April 12, 2024
The Legislature may need to be called into a special session to shore up funding for a state account used for emergencies and unexpected costs that could run out of money, but top Democrats in the Legislature disagreed with the Governor, citing the millions of dollars still in the fund. USPS expects Reno mail transition to Sacramento facility to start in January, Rosen says. Vice President Kamala Harris will speak about the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in Las Vegas on Monday. CCSD approves $3.4B budget amid drop in student enrollment, Nevada prisons can’t afford the electricity bill, and more interesting Nevada news below!
Updates from the Governor’s Office
Governor Joe Lombardo sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging his administration to curb inflation by reining in federal spending and to take action on the housing shortage in Nevada. (gov.nv.gov)
Governor’s office: Special session potentially needed to replenish emergency funds
The Legislature may need to be called into a special session to shore up funding for a state account used for emergencies and unexpected costs that could run out of money, the governor’s office said. (The Nevada Independent)
State and Local Government Updates
‘You have to grow into it:’ Joe Lombardo’s rise from beat cop to governor
Introverted and intense, the former sheriff is more comfortable behind the scenes. But he says ambition to make things better pushed him to the role. (The Nevada Independent)
D.C. Download: Cortez Masto, Rosen share spring priorities
With spending now complete, the senators are focusing on potential areas for bipartisanship and key Nevada-centric issues. (The Nevada Independent)
Nevada’s clean truck and bus voucher program still stuck in neutral after a year
Nine months after Nevada lawmakers passed a bill to replace medium- and heavy-duty trucks with zero-emission vehicles, the program still hasn’t been rolled out due to unclear federal guidelines. (The Nevada Independent)
Decades-old idea of axing federal Department of Education revived in Nevada Senate race
Sam Brown wants to take “D.C. bureaucrats” out of the education system, while candidates to his right support scrapping the agency, a stance Brown held in 2022. (The Nevada Independent)
Reno City Manager Doug Thornley resigns, effective early July
Reno City Manager Doug Thornley has announced his resignation, effective in early July when the fiscal year ends. (The Nevada Independent)
County commish: I don’t recall
Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones told a District Court judge Monday that he has no recollection of deleting text messages related to a Red Rock housing development and has no explanation for their disappearance. (Las Vegas Review Journal)
Indy Education: Vegas students vie in We the People civics competition national finals
In this week’s Indy Education, read about a team of Southern Nevada high school senior preparing for a national civics competition. (The Nevada Independent)
Apprenticeship program helping address teacher shortage issue in Southern Nevada
A program at UNLV is helping to paraprofessionals or school support professionals working in the Clark County School District or a Nevada charter school reach their goals of being licensed teachers. (The Nevada Independent)
Clark County School Board attracts a crowd of candidates
It is a time of transition for the Clark County School District and its school board, with a new top leader and several new trustees expected to be decided this year. (Nevada Current)
Nevada prisons can’t pay NV Energy bill
The Nevada Department of Corrections is asking NV Energy to keep the lights on in the state’s prisons while it comes up with the money to pay the bills. (Reno Gazette Journal)
What are they hiding? Henderson wants to charge more for public records
City’s records committee will vote on the new public records fees at its next meeting on April 17. (Las Vegas Review Journal)
Nevada to pay $1.35M to family of prisoner whose suicide spurred wrongful death lawsuit
Melody Morgan died by suicide at the age of 25 while incarcerated at the state-run Florence McClure Women’s Correctional Center, days after her mother had asked for her to be placed on suicide watch. (The Nevada Independent)
CCSD approves $3.4B budget amid drop in student enrollment
The Clark County School Board on Thursday approved the school district’s tentative $3.4 billion budget for the 2024-25 school year that is predicted to see a slight decline in student enrollment. (Las Vegas Review Journal)
Storey County prepares to block possible tax grab in 2025 Legislature
A coalition of some Northern Nevada lawmakers, first supported by Gov. Joe Lombardo, proposed to siphon off about 80 percent of the $50 million in annual taxes from the Tesla Gigafactory at the Tahoe-Reno Industrial Center that were due to Storey County when Tesla’s 10-year state tax abatements expired at the end of 2024. (Reno Gazette Journal)
More willing water rights sellers in NV than money, say water regulators
