Updated Wednesday 2-13-19 at 5:23 p.m.
Reno – There are many important pieces of legislation, presentations and hearings ahead during week two of the 2019 session. Worthy of note, there will be a special joint meeting of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Assembly Committee on Judiciary on Tuesday where lawmakers will consider provisions relating to background checks for certain purchases or transfers of firearms. See details below.
Also note, this is not an comprehensive list of all meetings and activities at the Nevada State Legislature but a fluid and subjective look ahead at the legislation, presentations and activities of interest to the Nevada Capital News editorial staff. And be aware, bills are heard and presentations are given at the discretion of committee leadership and are subject to change at any time. We will make updates to this list as we become aware of the need for them. The latest revision time will be listed at the beginning of the report.
Monday February 11, 2019:
1:00 p.m. Senate Committee on Government Affairs
Four bills will be considered during Monday’s meeting of the Senate Committee on Government Affairs. Two of them regard affordable housing.
SB103: An act relating to affordable housing; authorizing certain local governments to reduce or subsidize impact fees, fees for the issuance of building permits and fees imposed for the purpose for which an enterprise fund was created; requiring that a local government make certain determinations and hold a public hearing before reducing or subsidizing fees imposed for the purpose for which an enterprise fund was created.
SB104: An act relating to housing and filed on behalf of the Committee to Study Issues Regarding Affordable Housing, requiring the inclusion of certain reports as sources of information for the statewide low-income housing database maintained by the Housing Division of the Department of Business and Industry; requiring certain local governments to cooperate with the Housing Division in providing certain information related to affordable housing.
1:30 p.m. Senate Committee on Education
A couple worthwhile presentations are scheduled for this meeting that will likely provide insight into the state of the state’s public schools.
Presentation Regarding the External Evaluation of Recent Education Programs
Chad Buckendahl, ACS Ventures
Myisha Williams, MYS Project and Brand Management
Presentation Concerning the Annual Report of the State of Public Education (NRS 385.230)
Jonathan Moore, Interim Superintendent of Public Instruction,
Nevada’s Department of Education (NDE)
Jason Dietrich, Interim Deputy Superintendent, NDE
Christy McGill, Director of Safe and Respectful Learning Environments, NDE
Rebecca Feiden, Director of the Achievement School District, NDE
Sarah Nick, Management Analyst, NDE
The Senate Committee on Education is also scheduled to consider SB41, a large multi-faceted bill that addresses numerous aspects of teacher licensing criteria.
An act, filed on behalf of the Department of Education, relating to education; eliminating the special qualifications license to teach; creating a separate category of licensure for paraprofessionals; revising provisions relating to the granting of additional licenses to teachers; revising provisions relating to the notification of employees whose licenses are near expiration; revising provisions governing the disclosure of certain information about licensed personnel; transferring certain authority relating to the suspension and revocation of licenses held by teachers and other educational personnel from the State Board of Education to the Commission on Professional Standards in Education and the Department of Education in certain circumstances; establishing provisions relating to hearings conducted by the Commission; repealing provisions authorizing the State Board to disapprove regulations adopted by the Commission.
Assembly Committee on Health and Human Services will convene upon adjournment of Assembly Floor Session, but no sooner than 1.30 p.m.
Worthwhile presentations scheduled for healthcare wonks regarding public and behavioral health. There will be an overview of public health priorities in Nevada.
Presenters:
Julie Kotchevar, Ph.D., Administrator, Division of Public and Behavioral Health, Department of Health and Human Services.
Kevin Dick, Health Officer, Washoe County Health District.
Joseph P. Iser, M.D., Chief Health Officer, Southern Nevada Health District.
Nicola Aaker, R.N., Director, Carson City Health and Human Services
The is also an overview of Behavioral Health Care System in Nevada scheduled for the meeting from Julie Kotchevar, Ph.D., Administrator, Division of Public and Behavioral Health, Department of Health and Human Services.
4:00 p.m. Senate Committee on Health and Human Services
An overview of the Division of Welfare and Supportive Services is scheduled for this meeting from Steve Fisher, Administrator.
Also, an overview of the Division of Health Care Financing and Policy, DHHS from Suzanne Bierman, Administrator.
And an overview of Health and Human Service Related Budgets from Mark Krmpotic, Senate Fiscal Analyst, Fiscal Analysis Division, LCB
4:00 PM Senate Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections
There are three interesting pieces of legislation regarding elections scheduled to be heard during this meeting.
SB107: an act, sponsored by senators Goicoechea and Settelmeyer, relating to elections;requiring certain elected public officers to resign before filing nomination papers for another elected public office.
SB118: Filed by Senator James Selttelmeyer, this bill would make the office of registrar of voters an elected position.
SB122: an act, filed by Senator Settelmeyer, relating to elections; prohibiting, with limited exception, a person from being a candidate of certain political parties if the person has not designated his or her political party affiliation with that party on an application to register to vote.
Tuesday February 12, 2019:
8:00 a.m. Joint Meeting of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Assembly Committee on Judiciary.
Topic: Provisions relating to background checks for certain purchases or transfers of firearms.
In 2016, Ballot Question 1 passed a popular vote in Nevada and in effect would have prohibited the sale of guns between individuals in the state without conducting a background check, but following the election, Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt issued an opinion that rendered the voter approved law “unenforceable” for lack of administrative support and resources from the federal and state governments, and thereby, the “unenforceable” status means citizens cannot be prosecuted for not complying with the act. Then Governor Brian Sandoval supported the decision.
Read/listen: Gun Control Advocates look forward to a Democratic Governor, Legislature.
Read/listen: Gun control in Nevada: an interview with the manager of Carson Guns.
