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.
Opening remarks
The Primary Election in Nevada will be completed this week as Clerks and Registrars finish counting mail-in ballots and County Commissions and the Secretary of State certify the elections. We’ve updated our 2022 candidate list.
I’ve been involved in elections in our state for 20+ years and I can use two words to describe what I saw: unprecedented and unpredictable.
The vitriol thrown by candidates and Political Action Committees was unprecedented. The turn out and the outcomes were unpredictable.
Candidates who campaigned on a platform of election fraud won. (They’ve yet to file a challenge). Many candidates that were endorsed and supported by their respective caucus’ lost, some by double digits. “Newcomers” to statewide races gave U.S. Senate and Gubernatorial front-runners Laxalt and Lombardo a run for their money.
The electorate did “show-up” in greater numbers than previous non-presidential primaries but every registered voter in the state received a ballot in the mail. Depending on the pundit, that was either going to drive participation through the roof or open the door for a tremendous amount of fraud. Neither of those scenarios became reality.
The field has been narrowed, the signs are being removed from front lawns and street corners and the triumphant candidates are preparing for the next 139 days. In the Fall Nevadans will vote, including the ~33% of non-partisans and independent voters who didn’t have say in the Primary.
I can tell you now, based on experience, that the General Election will be:
Unprecedented.
Unpredictable.
We’ll do our best to provide comprehensive coverage over the coming months and will be analyzing candidate positions on the important issues that could become federal, state, and local initiatives.
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 |
Nevada 2022 Primary Results Roundup
Below are some takeaways from Nevada’s 2022 primary:
“Election Fraud” candidates up against more moderate GOP candidates prevail on June 7.
Notably Jim Marchant for Secretary of State, Sigal Chattah for Attorney General and Michelle Fiore for Treasurer are all candidates who have campaigned on election fraud conspiracies and have all prevailed in their respective primary.
The seemingly sole exception: Joe Lombardo.
Per The Nevada Independent: The more moderate Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo won a decisive victory over the sprawling field of Republican gubernatorial candidates. However, down the ballot, far-right Republican candidates largely trounced more moderate (and oftentimes better-funded) primary rivals. Jim Marchant, a former Assembly member who has raised his public profile by campaigning on unsubstantiated claims of mass voter fraud in the 2020 election, won handedly over Reno-based developer Jesse Haw.
In the state legislative races, we saw party endorsement can go only so far. There were some definite surprises. Several strong candidates did not prevail in their primaries.
Notables: Assembly District 25 saw surprises in both the Democrat and Republican primaries. Alex Goff lost to Selena La Rue Hatch in the Democratic primary and Jacob Williams, who had the endorsement of Jill Tolles, lost to Sam Kumar in the Republican primary. For State Senate District 16, Incumbent & caucus endorsed Don Tatro lost to Lisa Krasner.
"Though only one incumbent was defeated in the primary election, three of five state Senate Republican candidates backed by caucus leadership fell short of victory. In the Assembly, two of seven candidates endorsed by the Assembly GOP caucus were either losing or in races still too close to call on Monday." - Legislature: Handful of caucus-backed candidates lose in primaries
Red Wave? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
With the nomination of "extreme" Republican candidates instead of the more moderate challenger in several high-profile races, Nevada Democrats may see their candidate prevail in November if non-partisans and moderate Republicans aren't won over by the farther right policies touted during the primaries. Though, this does not mean these races have been handed to the Democrats, especially considering the ominous trend of the President's party performing poorly in midterm elections. We know it’s going to be hard work,” said Congresswoman Dina Titus, the dean of the state’s congressional delegation.
Let's Get Local
Further Reading
Secretary of State’s Office Primary Election Results
Nevada’s 2022 Primary Results from Politico
(They provide great visualizations that break down which counties voted for who in the federal and statewide primaries.)
Education News
Elko's Great Basin College plans 'Mining Center for Excellence'
President Joyce Helens said the Nevada Mining Center for Excellence, which is being planned for the National Guard Armory building across the street from the college in Elko, is the result of a fruitful collaboration between Great Basin College and the University of Nevada, Reno’s Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, formerly the Mackay School of Mines.
Housing News
Rising home prices lock out more than a quarter of Nevada workforce
Rising home prices lock out more than a quarter of Nevada workforce. Specifically, home prices in Nevada’s two most populous cities broke records in May, reaching a median price of $482,000 in Las Vegas (up 25 percent from last year) and $615,000 in the Reno-Sparks area (up 23 percent from last year) for single-family homes.
According to the UNLV report, none of the ten most common occupations in the area (about 24 percent of the population in the Reno-Sparks area and nearly 25 percent in the Las Vegas area) earn an annual salary that would support mortgage payments on a median-valued home assuming an individual secured the mortgage with either a 10 percent or 3 percent down payment.
Infrastructure News
Elon Musk’s Boring Company to expand underground tunnels in Las Vegas
As part of its effort to construct a transportation system hitting the most popular stops in Las Vegas, Elon Musk’s The Boring Company received approval this week to expand its underground tunnels downtown.
Musk’s vision for the “Vegas Loop” includes plans to connect the city’s Strip, Harry Reid International Airport, Allegiant Stadium, downtown Las Vegas and eventually Los Angeles.
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.
Opening remarks
Ballots arrived in mailboxes across our state (over ten days ago) and people can complete their ballot in the kitchen or take the traditional route and vote at an early voting location. It is very easy to cast your ballot in Nevada but the Early Voter statistics from across the state show that voters aren't interested. Yet.