So far, 13 applicants have volunteered to sell their water rights under the program, said Fontaine. Five applicants in the Humboldt Basin have agreed to sell a total of 12,887 acre-feet of water rights for a total cost of $11.6M. In Diamond Valley, eight applicants have agreed to sell 11,895 acre-feet of groundwater rights for a total cost of $10.4M. (Nevada Current)
Annual Newsletter to Nevada’s Licensed State Water Right Surveyors
Much of 2023 at NDWR was driven by the legislative session and its resulting outcomes. Seven out of approximately 20 water bills were signed into law and the Division was successful in securing approval for 10 new positions, which we started to fill in October. (Nevada Division of Water Resources)
Lombardo urges Biden to curb federal spending
Gov. Joe Lombardo sent another letter to President Joe Biden, this time urging the president to halt what he deems as excessive federal spending. (Las Vegas Review Journal)
Lawmakers raise questions after terminated contract with troubled immunization nonprofit
During a meeting of an interim legislative committee, state officials said they are establishing a coalition to fill a void left by Immunize Nevada. (The Nevada Independent)
Judge tosses Reno councilwoman’s suit over city manager actions
A judge on Monday dismissed Reno City Councilwoman Jenny Brekhus’ lawsuit requesting the appointment of a special administrative hearing officer to determine if City Manager Doug Thornley had retaliated against her after she accused Thornley of drinking beer during work hours in 2021. (The Nevada Independent)
NV officials hope to complete study on ‘critical mineral’ map this year
Despite a growing interest in lithium mining, Nevada has limited understanding of the precise location of the highly sought mineral deposits or how exploration may impact groundwater. (Nevada Current)
NV childhood immunization, adult vaccination rates both lag behind national averages
A decline in “vaccine confidence” has contributed to a decrease in child immunization rates, Nevada health officials warned state lawmakers on Monday. (Nevada Current)
Federal Updates
The FBI is investigating whether state Sen. Dina Neal used her influence to secure federal money for a friend. (Las Vegas Review-Journal)
WASHINGTON — Consumer inflation remained persistently high last month, boosted by gas, rents, auto insurance, and other items, the government said Wednesday in a report that will likely give pause to the Federal Reserve as it considers how often — or even whether — to cut interest rates this year. (Las Vegas Review Journal)
House advances reauthorization of US spy program
It is unclear if Speaker Mike Johnson, who has called the program “critical” to national security, will have the Republican support necessary to push the bill through final passage. (Las Vegas Review Journal)
USPS expects Reno mail transition to Sacramento facility to start in January, Rosen says
The U.S. Postal Service expects to start the switch of Reno mail processing to Sacramento in January for a savings of $2 million to $3 million. (Reno Gazette Journal)
Will Nevada voters get a chance to change how redistricting works?
Fair Maps Nevada PAC had filed two ballot initiatives with the secretary of state’s office to amend the Nevada Constitution to take the responsibility from the Legislature to redraw Nevada’s district boundaries every 10 years and create an independent redistricting commission in its place. (Las Vegas Review Journal)
Democrats chide governor’s office over allocation of federal funds for assistance programs
Democratic lawmakers on Thursday criticized Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo’s handling of federal relief money, accusing his administration of not working with them and attempting to tie their hands financially. (Nevada Current)
Democrats join in U.S. Senate vote to repeal Biden rule tracking tailpipe emissions
The rule, issued by the Transportation Department’s Federal Highway Administration in December, established greenhouse gas reductions as one of the 18 performance measures for state transportation departments and local planning organizations to track. (Nevada Current)
Weed and A’s baseball stadium land before state’s high court
The Nevada Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday on whether a referendum on public funding for the proposed A’s stadium in Las Vegas should be allowed on the November ballot, and whether the Board of Pharmacy’s listing of cannabis as a Schedule 1 substance is at odds with the Nevada Constitution. (Nevada Current)
Articles of Interest
Jails in Clark County ignoring 2019 law designed to increase transparency on in-custody deaths
None of the five jails in Clark County follows a Nevada law designed to provide the public information on in-custody deaths. Assembly Bill 301, which unanimously passed in the 2019 Legislature and became law, in part requires jails throughout Nevada to create biannual reports to detail the number of inmate deaths and manner in which they died. (Las Vegas Review Journal)
Affordable housing concept in Las Vegas filling niche, expanding
