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Swalwell praises Nevada’s new gun laws but says national action needed
Flanked by survivors of gun violence, Democratic presidential candidate Eric Swalwell pitched his vision for national gun reform, saying he supports licensing, registries and a government buyback program. Swalwell, a U.S. congressman who represents part of the Bay Area in Northern California, has made ending gun violence the flagship issue of his 2020 presidential campaign. […]
Legislature passes additional education funding, new formula
Nevada Democrats seemed determined Monday to pass their education platform, and they weren’t going to let anything stop them — not the minority party, not public comments, not the clock ticking down to their sine die deadline. When all was said and done, Democratic leadership declared success as the clock struck midnight on the 120th […]
Once again, education funding will dominate final day of Legislature
Just over an hour before midnight on the penultimate day of the 2019 Legislative Session, Nevada Democrats revealed their solution to projected K-12 budget deficits and the looming threat of a teachers strike. In hopes that at least one Senate Republican will support their plan to extend a modified business tax, Democrats are now dangling […]
Nevada is quietly expanding protections for vulnerable adults
Nevada is one of only three states without an Adult Protective Services department, but that may soon change. Moving through the Legislature is a bill to expand the scope of the state’s existing Elder Protective Services department to include adults who are vulnerable to neglect, abuse or exploitation due to their intellectual or physical disabilities. […]
Minimum wage bill would help some workers, leave many others behind
As state legislators consider a bill to raise the minimum wage, economists, activists and low-wage workers have found themselves wondering if the legislation goes far enough, and if Nevada Democrats are blowing their opportunity to help working families. A key component of their vaunted “Nevada Blueprint,” Assembly and Senate Democrats early on vowed to tackle […]
While other states backtrack on abortion rights, Nevada pushes forward
On Tuesday, pro-abortion rights advocates held rallies and protests across the country in response to restrictive abortion laws passed in several states, most recently — and most restrictively — in Alabama, Georgia and Missouri. Here in Nevada, the day of action fell on the same day as a vote that pushes forward a bill to […]
Nevada may enact new regulations on lawsuit cash advances
Nevada may become one of a handful of states to enact explicit regulations overseeing businesses that offer cash advances to plaintiffs of pending lawsuits, thanks to a bill that has quietly been moving through the Legislature. Proponents of the bill believe it provides operational clarity and consumer protections for an expanding industry that is largely […]
Democrats look to pot, local sales tax for additional education money
Democrats on Tuesday announced two pieces of legislation meant to bring additional money to the state’s education system. The first piece of legislation, SB 545, would divert money from the existing 10 percent excise tax on retail marijuana sales from the Rainy Day Fund to the Distributive Schools Account. That would bring an additional $120 […]
The reslicing begins: K-12 funding formula bill (finally) introduced
Characterizing it as a necessary first step toward fixing Nevada’s lackluster education system, Senate Democrats on Monday introduced their attempt to simplify and update the labyrinthian half-a-century-old K-12 funding formula. But because the bill does not dedicate additional dollars toward education as a whole, it is already being criticized as the reslicing of a pie […]
CCSD teachers authorize strike
The teachers have spoken: They are prepared to strike. In an email sent Sunday, the Clark County Education Association announced its members have authorized a strike, which could happen at the beginning of the next school year. The call of a strike will be dependent on whether the Nevada Legislature and the Clark County School […]
Sisolak signs bill strengthening savings program for people with disabilities
An underutilized savings account program for disabled people will soon receive more marketing and promotion, following the signing of a bill by Gov. Steve Sisolak. Sisolak on Thursday signed into law Assembly Bill 130, which puts the entirety of the Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Savings Program under the State Treasurer’s Office. Established at the […]
Nevada group to push climate crisis as a top issue of 2020 race
On Wednesday, the League of Conservation Voters announced a $2 million nationwide campaign titled “Change the Climate 2020” that seeks to elevate climate action as a key issue of the 2020 presidential primary. The campaign has begun organizing in early primary and caucus states, including Nevada. According to Nevada Conservation League Executive Director Andy Maggi, […]