It is always difficult to get people to vote in non-presidential primaries. It's even more difficult when the election is occurring at the end of the school year, the weather is warming up and people are more excited about their vacation than voting. This year, I would add that the vitriolic television, radio and mail campaigns are also a factor. It's nasty out there.
I also expect (hope) a surge of ballots will be cast this week. I predict A LOT of surprises when the ballots are tallied. There are a number of races that are going to be close and the winner will not be decided on Election Day. It's going to be an exciting time!
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 |
Primary Races We're Watching
Below is a list of primary races our firm is watching, either due to their competitiveness, the amount of chatter surrounding the race, or because of the broader implications (cough cough red wave in November?).
To view the list of the candidates running for office, visit our 2022 Election webpage, your one-stop shop for all things Nevada 2022. Here you can also find links to each candidate’s campaign website and the latest voter registration breakdown of each jurisdiction.
U.S. Senate Republican Primary
Adam Laxalt is “the chosen one” this time round, being one of the few Republican candidates with endorsements from both Trump and McConnell, but political newcomer Sam Brown has been making headlines for consistently raising six figures and earning some well-known endorsements of his own.
Congressional District 1 Democratic Primary
We don’t expect incumbent Dina Titus to lose this race, but it is one the highest profile races in the state where a progressive candidate is challenging a more moderate incumbent, echoing the clash between the progressive wing and moderate wing of the Democratic Party in other primaries across the country.
Congressional District 3 Republican Primary
The NRCC has thrown their support behind April Becker, a candidate who they believe has a real shot at beating incumbent Susie Lee in November and helping them achieve their goal of winning control of the U.S. House.
Gubernatorial Republican Primary
Lombardo is expected to win the nomination, as he is seen as Republicans’ best chance against Sisolak in November, but a crowded field and new elements to Nevada’s voting process (mail-in ballots, transition from caucus to primary system) means it is more difficult to predict voter turnout and Republican enthusiasm than in previous midterm election cycles. This primary isn't over.
Lieutenant Governor Democratic Primary
Incumbent Lisa Cano Burkhead has some high-profile officials backing her, but Debra March has a long record of public service in the state and her own set of well-known Nevadans supporting her campaign.
State Senate District 16 Republican Primary
Assemblywoman Lisa Krasner began her campaign for this seat even before Don Tatro was appointed to step in after Ben Kieckhefer, who was term limited, resigned from the Legislature to join the Nevada Gaming Commission. Even though Tatro is the incumbent, his candidate filing came as a bit of a surprise given that he during his appointment interview last year, he stated he had no intention to run for the seat in 2022.
State Senate District 17 Republican Primary
Assembly Minority Leader Robin Titus and Assemblyman Jim Wheeler, who was Minority Leader prior to Titus, are both campaigning for this seat but only one will be returning to the Legislature in 2023.
State Assembly District 25, both primaries
Democratic: The Assembly Democratic Caucus endorsed Alex Goff for the seat, while Selena La Rue Hatch was endorsed by the Nevada State Education Association and Washoe Education Association. The race is one of many featuring a Democratic caucus-endorsed candidate running against a teacher union-backed candidate. - Tabitha Mueller, The Nevada Independent
Republican: Jacob Williams is the chosen successor of Jill Tolles’ seat but with the new maps drawn in 2021, this district now has a slight Democratic voter registration advantage, however this seat is still competitive. The Assembly Republican Caucus has targeted this district as in-play for the General and will do their best to ensure it continues to be represented by a Republican, as it has been for the past decade.
State Assembly District 26 Republican Primary
The is a safe Republican district with 0 Democrats in the race, meaning whoever comes out on top next week is presumed to be this district’s next representative. (Who will likely be the next representatives for Assembly Districts 19 and 23 will also be decided on June 14, given that both these districts have a +12% or more registered Republican advantage.)
State Assembly District 27 Democratic Primary
Similar to District 25, this democratic primary features candidates that have split the endorsements from traditionally democratically aligned unions, organizations, and/or associations. Theresa Benitez-Thompson, the current representative of the district, is termed-out and has endorsed Dr. Angie Taylor, Washoe County School Board President, as her successor. The other democratic candidate, Brian Lee, has received endorsements from several education associations, including the NSEA.
State Assembly District 29 Democratic Primary
Incumbent Leslie Cohen has a tough primary ahead of her, with well funded PACs throwing their weight behind challenger Joe Dalia.
Further reading: Our list somewhat differs from The Nevada Independent’s. To see what other primaries are on-the-radar, check out their 2022 election page.
Early Voting Information
There were 39,921 Nevadans who voted in person during the first week of early voting:
A total of 71,347 mail-in ballots across the state have been returned during the first week of early voting:
For more information, view the Secretary of State’s breakdown of 2022 Primary Election Turnout Week 1.
The last day to cast your early vote in-person is this Friday, June 10.
The Primary Election is Tuesday June 14.
Find your voting location (by county) here.
Mailed ballots hand-delivered or postmarked by 5:00 p.m. on Election Day in order to be counted. Track your mailed ballot here.
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.
Opening remarks
Lots of news, not that much early voting. For those that want the nitty gritty commentary on early voting for this year's primary, check out Jon Ralston's early voting blog.
Also, I was on Nevada Newsmakers last week with the Nevada Department of Outdoor Recreation's first administrator Colin Robertson, where we discussed the importance of outdoor recreation and why Nevada is an outdoor state. The TCS team is made up of proud native Nevadans and/or graduates from University of Nevada, Reno. We love supporting the great outdoor opportunities the Battle Born State has to offer, like hunting, camping, exploring, or simply celebrating our wide-open spaces. Colin and the Division are doing great work and the State of Nevada is lucky to have him. You can find a replay of the episode here.
