Which Nevada lawmaker is the biggest winner (so far)?
April 25, 2023 - 6:00 am
CARSON CITY— There’s still a little more than 40 days (and long nights) before the Nevada Legislature officially adjourns, but the 82nd Session has already seen its share of winners and losers.
Tuesday marks the second of several fast approaching deadlines, less than two weeks after lawmakers saw 239 bills sentenced to death after failing to pass the first house committee passage deadline.
Here’s a look at where lawmakers stand ahead of Tuesday’s first house passage deadline, where dozens of bills stand to meet the same fate.
It’s important to note that lawmakers don’t get to draft as many pieces of legislation as they want. In the Assembly, newly elected members can request six bills, while incumbents can request 10. Newly elected senators can request 12 bills and incumbents can request 20.
And lawmakers in leadership positions can request even more. Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager and Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro were able to each request 15 bills prior to the election and could request another 10 for emergency measures during the legislative session.
Biggest winner
The biggest winner after the first deadline was Las Vegas Democrat state Sen. Melanie Scheible, who had 17 of her bills survive. Among those that survived were measures that would establish polling places in jails and would require some health insurance providers to cover gender-affirming care.
On the Assembly side, Majority Leader Sandra Jauregui, D-Las Vegas, had all 10 of her bills passed out of committee to be considered on the floor, including two bills related to firearms. Jauregui is a survivor of the 1 October shooting at the Route 91 Harvest music festival.
Biggest loser
State Sen. Carrie Buck, R-Henderson, had 19 of her bills fail to pass the first deadline. Among those bills were a handful of measures related to education and a bill which would have raised the legal age of consent for sexual conduct from 16 to 18 years old.
Buck represents a district that Democrats believe they can flip in 2024; Democratic and Republican registration is virtually tied.
Leadership
Among legislative leadership, Cannizzaro had the most bills survive, with 17 bills passing out of committee and just one failing to move forward. Senate Minority Leader Heidi Seevers Gansert, R-Reno, had 10 of her bills move forward and 12 bills die in committee.
On the Assembly side, Yeager had just one bill die and 10 of his bills survive. Assembly Minority Leader Philip P.K. O’Neill has seven of his bills escape the deadline, while eight of his bills died in committee.
Contact Taylor R. Avery at TAvery@reviewjournal.com. Follow @travery98 on Twitter.