Everybody take a breath

Ah, spring, when a young lawmaker’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of throttling members of the other party who won’t let him hold votes or bring amendments to bills on the Senate floor.

That scene happened more than once last week, as the Nevada Legislature reached the stage in the proceedings where partisan differences and angry slights threaten to derail the process. Never fear; it’s all part of how a bill becomes a law that they left out of “Schoolhouse Rock,” so as not to depress the kids.

The first fight happened Wednesday over Senate Bill 359, a measure by Army veteran Sen. Pat Spearman, D-North Las Vegas, that would have given preference to the children of military members killed or missing in action when it comes to admission to child-care facilities. The bill was placed on the secretary’s desk, a legislative limbo.

Spearman, usually one of the most calm members of the Senate, was visibly upset at the move. “It takes more than a yellow ribbon to support our troops,” she said.

But Navy veteran Sen. Greg Brower, R-Sparks, called the flap “much ado about nothing,” said the bill was only delayed so questions about its operation could be answered, maintained the military already has fine child care and complained that his attempt to get answers had allegedly been blown off by Spearman. “Frankly, I expect more from a colleague and a fellow veteran,” he said.

Spearman replied sharply that she wanted to “correct the veracity of a statement made by a colleague,” essentially calling Brower a liar. She said her research showed military child care in Nevada all came with waiting lists, making the need for the bill acute.

Tensions surfaced again Thursday, when the Senate turned to debating regulations for Uber contained in Senate Bill 439. Senate Minority Leader Aaron Ford wanted to bring two amendments to the bill — one to require FBI (not private sector) background checks, and another to allow the Public Utilities Commission to cap Uber’s peak-times price increases. Both amendments were rejected.

Sen. James Settelmeyer, R-Minden, argued passionately for the bill, which had been amended to include a 25-cent-per-ride fee to support the state’s highway fund. (Nevada would have been the only state to charge such a fee, but its inclusion in the bill required a two-thirds supermajority to pass.) “The people have a thirst for technology, but in my opinion it needs regulation,” Settelmeyer said.

His speech prompted Senate Majority Leader Michael Roberson, R-Henderson, to applaud, and Co-Minority Whip Kelvin Atkinson, D-Las Vegas, to rise and condemn the applause as “more childish behavior,” which in turn brought Roberson to his feet for a point of order objecting to the personal attack. Senate President Lt. Gov. Mark Hutchinson had to remind all senators of Standing Rule 20, which prohibits breeches of decorum.

Once Hutchison had calmed things down — and a last-minute appeal by Atkinson to amend the bill was once again rejected along party lines — the Uber bill failed, 11 ayes to 10 nays (it needed 14 votes to pass under the two-thirds rule). Now, Republicans either have to let it go, amend it again to remove the 25-cent fee (which would allow them to pass it with a simple majority) or work with Democrats on their amendments.

In part, the squabbles are the result of politics and personalities. Democrats for years rejected Republican bills, and now that the GOP is in charge, it’s payback time. And Roberson has led the Senate with a stronger hand than Democratic leaders, forcing unpopular votes and shutting down debates. But in part, it’s also policy: Republicans are OK with private-sector background checks, but not with mandates that cut into Uber’s fee charging or day-care center admissions policies.

Either way, tensions are going to have to cool, and soon: There’s not that much time left until the 2015 session faces its final and real deadline, and there’s plenty of work left to do.

Steve Sebelius is a Review-Journal political columnist who blogs at SlashPolitics.com. Follow him on Twitter (@SteveSebelius) or reach him at 702-387-5276 or SSebelius@reviewjournal.com.