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
State Senator Chris Brooks (D – District 3) announces his resignation from Legislature
State Sen. Chris Brooks (D-Las Vegas) is planning to resign from the Legislature later this year, ending a six-year legislative career distinguished by efforts to substantially boost renewable energy and combat climate change in the Silver State.
Legislative ‘brain drain’: Two centuries of experience out the door
Steve Sebelius from the LVRJ crunched the numbers and the Legislature is going to lose between 184 and 186 years of experience as members depart for various reasons.
Secretary Cegavske Announces a Slight Increase in Active Registered Voters in May
At the end of each month, the Secretary of State releases an the latest data about voter registration in the state. In May 2022, Nevada saw an increase of 15,403 active registered voters as compared to April of 2022. The total number of active registered voters in Nevada is 1,821,058, an increase of 0.85%.
Democratic Party active registered voters statewide increased by 3,587 (0.60%), while Republican Party active registered voters statewide increased by 6,982 (1.30%). Nonpartisan active registered voters increased by 5,257 (1.01%),
To see the latest voter registration breakdown by party for each state senate and assembly district (and more), check out our 2022 Election page.
Nevada 2022 Ratings Roundup
Cook Political House Rating Changes for NV-01 from Lean D to Toss Up
David Wasserman writes a succinct and apt overview of the race for Nevada’s first congressional district. After this House Rating change, the Cook Political Report has now rated all three House seats in Southern Nevada (NV-01, NV-03, NV-04), all held by Democrats, as a Toss Up. Congressman Mark Amodei’s seat, NV-02, is rated as Solid R.
NV-01: Dina Titus (D) - Parts of Las Vegas, Henderson, Boulder City
Toss Up.
“…private polling now shows Titus tied against virtually unknown GOP challengers in this reconfigured Biden +8 seat (down from Biden +25 under the old lines).
The biggest question here is the June 14 GOP primary, which looks like a genuine three-way fight between retired Army colonel and financial planner Mark Robertson, former Nevada Latinos for Trump head Carolina Serrano and pro-Israel/MAGA activist David Brog, who's aligned with the Adelson family (former GOP Rep. Cresent Hardy is less of a factor). DC GOP strategists increasingly believe Robertson could be Titus's toughest foe.”
[insert link to CD1 race preview on NV Indy]
The Cook Political Report has rated several other races in Nevada as Toss ups:
Sabato’s Crystal Ball rates Nevada State Senate as one of the most competitive in the country
Reality: there is a chance Republicans could take the State Senate but unlikely they will win the majority of both state houses.
NEVADA
Senate: Lean D
Assembly: Likely D
Democrats have built majorities in both chambers in Nevada, but 2022 will put them to the test. Nevada is a presidential battleground state, and various factors in 2022 — including an erosion of Democratic support among Hispanics, the death of political godfather Harry Reid, and the general churn of the state’s population — could make it hard for Democrats this cycle. Republicans consider Nevada one of their top pickup opportunities. However, the main challenge for the GOP will be the state’s new legislative lines, which were drawn by the Democratic legislature and are slightly more favorable to Democrats in both chambers than the existing maps.
Like The Cook Political Report, Sabato’s Crystal Ball has rated the Nevada Senate, Governor, and House District 3 races as a Toss up. Other races in Nevada that are on Sabato’s radar include:
Economic News
Clark County sees largest over-the-year increase in employment in the country
From December 2020 to December 2021, employment increased in 334 of the 343 largest U.S. counties, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Clark County, had the largest over-the-year percentage increase in employment (+13.3 percent). Within Clark, the largest employment increase occurred in leisure and hospitality, which gained 65,045 jobs over the year (+33.1 percent).
Nevada casino regulators call cryptocurrency a ‘complex’ topic
The Gaming Control Board has asked the gaming industry to bring them proposals on cryptocurrency. “We will vet (the proposals) and if there's something that looks viable, we will move in that direction,” Chair J. Brin Gibson said.
Nevada federal delegation signs letter to President Biden urging him to support the travel and tourism economy by suspending the COVID-19 testing requirements for fully vaccinated inbound international travelers.
Both Senators and all four House Representatives sent a letter to President Biden asking his administration to consider additional ways to enhance and support the recovery of some of Nevada's key industries: travel, hospitality, and events. International travelers are a key demographic for the state's tourism economy, as these travelers tend to stay longer and spend more.
Las Vegas most booked summer 2022 destination
Where are Americans heading this summer? According to internal data from the travel booking app Hopper, Las Vegas is the most booked domestic destination of Summer 2022 and not surprisingly, also the most booked hotel city for summer 2022.
State’s mine tax sweep rattles rural school districts
Elko County School District reduced the final 2022-2023 budget by $4.1 million because of a loss of net proceeds of mines revenue that was swept up by the state, and Lander County’s school budget also is out a big chunk of money - $6.5 million, along with Eureka, out over $8 million, and Humboldt losing nearly $5 million from their school district budgets.
The Humboldt School District Superintendent said the rural districts are looking at potential litigation, with Eureka County as the primary catalyst.
Nevada Supreme Court upholds dismissal of education funding lawsuit
The Nevada Supreme Court has sided with a lower court judge in dismissing a parent-led lawsuit, originally filed in March 2020, that argued the state wasn’t meeting its constitutional obligation to provide sufficient education resources, inhibiting student learning in the process. The Supreme Court opinion essentially says it has no place in making determinations about school funding, noting that issues raised by the lawsuit are “more properly resolved in the Legislature or by initiative petition.”
