
