This committee will consider several public safety budgets during this meeting. One in particular is curious. How much does it cost to house and process seized evidence, and how much evidence is seized? We’ll hear about the Evidence Vault budget from the Department of public Safety.
1:30 p.m. Assembly Committee on Education
Committee members will hear a presentation Concerning Homeless Youth in Nevada.
Committee members will also see the Final Report of the Nevada External Outcomes Evaluation from Chad Buckendahl, Ph.D., Partner, ACS Ventures LLC and Myisha Y. Williams, President and Managing Member, MYS Project and Brand Management Firm.
Committee members will hear an overview of economic development efforts in the state from the Governor’s Office of Economic Development:
Paul Anderson, Executive Director
Derek Armstrong, Deputy Director
Matt Moore, Deputy Director
Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance, Jonas Peterson, President/CEO.
Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada, Mike Kazmierski, President/CEO.
Northern Nevada Development Authority, Rob Hooper, President/CEO.
Update on Las Vegas Convention Center District and Raiders Stadium Projects.
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Steve Hill, CEO.
Wednesday February 13, 2019:
8:00 a.m. Assembly Committee on Judiciary
This committee will hear a bill that would change bail bond laws in Nevada.
AB 17 – Bail bond reform. Currently, if a person charged with a crime is acquitted, the bail is not returned for 30 days, but this bill as written would mandate the bail money is returned upon dismissal of charges.
This committee is scheduled to consider several budgets within the Department of Health and Human Services to include programs to protect the health of visitors, chronic disease prevention, emergency preparedness to treat health emergencies, healthcare facility inspection and certification, the immunization program, cancer control registry, childcare services licensing, and the radiation control program for licensees that use radioactive material such as x-ray machines.
9:00 a.m. Assembly Committee on Government Affairs
This committee is expected to hear presentations from the Nevada Commission on Minority Affairs from Myisha Williams, Vice Chair.
Members will also hear from the Nevada Commission for Women/ Department of Administration
Patrick Cates, Director
Molly Walt, Management Analyst
Assembly Committee on Health and Human Services will convene upon adjournment of Assembly Floor Session, but no sooner than 1.30 p.m.
A couple interesting presentations are planned for this meeting.
Accessing Health Care: The Role of Health Insurance, Hospitals, and Safety Net Providers
Tom Clark, Lobbyist, Nevada Association of Health Plans.
Bill Welch, President/Chief Executive Officer, Nevada Hospital Association.
Joan Hall, President, Nevada Rural Hospital Partners.
Nancy J. Bowen, Executive Director, Nevada Primary Care Association.
Presentation Regarding the Regional Behavioral Health Policy Boards
Charles Duarte, Chief Executive Officer, Community Health Alliance; and Chair, Washoe Regional Behavioral Health Policy Board.
Assemblyman Steve Yeager, Chair, Southern Regional Behavioral Health Policy Board.
Karen Beckerbauer, Manager, Social Services, Douglas County; and Member, Northern Regional Behavioral Health Policy Board.
Valerie Cauhape, Coordinator, Rural Regional Behavioral Health Policy Board.
4:00 p.m. Assembly Committee on Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Mining
The committee will hear a couple of bills this meeting. AB83 is an omnibus bill from the Nevada Department of Wildlife that would affect many aspects of the department’s operation.
AB74 would make it unlawful for a person to engage in the business of buying, selling, trading or dealing in certain antlers or any head or skull of a big game mammal without first obtaining an antler dealer’s license.
Thursday February 14, 2019:
8:00 a.m. Assembly Committee on Judiciary
Committee members are scheduled take up SB143, in work session. SB143 would institute a system of gun safety background checks in Nevada.
This committee is scheduled to consider budgets for the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to include environmental protection, sagebrush ecosystem restoration and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. Conservation and Natural resources Director Bradley Crowell will present. Joanne Merchetta, executive director of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency will also present.
1:30 p.m. Assembly Committee on Growth and Infrastructure
This committee is expected to hear an overview of the Nevada Trucking Association Paul J. Enos, CEO.
Blake Guinn, Nevada Director of the Western Way will present the benefits of of rural renewable energy.
Director of the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles, Julie Butler, will give an overview of the NDMV.
Members will also hear AB23, a bill that regards autonomous and electronically controlled vehicles. From the Legislative Counsel Digest:
Existing law authorizes the Department of Motor Vehicles to adopt regulations relating to the operation and testing of autonomous vehicles on highways within this State. (NRS 482A.100) This bill: (1) classifies certain vehicles and transportation devices that are remotely controlled or otherwise electronically controlled but do not fall within the definition of autonomous vehicle under existing law as alternative electronic transportation system vehicles; and (2) authorizes the Department to adopt regulations relating to the operation and testing of such vehicles and transportation devices. Sections 3 and 4 of this bill define alternative electronic transportation system vehicles. Section of this bill authorizes the Department to adopt regulations relating to the operation and testing of alternative electronic transportation system vehicles on highways and premises to which the public has access in this State.
Friday February 15, 2019:
8:00 a.m. Assembly Committee on Judiciary
Committee members will hear an overview of the Nevada Gaming Control Board and an interesting bill regarding threat analysis.
AB45 creates the Nevada Threat Analysis Center and the Nevada Threat Analysis Center Advisory Committee in the Investigation Division of the Department of Public Safety.
8:00 a.m. Joint Meeting of the Senate Committee on Finance and Assembly Committee on Ways and Means
This committee is scheduled to consider the budget for the Governor’s Office of Economic Development to include the Knowledge Fund, Workforce Innovations for the New Nevada, the Nevada Catalyst Fund, and the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010.
Tina Leiss, executive officer of the Public Employees’ Retirement System is scheduled to give an overview of the retirement system’s health.