Las Vegas public schools raise teacher pay, offer new bonuses for support staff
The Clark County School District is raising starting teacher pay from $43,000 to more than $50,115, implementing the first entry-level pay hike since 2015 as the district faces a high vacancy rate and educators struggle with meeting expenses amid rapid inflation. This move will cost the district about $165 million be supported through federal COVID relief funds and operating dollars. Additionally, support staff will be getting one-time retention bonuses of $4,500, and administrators and teachers who are not getting a base salary increase will get bonuses of $5,000.
Board of Regents set to vote on former K-12 chief as acting chancellor after long delay
Eight weeks after former Nevada System of Higher Education Chancellor Melody Rose resigned amid a months-long dispute with top regents, the Board of Regents is set to vote on the appointment of former State Superintendent Dale Erquiaga as acting chancellor next week, according to an agenda posted online Wednesday.
Environment News
Reno's Desert Research Institute, Storey County looking for public input on wildfire smoke
In collaboration with Storey County Emergency Management, the Desert Research Institute (Reno) is conducting a Wildfire Smoke Risk Questionnaire. The purpose of the questionnaire is to learn what people think and know about wildfire smoke risk so that fire officials understand what information will be most helpful to provide.
This survey is one of numerous efforts in the state to emphasize the importance of wildfire preparedness, as every year, wildfires continue to pose a large threat to the state. Governor Sisolak proclaimed May – October the Nevada Wildfire Awareness Campaign, Senator Cortez Masto announced earlier this month that NSHE is receiving more than $20 million for fire research in Nevada.
Fire officials ban open burning across entire Tahoe basin, declare 2022 fire season
As of June 1, open and recreational burning will be banned in the entire Lake Tahoe Basin region as officials prepare for an early and hot fire season. Reno had its first completely dry January on record this year. Only natural gas and propane outdoor firepits, barbecues, and pellet grills or smokers will be allowed year-round, except during Red Flag and critical fire condition days.
Housing News
Las Vegas housing market looks ‘unusual’ as sales fall, prices rise
Frank Nothaft, chief economist with housing tracker CoreLogic, said his team has noticed the same factors that Las Vegas is seeing in “so many other places around the country.” The flow of new listings is down, and availability remains “quite lean,” yet there is still plenty of demand for houses.
Nothaft figures the tally of new listings is down in part because existing homeowners, when they think about selling, might have to take out a mortgage at a higher rate for a new place, prompting them to shelve plans to move. He also said that some people who could afford to buy a place when rates were lower are now “stretched” to qualify for a mortgage or might balk at the monthly payments. “For someone who’s a local, they see their affordability really eroding.”
Infrastructure News
Governor Sisolak, Secretary Buttigieg, NV Federal Delegation Announce I-15 Interchange Improvement Project
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg was in Las Vegas on Tuesday to tout the multimillion-dollar project to replace the interchange at I-15 and Tropicana Avenue, praising Gov. Steve Sisolak and Nevada’s federal delegation for laying groundwork to make quick use of funds provided in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Most of the construction should be concluded by 2024, officials said Tuesday, but close-out work and cleanup will last into 2025. The $305 million project comes with a slew of improvements to the busy interchange and will add lanes, expand sidewalks and add carpool lanes and LED traffic management signs over select stretches of I-15.
Governor Sisolak announces plans for Phase 1 of High Speed NV Initiative
Governor Sisolak announces the launch of Phase 1 of the “High-Speed NV” initiative at the Southern Nevada Traffic Management Center. The first phase will invest $200 million through state and federal funds from the American Rescue Plan and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
The plan focuses on infrastructure to close the digital divide to unserved and underserved rural and urban areas, with a goal of creating universal, scalable and affordable internet access for all Nevadans by 2029.
Douglas kicks tires on microtransit system
Microtransit is required to be operational by summer 2023 but will be piloted in summer 2022. In the beginning, it will mostly service the city of South Lake Tahoe but the line will also service portions of the Lake Tahoe region of Douglas County, mainly the casino corridor.
Douglas County is required to spend at least 1 percent of the transient occupancy tax revenue in the Tahoe Township and is also required to fund up to one-half of 1 percent towards the microtransit line. While commissioners understand the requirement to allocate dollars toward transit, they have not yet agreed on how much to spend.
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.
Opening remarks
Welcome to our Roundup. Prior to scrolling down to read this week’s update, we ask that you take a moment to say a prayer, a moment of reflection to remember the victims, their families, friends and a community and nation that was rocked by this needless act of madness.
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
State Sen. Melanie Scheible, D-Las Vegas, is voluntarily leaving her job with the Clark County district attorney’s office, the senator told the Review-Journal during a short phone conversation last week. Scheible’s decision to leave her position at the Clark County DA’s office was announced shortly after two Nevada Supreme Court Justices joined in a dissent opinion stating that the Nevada Constitution’s separation of powers clause prohibits Senator Scheible from “serving as a legislator, passing laws and at the same time working as a prosecutor, in the executive branch, enforcing those laws.”
This dissent has no effect on the state of the law as only two of the seven justices joined in the dissent but this marks the first time the Supreme Court has opined directly on the state constitution’s separation of powers clause as it pertains to members of the Nevada Legislature.
Oops! Faulty instructions on Washoe mail-in ballot envelopes – instead, just lick them
A miscommunication with the envelope vendor led to inaccurate mail-in ballot instructions to be printed. To seal their envelopes, Washoe County residents can choose to lick their envelope, place Scotch tape to seal it, or use a glue stick. It is not recommended to use liquid glue or any kind of tape that would cover their signature on the other side of the flap.
