Bill deadline promises a busy day in Carson City
CARSON CITY — After a week that saw a second state lawmaker resign for impropriety — in the latest instance, amid sexual harassment claims — legislators return to work Monday for what will be the longest day of this session to date.
Monday is the deadline for bills sponsored by individual lawmakers to be introduced, and possibly hundreds of bills will hit the floor in both chambers. On this deadline day two years ago, nearly 200 bills combined were introduced in both houses, and the Senate did not adjourn until after 11 p.m.
Monday also will see the first of several scheduled addresses to the Legislature by Nevada’s federal lawmakers. Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen will appear before a joint session in the late afternoon, followed by Rep. Dina Titus on Tuesday and Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto on Wednesday, both also Democrats.
Besides the expected flood of new bills, on the hearing front, the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday hears Senate Bill 7, which would classify soliciting a child younger than 14 for prostitution as a sex trafficking offense and a Class A felony punishable by up to life in prison, similar to child pornography and sexual assault.
Also Monday, the Assembly Judiciary Committee hears Assembly Bill 142, which would eliminate the statute of limitations for sex crimes in cases where DNA evidence is available. The existing time limit is 20 years.
The Senate Health and Human Services Committee on Monday hears Senate Bill 179, a broad rewrite of the state’s abortion law that includes provisions to remove existing parental notification rules for minors and revise informed consent requirements.
On Tuesday, the Assembly Government Affairs Committee hears Assembly Bill 230, which sets up procedures and rules for city and county governments to designate historic neighborhoods within their boundaries.
On Wednesday, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee holds a work session on Senate Bill 165, which would make Nevada the seventh state to allow physician-assisted suicide. The committee may vote to approve the measure and send it on to the Senate.
Committee schedules are subject to late-breaking changes. You can view a calendar of upcoming meeting on the Legislature’s website.
Contact Bill Dentzer at bdentzer@reviewjournal.com or 775-461-0661. Follow @DentzerNews on Twitter.