The solution was shareDowntown, apartments with a price point in line with workforce housing, Cherry said, particularly people working in the bars, restaurants, retail shops and casinos that make up the heart of downtown Las Vegas. (Las Vegas Sun)
Trump Raises $50 Million in One Night, but He’s Still Courting His Biggest 2020 Donor
Miriam Adelson—who with her late husband, Sheldon Adelson, were the largest donors to Trump’s 2020 effort with $90 million in contributions—hasn’t yet given to Trump’s 2024 bid. (The Wall Street Journal)
Suit: Uber-backed proposal to cap attorney fees would harm sexual assault victims
A group of Nevada trial lawyers is challenging an Uber-backed proposal to cap attorney fees in civil cases, arguing the effort misleads voters and would make it harder for Nevadans to receive the best legal representation. (The Nevada Independent)
NV childhood immunization, adult vaccination rates both lag behind national averages
Vaccine rates among adults, which includes Covid and flu shots for the current season, are also only a fraction of the national average, health officials said at the Interim Committee on Health and Human Services. (Nevada Current)
March jobs report shows strong labor market with job gains in health care and government
The sturdy labor market continued to chug along in March, with an unemployment rate of 3.8%, marking the 26th straight month of an unemployment rate under 4%. The economy added 303,00 jobs, according to the monthly report released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Friday. (Nevada Current)
Regulatory capture has Nevada’s great outdoors in a bind, say enthusiasts
Nevada’s wildlife commission and its mining commission don’t reflect the state’s diversity and are dominated by industry insiders who profit from the decisions they render, say critics who want them revamped and funded in a more democratic manner. (Nevada Current)
Nevada Supreme Court hears arguments in redistricting ballot question case
Fair Maps Nevada PAC appealed blocking of initiative petitions that would create an independent redistricting commission. (Las Vegas Review Journal)
‘Irresponsible’: Gov. Lombardo urges Biden to halt excessive spending
Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo sent a letter to Democratic President Joe Biden on Thursday, calling on him to embrace free market principles. (Las Vegas Review Journal)
How bulldozing a closed Motel 6 could help improve Lake Tahoe’s water clarity
During the next several years, the buildings will be razed, the asphalt removed and the wetland restored, connecting 560 acres of the Upper Truckee Marsh on the shores of Lake Tahoe to 206-acre Johnson Meadow across Highway 50 to the south. (The Nevada Independent)
Indy Gaming: More states banning ‘prop bets,’ citing harassment of athletes
Many states have eliminated proposition wagers in college athletes – not Nevada. But the rapid expansion of legal sports betting is starting to show a few growing pains. (The Nevada Independent)
With A’s stadium referendum now before Supreme Court, supporters say ‘time is running out’
The Nevada Supreme Court is considering language a teachers union-backed PAC needs to include in a potential ballot referendum that could overturn the public financing deal for a Las Vegas baseball stadium that would house the relocated Oakland A’s. (The Nevada Independent)
Inside the meetings that officially moved the A’s from Oakland to Sacramento
Thus was John Fisher’s moment. It was a cold and rainy morning at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, with the microphone glitching whenever Kings owner Vivek Ranadive tried to heap praise upon the Oakland Athletics owner, but this was the place — the single, solitary place in the entire known universe — where people gathered to willingly extol the virtues of Fisher. (ESPN)
More RNO: Reno-Tahoe International Airport unveils expanded ticket hall
Airport officials and staff unveiled the expanded ticket lobby to a throng of attendees on Thursday, the first key phase of a major infrastructure program known as MoreRNO. (Reno Gazette Journal)
Slain Las Vegas attorney remembered as ‘badass all around’
Prince, a prominent Las Vegas civil attorney, was slain along with his fourth wife Ashley, 30, with whom he shared a baby daughter, at his Summerlin law office on Monday by another lawyer, Joseph Houston II, 77, who then turned the gun on himself. (Las Vegas Review Journal)
‘A powder keg’: What drove Joseph Houston to murder?
Longtime friends and colleagues of Joseph Houston II are struggling to understand what drove the proud, “extremely smart” Houston to repeatedly shoot Ashley Prince, his former daughter-in-law, and her new husband, attorney Dennis Prince, before turning his gun on himself in a Monday morning deposition at Prince’s law offices in Summerlin. (Las Vegas Review Journal)
Big Rockies snowpack may boost Lake Mead, Nevada in 2024
Snowpack numbers for the Rocky Mountains are above the median, but whether that will translate to better water levels for Lake Mead and Nevada is unclear. (Las Vegas Review Journal)
Nevada real estate agents charge some of the highest commissions in U.S.