Reminder on voting dates: You can mail in your Washoe County primary ballot now. If you’d rather vote on a machine in person, early voting starts May 28 and runs through June 10. Primary election day is June 14.
NV Gov GOP Primary Debate Tonight. Buckle Up.
Channel 8 News Now is hosting a 1-hour live telecast of a debate between the candidates for the Republican Party’s nomination for Governor of Nevada. The candidates who have committed to attending are Former U.S. Senator Dean Heller, North Las Vegas Mayor John Lee, Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo, venture capitalist Guy Nohra, and businessman and attorney Joey Gilbert.
The debate will be moderated by Denise Valdez, 8 News Now anchor, Steve Sebelius, Las Vegas Review-Journal Politics and Government editor, and Vanessa Murphy, 8 News Now Investigative Reporter. They will pose questions to the candidates focused on current local and regional issues impacting communities across the state.
When: Wednesday, May 25, 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm PDT
Where to Watch: KLAS-TV CBS Las Vegas, 8NewsNow.com or KTVN-TV CBS Reno, 2news.com
Nevada Independent/OH Predictive Insights polls:
Economic News
Private sector employment surpasses pre-pandemic peak; Unemployment rate remains unchanged in April
According to the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation’s (DETR) April 2022 economic report,
Education News
Washoe County School District approves $1 billion budget, addresses driver shortage
This week, Washoe County School District’s Board of Trustees voted to approved $1.02 billion dollars for their 2023 operating budget this week, which addresses the ongoing bus driver shortage and zoning proposals. According to WCSD’s Chief Financial Officer, the approved budget increases salaries, now includes bus drivers (though still subject to labor negotiations) and includes funding for an increase in a bus driver’s hourly rate. The CFO also stated the district intends to make the bus driver position with the county a year-round job as well by continuing the role into summertime as well.
Healthcare News
Rosen bill targets doctor shortages in Nevada, Las Vegas
Nevada’s junior Senator introduced The Physicians for Underserved Areas Act last week, a bill that would send more federally-funded medical residency slots to areas where doctors are most needed. “This bipartisan legislation will help add to the number of medical residency slots available for Nevada hospitals and encourage more doctors to come practice in our state, including in communities which previously have been underserved,” Rosen said in a written statement.
Infrastructure News
Governor Sisolak to launch High Speed Nevada Initiative
Tomorrow, Thurs May 26, Governor Sisolak will formally launch the “High Speed NV” initiative at the Southern Nevada Traffic Management Center. According to the press release from the Governor’s Office, this initiative will be funded through “a combination of federal funds from the American Rescue Plan and the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act” and “the plan will focus on infrastructure to close the digital divide to unserved and underserved rural and urban areas” as well as be “jobs-focused and provide workforce training opportunities.”
In April, the Interim Finance Committee approved more than $200 million of American Rescue Plan dollars to invest in expanding the state’s fiber infrastructure. In total, Nevada plans to invest half a billion dollars of ARPA funds toward high-speed internet initiatives. And at the beginning of May, the Biden Administration launched a federal program aimed at connecting Americans to low-cost, high-speed internet.
Nevada's first Kimpton hotel breaks ground in Reno; eyes 2025 opening
Las Vegas-based developer CAI Investments broke ground Friday the 13th for Nevada’s first Kimpton boutique hotel — in Reno. Kimpton says downtown Reno hotel, the first Kimpton property in the Silver State, will be "transformative" for downtown. “I mean, Las Vegas doesn’t have a Kimpton,” CAI's CEO Chris Beavor noted. “This project makes a statement to business and leisure travelers and at a global level that Reno has matured.” In addition to the Kimpton, CAI is in the midst renovating the former Harrah’s Reno hotel-casino into a mixed-use residential and commercial project known as the Reno City Center.
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.
Opening remarks
Is it really over?
On Friday, May 6, 2022 Governor Sisolak announced that he intends to end the COVID-19 State of Emergency on May 20, 2022. The Governor issued the first Emergency Directive related to the COVID-19 pandemic on March 12, 2020. Now more than two years later, the State is signifying we are out of this pandemic.
It’s true that a lot of the measures in the Order and subsequent 51 Directives tied to the Order have already been lifted (masks, number of people in public spaces, social distancing, etc.) so what impact will lifting the Emergency Order have on everyday Nevadans? Not much.
However, during two Special Legislative Sessions and the regular 2021 Legislative Session, the Emergency Order set the timeline for when we would be back to “normal.” Many of the bills that were passed, especially in the world of healthcare, are tied to the expiration date of the Emergency Order.
Directive 11 allowed health care providers to operate in Nevada under a “waiver” (i.e. not a full license) from the regulatory board that governs them. This directive also expires on May 20 so if you’re a doctor, nurse, pharmacist or healthcare worker that is operating in Nevada under a waiver, best to call your licensing board and make a formal application or you will lose your ability to practice in the state of Nevada. I’m told there’s a little flexibility but be proactive.
It’s hard to believe that we’ve been living this nightmare for over two years. We have become accustomed to the “new normal” but the lifting of the Emergency Order could change the rules that we currently follow. We advise everyone that operates in Nevada under a professional license to reach out to the appropriate governing board to make sure the rules won’t change on May 20, 2022.
The answer to the question “is it really over” is: Maybe. However, the rules that have governed how we operate are, so it’s important that we remain proactive in our approach to the Pandemic.
