Opening remarks
Happy (Almost) Fourth of July!
The roundup will be taking next week off but coming back the week of July 11th, featuring a deep dive on the 2022 Ballot Questions. There has been a lot going on in this world since we published our first deep dive on the proposed ballot initiatives back in February. Some of the latest news includes how the Nevada Supreme Court has recently issued three rulings that directly affect this year’s ballot questions (see ICYMI below) and the Legislative Commission approved earlier this month the language for Ballot Question No. 1 and Ballot Question No. 2.
Have a wonderful holiday weekend and look for us in your inbox in two weeks!
Important Dates
| Primary Early Voting | May 28 – June 10 |
| Primary Election | Tuesday June 14, 2022 |
| General Early Voting | October 22 – November 4 |
| General Election | Tuesday November 8, 2022 |
ICYMI
Clark County property tax cap deadline today.
Nevada Supreme Court 2022 Ballot Rulings: No education vouchers, yes open primary & rank choice and bye-bye gaming and sale tax hikes.
Cannabis Lounges open ‘as early as end of the year’.
Joey Gilbert claims voter fraud in Republican Gubernatorial primary race, pays nearly $200k for recount.
What do chicken enclosures, pre-trial release timelines, telehealth access and PFAS chemicals all have in common? They are all new Nevada laws that go into effect tomorrow.
ECONOMY
Nevada Minimum Wage Increase in Effect Friday
Nevada’s minimum wage will increase starting tomorrow by another 75 cents. This will set the state’s minimum wage at $9.50/hour for employers who provide health insurance for employees and $10.50/hour for employers who don’t offer health insurance.
Gov. Sisolak Announces $3.7 million For Rural Community Development
Governor Steve Sisolak announced today that $3,674,024 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds have been awarded to 17 projects in Carson City and rural Nevada. The CDBG program enables local governments to undertake a wide range of activities intended to create suitable living environments, provide affordable housing, and create economic opportunities, primarily for persons of low and moderate income.
EDUCATION
IFC Approves Funding for Free School Lunch, Learning Loss Programs
Last week, the Interim Finance Committee approved $75 million in federal pandemic funding to continue providing all K-12 students with free breakfast and lunch during the upcoming school year. “I think feeding kids is a top priority,” said Vice Chair Maggie Carlton, D-Las Vegas. “It’s the right thing to do,” said Sen. Scott Hammond, R-Las Vegas.
IFC members also approved a $200 million grants program to support school districts and university campuses to address learning losses caused by two years of a pandemic that closed schools statewide. All Nevada education entities are eligible to apply for grants to help pay for tutoring, summer school, after school learning and other programs to help students catch up.
ENVIRONMENT
State commission affirms environmental permit for Thacker Pass lithium mine
In a hearing Tuesday, the State Environmental Commission affirmed a contested water pollution control permit for the Thacker Pass lithium mine, a procedural step forward for Lithium America’s project in Humboldt County.
“In this case, the [state agency] received and reviewed multiple credible reports that show that the project will not contaminate the state’s water,” Deputy Attorney General Dan Nubel argued during his opening statement.
Extreme Heat Resource Guide
The State of Nevada announced Monday that it has created a central resource for Nevadans facing the dangers of extreme heat this summer. The central resource is part of Governor Sisolak’s Statewide Heat Plan, which has met with federal, state and local partners to identify different resources to help the community overcome the heat.
HEALTHCARE
Sisolak signs order protecting those seeking access to abortion
In response to the SCOTUS decision overturning Americans’ right to constitutional abortion last week, Gov. Steve Sisolak signed an executive order Tuesday implementing protections for anyone seeking or providing abortion services or other reproductive health care within the Silver State. Sisolak’s executive order follows the governors of California, Oregon and Washington announcing a “West Coast offensive” on Friday to ensure access to abortion and contraception as well as protect providers and patients from the legal grasp of other states.
Pilot project equipping rural police with telehealth tools for mental health crises
Through a partnership with police, Nevada’s health department will offer crisis intervention services to rural residents through Virtual Crisis Care, a digital crisis intervention program delivered using tablets, starting as soon as police training is completed. When officers are called to a scene or dispute, trained mental health professionals could intervene virtually, if necessary, with the new device.
Helmsley Charitable Trust awarded a $3.8 million grant to the state to launch the pilot program.
HOUSING
Nevadans urge lawmakers to try again to end rapid summary eviction process
This Nevada Independent article highlights the concerns on the summary eviction process. The rising cost of home ownership and rent — and the end of the eviction moratorium last May — prompted Nevada lawmakers and stakeholders to confront the state’s unique use of seven-day summary evictions.
This process, which is only used in Nevada, requires the defendant to file an affidavit in court by the end of the seven days or they can be kicked out.
Lawmakers said they will look over items from presenters, consider the testimonies and comments, and, in August, vote on bill draft requests regarding summary evictions that could come before legislators in the 2023 session.
What we’re doing this Interim
The 2021 Nevada Legislature passed Assembly Bill 443, Legislation that fundamentally changed the way the Legislature operates between Sessions. The newly formed Interim Standing Committees have begun meeting, hearing overviews of their mission and setting agendas for the next eleven months.
Click here to view a list of upcoming Joint Interim Standing Committee meetings.
2021 Redistricting Maps
The new boundaries would give 14 of the 21 state Senate districts and 27 of the 42 Assembly districts a voter registration advantage for Democrats over Republicans of more than 4.5 percent.
The Nevada Independent
Please see the links below to view the new district lines for Nevada Assembly, Senate and Congressional delegation.