Southern Nevadans take all top Legislature leadership posts

CARSON CITY — Southern Nevadans have finally achieved their long-sought goal of taking control of the Nevada Legislature.

The political shift as a result of the GOP sweep in the Nov. 4 general election became clear right after election returns were in.

But the other historic shift of power — to Southern Nevada — occurred on Tuesday when John Hambrick of Las Vegas was named soon-to-be speaker of the Assembly.

For possibly the first time in the history of Nevada, the top leaders in both parties and in both houses of the Legislature are from Southern Nevada.

From at least 1983 through 2013, at least one leader in the Legislature has been from Northern or rural Nevada.

Not anymore.

Senate Majority Leader Michael Roberson and Senate Minority Leader Aaron Ford are both from Las Vegas, as is Hambrick as speaker designate. Assembly Minority Leader Marilyn Kirkpatrick is from North Las Vegas.

Northern and rural lawmakers will continue to have other leadership positions in both houses. Sen. Ben Kieckhefer, R-Reno, will be serving as assistant majority leader, as well as chairman of the powerful Finance Committee. Assemblywoman Teresa Benitez-Thompson, D-Reno, is a co-assistant leader for the Assembly Democrats.

And don’t forget that Gov. Brian Sandoval is a nearly lifelong resident of Northern Nevada.

But for some Southern Nevada residents who have long expressed concerns about being short-changed in the legislative process controlled by lawmakers from other regions of the state, a new day may have dawned.

Richard Perkins, who served as speaker as an assemblyman from Henderson for three sessions beginning in 2001, said whether the composition of the leadership will make a material difference for Southern Nevada residents in the 2015 session will be up to the leaders themselves.

“But in many ways the symbolism of having all the leaders from Southern Nevada is significant,” he said. “The perception is that Southern Nevada issues will be front and center on the agenda.

“Every corner of Nevada deserves its day in Carson City,” said Perkins, who now works as a lobbyist at the Legislature. “But Southern Nevada issues are a bit more acute.”

There is some justification for the criticism that Southern Nevada has not received the attention it deserves in the Legislature, he said. Recent debates about funding formulas for public and higher education, or regarding the composition of the state Transportation Board, would not have happened if there was a sense that the region was getting its due, Perkins said.

Assemblyman Pat Hickey, R-Reno, who served as the only non-Southern Nevadan in leadership in the 2013 session, said Northern Nevada residents have nothing to fear from the power shift.

“People should not be concerned because I trust my colleagues from all areas of the state,” he said. “They consider themselves state lawmakers and not regional ones.”

UNLV political science professor David Damore said he will be watching to see if there are more bipartisan efforts by Southern Nevada lawmakers to strengthen the legislative branch by pushing for such measures as annual sessions.

Such efforts thus far have been partisan issues for lawmakers when instead they should be regional issues, he said.

Lawmakers in 2015 will also be able to consider a veto override of Assembly Bill 150, which would create the Legislative Committee on Governmental Oversight and Accountability, with the authority to monitor and investigate local and state governmental entities in between sessions. Sandoval vetoed the measure. Both it and term limits were opposed by Republicans. Annual sessions will also be back for consideration in the 2015 session.

“The real issue is will they make a stronger Legislature that will help the region in the long term,” Damore said.

Legislative political power has gradually shifted with the population to Southern Nevada over the past decade.

That changed briefly with the Republican sweep in November when the 25-member Assembly GOP caucus chose Ira Hansen of Sparks as speaker designate. But Hansen withdrew from the post because of criticism over comments about race and homosexuality he had made as a Sparks Tribune newspaper columnist for more than 15 years.

That left the position open until Hambrick was elected to the post after a GOP Assembly caucus meeting on Tuesday.

Hambrick said Thursday he is going to work for the benefit of all Nevadans as speaker in the 2015 session set to start Feb. 2.

“I have a certain responsibility to my constituents of Assembly District 2, but I have a responsibility to the entire state as well,” he said. “I will do the best I possibly can for all the people.”

Contact Capital Bureau reporter Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900. Find him on Twitter: @seanw801.