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
The Rank in Ranked-Choice Voting, According to Top Democratic Officials
What do Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen, Governor Steve Sisolak, Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, and Speaker Pro Tempore Steve Yeager all have in common besides being the state's top elected Democrats? They all oppose a 2022 ballot initiative to establish open primaries and a ranked-choice general election, arguing that switching to a ranked-choice system would only confuse the Nevada electorate about how to vote and how votes would be tabulated and is too risky of a move if things go wrong. This initiative, spearheaded by the Nevada Voters First PAC, has stated they have collected the necessary 140,777 signatures to appear on the 2022 general election ballot ahead of the June 29th deadline.
Latino Voter Mobilization PAC Launches “Multi-Million Dollar Anti-Laxalt Investment Ahead of 2022 Nevada Senate Race”
Somos PAC plans to spend $4 million on a statewide TV and digital ad campaign targeting Latino voters as the group aims to keep the first and only Latina in the Senate in office. The ads will air in both English and Spanish over the next two months. The Latino vote is being heavily sought after in Nevada this election cycle, by both political parties:
Economic News
CDFI Created in Southern Nevada Using Settlement Funds
This week, Nevada’s Board of Examiners approved the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development’s (GOED) contract with Access Community Capital in Southern Nevada to administer a minority-focused direct loan program, targeting startups and early-stage businesses based on the utilization of $6 million from the Attorney General’s office T-Mobile and Sprint settlement. The allocation to GOED was approved by the Nevada Legislative Interim Finance Committee on April 8, 2022.
Education News
Washoe School Board Confirms Susan Enfield as its New Superintendent
In a 6-1 vote, the Board of Trustees approved Dr. Enfield's employment contract last week. The contract is a four-year deal starting July 6th. It includes a $310,000 base salary, adjusted annually, plus benefits. Current Superintendent Kristen McNeil announced last year her plans to retire from the role at the end of June. You can read The Nevada Independent's outgoing interview with McNeil here. The Washoe County School District has had five superintendents in the past decade, including Enfield.
Environment News
Nevada Awarded $5.4 million for Ecosystem Restoration
Last week, the Biden-Harris Administration announced that $68 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be allocated toward conserving and strengthening ecosystems and economies. Nevada will receive:
EPA Announces $1.9 Million Nevada Investment to Revitalize Communities
Last week, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced a $1,934,000 investment in Nevada to revitalize communities across the state by cleaning up contaminated and blighted properties and redeveloping them for productive reuse. The funding in Nevada will be provided through four EPA Brownfields Assessment grants, which are supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Humboldt County, The City of Las Vegas, The Henderson Redevelopment Agency, and the Nye Communities Coalition were selected to receive Brownfields Assessment Grants. A "brownfield" is a property that has been deemed as a contaminated, polluted, or hazardous site and is slated for revitalization through a specialized EPA program.
Washoe RTC Unveils 100% Clean Bus Fleet
The Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) of Washoe County has retired its last diesel-powered bus in its fixed-route bus fleet, marking a clean-air milestone for the Commission 13 years ahead of schedule. The bus fleet now operates with 100% alternative fuel buses; one third of the fleet is fully electric, while the remainder are electric-diesel hybrids.
Housing News
Rosen, Cortez Masto Announce More Than $48 Million in Federal Funding for Affordable Housing in Nevada
Last week, Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen announced Nevada will receive more than $48 million in grant funding form the Department of Housing and Urban Development to support affordable housing initiatives. Below is a breakdown of the funding:
Culinary Union Announces Launch of "Neighborhood Stability" Ballot Initiative
The Culinary Union, one of Nevada's largest and most influential unions, announced this week they plan to launch a campaign "to win Neighborhood Stability," an effort to combat rising rent and home prices across the state. Whatever the outcome of this ballot initiative come November, expect affordable housing to be a 🔥hot topic🔥 during the 2023 Legislative Session.
Infrastructure News
Cortez Masto, Rosen Announce Nearly $5 Million in Grants for Rural Airports in Nevada
Last week, Nevada's Senators announced the Federal Aviation Administration awarded Nevada just shy of $5 million dollars in federal grants, funded via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, to support infrastructure updates to rural airports throughout the state. The funding will be distributed as follows:
Nevada Childcare Providers to get $30 Million in Grants
Last week, the Interim Finance Committee approved a $30 million grant program to help childcare providers. Grants will be awarded to providers to expand their capacity to take care of children. The money will pay for immediate upgrades and expansions to take care of more families. According to the state's ARPA funds tracker, Nevada has allocated a little over $396 million for childcare programs.
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.
Opening remarks
Happy Cinco de Mayo!
No remarks today, just vibes.
Tabitha Mueller of The Nevada Independent wrote an excellent two-part in-depth preview of the state Senate and Assembly races, and notes which races will likely be decided during the primaries in June.
Part 1: Republicans eye competitive state Senate primary races as potential flips
Part 2: Handful of competitive primaries could shape GOP chances to gain Assembly ground
Be sure to check out our 2022 Election Candidate List – your one stop shop for all things 2022 candidates. You can find links to every candidate's website, see which candidates have withdrawn their candidacy and the voter registration breakdown of each district. In fact, we’ve just added the latest voter registration statistics from the Secretary of State’s website. Check it out.
Important Deadlines
| 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
Jason Frierson confirmed as U.S. Attorney for Nevada
Democratic Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson made history last week after the U.S Senate confirmed his nomination to serve a four-year term as U.S. attorney for Nevada, the first black man to hold the office for the Silver State. Frierson will eventually step down from his role as Speaker, though logistics are still being determined. Nothing is set in stone as for who the next Speaker will be, but there is little room for guessing given that Assemblyman Steve Yeager is the current Speaker Pro Temp and Chair of the Legislative Commission, a body of 12 legislators who act on behalf of the legislative branch of when the full Legislature is not in session and Democrats are expected to maintain their majority in the Lower House.