The Silver State ranks higher than California, Florida, and Texas in terms of charged commissions, according to a new study. (Las Vegas Review Journal)
Lawyers debate if taking redistricting out of Legislature’s hands will cost more money
Supreme Court justices will weigh arguments about whether proposed ballot measures contain unfunded mandates and issue a decision in the coming months. (The Nevada Independent)
Nevada one of the most at-risk states for ‘legal looting’ by private equity firms
Nevada ranked 5th overall in the Private Equity Stakeholders Project’s Private Equity Risk Index, which the group launched this week. Only New Mexico, North Carolina, Arizona, and Florida are considered more at risk. (Nevada Current)
State looks to expand food assistance program to restaurants
The Nevada Division of Welfare and Supportive Services is looking to implement a meal program that allows unhoused folks and people with disabilities to use food assistance benefits at partnering restaurants. (Nevada Current)
Election News
Important Dates
Primary Early Voting May 25 Days Until: 43
Primary Election June 11 Days Until: 60
General Election November 5 Days Until: 207
Rosen raises record $5 million in first quarter
Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV) raised $5 million in the first quarter of 2024, the largest sum of any Senate candidate thus far. (The Nevada Independent)
Trump: States should decide abortion laws
Former President Donald Trump said in a video statement Monday that abortion rights should be left up to the states, remarks that came after months of mixed signals on an issue that he and his advisers have worried could cost him dearly in this fall’s election. (Las Vegas Review Journal)
Latino voters, coveted by both parties, are a target for election mis information
“We are at the front lines of fighting misinformation in our communities,” said María Barquín, program director of Chavez Radio Group, the non-profit that runs Radio Campesina, a network of Spanish-language stations in Arizona, California, and Nevada. “There’s a lot at stake in 2024 for our communities. (Las Vegas Sun)
GOP minority outreach centers in Nevada quietly shuttered after 2022 election cycle
A Nevada Independent analysis found that the four locations are closed and now host other businesses. (The Nevada Independent)
Brown reportedly went to Mar-a-Lago seeking Trump’s endorsement
Nevada Republican U.S. Senate candidate Sam Brown went to Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida last week to seek Trump’s endorsement, CNN reported Tuesday. (Nevada Current)
Deputy public defenders challenge incumbent Sciscento for LV Justice Court seat
The primary race for Las Vegas Justice Court Dept. 2, which handles criminal matters, features two Clark County public defenders vying to unseat Judge Joseph Sciscento. (Nevada Current)
Mail-In Balloting Do You Trust the System?
In the ongoing debate over Nevada’s universal mail-in balloting, there are significant issues that warrant close examination. (Nevada Business)
VP Harris to visit Las Vegas for fourth time this year
Vice President Kamala Harris will speak about the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act in Las Vegas on Monday. (Las Vegas Review Journal)
Brown – 58% Undecided – 22% Marchant – 6% Gunter – 3% Grady – 3% (X)
And in case you weren’t sure Trump is all in for Brown after that poll showed him 50 points ahead:
Democrats are terrified of a Trump-Brown ticket in Nevada (X)
Upcoming Fundraisers
Reno City Council Ward 3
Miguel Martinez
Wednesday, April 17th
5:30-7:00 PM
The Peppermill Resort
2707 S Virginia St, Reno, NV 89502
Lakeview Room, Suite 1747
_______________________________________
Joint Fundraiser in Support of
Assemblywoman Elaine Marzola
Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui, and
Assemblywoman Shea Backus with special guest
Senator Catherine Cortez Masto
Friday, May 3rd, 2024, from 6:00 – 7:30 PM PT
Home of Hon. Jan Jones Blackhurst, Las Vegas, NV.
Full Address Upon RSVP.
_________________________________________
Family Court Dept. N
Kerri Maxey
Thursday, April 25, 2024
5:30-7:00 PM
1301 S. Commerce St. #130
Las Vegas, NV 89102
Please call (702) 545-8777 or Tom@LetiziaAgency.com
| The Griffin Company is a full-service public policy and government affairs consulting firm based in Nevada. We believe a complete government affairs practice must be able to effectively navigate all levels of government, both with the laws and regulations, as well as with an understanding of and sensitivity to the politics associated with each issue. The Griffin Company provides clients with the breadth of experience – local, state, and federal – that enables a comprehensive approach, integrating policy and relationships at all levels of government. |
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