Democratic Governors Association announces $75 million ad buys in key states, including Nevada
The DGA reserved $10 million in ad buys for Nevada, the third largest allocation of the eight states named. This investment comes after poll results from the Morning Consult showed Gov. Sisolak with an approval rating of 51% and a disapproval rating of 41%. The Cook Political Report, a non-partisan organization that analyzes elections and campaigns across the nation, rated the Governor's race in Nevada a Toss up, one of only five this election cycle.
Nevada Republican Party Does Not Endorse Frontrunners
The Nevada Republican Party voted this past Saturday at their convention to endorse Joey Gilbert for Governor and Sam Brown for U.S. Senate for their respective primaries. These endorsements may come as a bit of a surprise, given that Joe Lombardo and Adam Laxalt have been the proposed frontrunners for these two races and are both endorsed by Donald Trump, who announced his endorsement of Lombardo just last week. And yesterday, new polling results from Emerson College/The Hill gauging who likely Republican voters will vote for in June's primaries are an about-face from the state's convention results: Laxalt leads Brown by 23 percentage points in the GOP Senate Primary and Lombardo leads with GOP Gubernatorial Primary with 33% support, followed by Gilbert with 14% support. Perhaps the biggest takeaway of all this information is that Joey Gilbert is polling higher with Republicans than pundits previously anticipated.
Economic News
Housing: Reno rents reach another record high but increases expected to moderate
"Reno-Sparks recorded an average monthly rent of $1,633 during the first quarter of 2022... The figure is up from $1,616 during the previous quarter and edges out the previous record of $1,632 set during the third quarter of last year. Since 2020, Reno-Sparks has set new record highs for average rent in seven of the last eight quarters."
Nevada has 13th straight $1 billion month for gaming
"Las Vegas Strip casinos recorded their third-highest revenue month of all time. The Gaming Control Board said that Nevada’s $1.355 billion gaming revenue figure in March trailed only July 2021, which holds the record at $1.59 billion. Analysts credited the locals’ gaming markets and slot machine players with driving Nevada to its 13th straight gaming revenue month of more than $1 billion." That's Vegas baby!
Harry Reid International (LAS) named 10th busiest airport in the world
Based on total number of passengers data from Airports Council International, LAS was the 10th busiest airport in the world during 2021. “The ACI World passenger traffic rankings tell the story of an encouraging trend of recovery, with most of the recurrent busiest airports pre-COVID-19 back at the top,” ACI World Director General Luis Felipe de Oliveira said. The #1 busiest airport in the world was Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.
Environment News
Lithium Americas announces investment in Green Technology
"Lithium Americas Corp., which is advancing the Thacker Pass lithium project north of Winnemucca, has announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire shares of Green Technology Metals Ltd. (GT1) in a share placement for a total consideration of $10 million. GT1 is a North American focused lithium exploration and development company with hard rock spodumene assets in northwest Ontario, Canada."
US to hold back Lake Powell water to protect hydropower
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced plans this week to hold back almost half a million acre-feet of water in Lake Powell to ensure the Glen Canyon Dam near the Utah-Arizona border maintains its hydropower production for millions of homes and businesses in the region. This news comes after several major announcements last week: (1) Colorado River Basin States, including Nevada, support emergency action to keep water in Lake Mead, one of two of the main storage reservoirs of the Colorado River, (2) Southern Nevada Water officials turned on Lake Mead's “low lake level pumping station” to allow Las Vegas to pump out water from even deeper and (3) the Southern California officials declared a water shortage emergency and ordered outdoor usage be restricted to just one day a week for around 6 million people in parts of Los Angeles, Ventura and San Bernardino counties, and Las Vegas.
Implementation of First-in-the-Nation Non-Functional Turf Ban Begins in Southern Nevada
From the New York Times: With drought and growth taking a toll on the Colorado River, the source of 90 percent of the region’s water, a new law in Las Vegas mandates the removal of turf, patch by patch.
This law, AB356, passed with bipartisan support during the 2021 Legislative Session and was sponsored by Assemblyman Howard Watts, Chair of the Assembly Committee on Natural Resources. The Southern Nevada Water Authority estimates there are about 3,900 acres of grass to be removed, which could yield savings of up to 9.5 billion gallons of water annually, or about 10 percent of the region’s allocation from the Colorado River.
Outdoor Recreation Lessons from Nevada
"Home to the nation’s first National Recreation Area, five distinct ecoregions, 27 State Parks, 60 million acres of accessible public lands, and 4,000 species of wildlife. Nevada was an ideal venue to learn more about the recent surge in outdoor engagement across the nation in light of the pandemic and its implications for environmental decision-making."
Healthcare News
Northern Nevada Sierra Medical Center is officially open, accepting patients
Northern Nevada Sierra Medical Center will add 170 hospital beds to the region. Each room will be private and can be converted into an ICU room if needed. The full-service hospital includes specialties such as pediatrics, anesthesia, and obstetrics and gynecology. The hospital also has a 24/7 emergency room as well as labor and delivery, oncology, cardiovascular, neurosurgical and orthopedic and surgical services.
Northern Nevada Sierra Medical Center is located at 625 Innovation Drive between Longley Lane and Double R Boulevard.
Infrastructure News
Transportation in Nevada - Challenges and Opportunities
"Everything everywhere seems to be backordered, backlogged, or just unavailable. But what’s broadly referred to as supply chain issues are often labor shortages, manufacturing shortages and even shortages of trucks and trailers necessary to transport everything. Sometimes supply chain issues are really logistics issues."
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.
Opening remarks
LG Lowdown
There’s a lot of talk and media around the big races in Nevada: US Senate, Congressional seats and Governor. Today I want to give a little thought to another important race that’s shaping up for the June 14 Primary and ultimately in the General Election.
It’s considered to be a part time job, but it requires a full-time commitment. In my experience the Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Nevada serves a lot of constituencies and deserves a lot of respect. The LG is required by statute to:
Most recently, former LG Kate Marshall worked with the Governor and the Legislature to create the Office of Small Business Advocacy within the office. The OSBA “serves as a centralized hub, connecting small business owners to available resources and working to resolve challenges and barriers to access.”
And don’t forget, the winner of the race in November will be a heartbeat (or resignation) away from the state’s top job.
You can see from our 2022 Candidate list that there are a lot of people that want this “part time job.” Lisa Cano Burkhead, appointed to the position when Kate Marshall resigned to join the Biden Administration and Debra March, the Mayor of Henderson appear to be the front runners in the Democratic Primary. Las Vegas City Councilman Stavros Anthony and banker/business owner and campaign newcomer John Miller are leading the way in the Republican Primary.
It’s not my intent to diminish the other candidates in the race and you can read more about each of them in this excellent story by Da Yeon Eom in The Nevada Independent.
We’ll be watching the big races, but I encourage everyone to pay some attention to this Constitutional office. The race will be fun to watch and the outcome is extremely important to the state.
Important Deadlines
| 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
GOP Gubernatorial Town Hall (Decidedly not a debate)
Joe Lombardo, Dean Heller, John Lee, Guy Nohra, Joey Gilbert, Eddie Hamilton, Tom Heck, Fred Simon, and Barak Zilberberg walk into a bar the Southern Hills Republican Women's Club...
Joe Lombardo for Governor campaign's first tv ad is on the air: Keyboard Cowboys
Police to pay RJ $250K to settle lawsuit over Las Vegas shooting records
The Metropolitan Police Committee on Fiscal Affairs of LVMPD approved a $250,000 settlement payment to the Las Vegas Review-Journal to settle the news organization’s lawsuit over access to records from the mass shooting that occurred on Oct. 1, 2017.
Dr. Susan Enfield selected by Washoe County School Board as new Superintendent
In a 6-1 vote, Dr. Enfield was selected as the new superintendent of Washoe County School District. Enfield's contract will start "as soon as possible", but no later than June 13 and run through June 2025.
Tilman Fertitta purchases six acres on the Strip-plans to build a resort.
Houston billionaire Tilman Fertitta is in the process of acquiring property on the Strip and plans to develop an upscale hotel. The site, at the southeast corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Harmon Avenue, spans about 6 acres, and sources said Fertitta is acquiring the spread for more than $200 million.
Court News
The Nevada Supreme Court has been busy these past few days, ruling on several cases that have significant implications for this year's election and beyond.
Court reverses ruling in challenge to lawmakers serving as public employees
In a unanimous decision issued Thursday, the Nevada Supreme Court granted standing to the Nevada Policy Research Institute (NPRI), a libertarian-leaning think tank, in their separation-of-powers lawsuit challenging the status of the numerous state legislators who also work for a government agency. The decades long constitutional quagmire will finally be answered.
Voter ID, mail voting rollback ballot questions likely dead after court rulings
Two ballot petitions sponsored by the Repair the Vote PAC, a political action committee led by former Nevada Republican Club President David Gibbs, were dealt the death knell by a pair of Carson City judges. The description of effect for both the Voter ID Verification initiative petition and the Repeal of Mail-In Ballot referendum petition were ruled to be argumentative and a new description be written, in effect nullifying all the signatures collected at this point. In a brief interview with the Nevada Independent on Monday, Gibbs said there was virtually no chance of getting the signatures needed to qualify for the ballot by the June 29 deadline.
Judge rules second school voucher initiative contains unfunded mandate
Two school voucher petitions were filed earlier this year by the Education Freedom PAC to appear on the 2022 ballot. In mid-April, a judge ruled that the constitutional initiative petition was a "shell game" by failing to describe the "enormous fiscal impact on the budget... of all school districts in Nevada." Two weeks later, the same judge ruled the statutory initiative could also not proceed because it contained the same "sleight of hand" as the constitutional initiative by failing to identify a funding source to support the proposed school-voucher system.
Education News
New Clark County school focused on construction & manufacturing now accepting applications
Clark County School District is accepting student applications for the yet-to-be-named career and technical training academy focused on construction technology and advanced manufacturing, two of the biggest and growing industries in southern Nevada. Small classes, hybrid or distance format and an on-site "One-Stop Career Center" in partnership with Workforce Connections, southern Nevada's Local Workforce Development Board, are some of the features students can expect. The school is accepting applications now through May 2 from interested sophomores across the district.
Click here to read the school's FAQ to find out more.
Environment News
Low lake level pumping station now operational at Lake Mead
The Southern Nevada Water Authority says that as Lake Mead water levels continue to fall “during the worst drought in the history of the Colorado River Basin,” the low lake level pumping station will ensure that Southern Nevada maintains access to its primary water supplies in the lake.
Colorado River states agree to federal request to hold back water in Lake Powell
"In a letter sent Friday, the seven states that use the Colorado River agreed with the U.S. Department of Interior and recommended that federal water managers take an emergency action aimed at stabilizing a dwindling Lake Powell, one of the main storage reservoirs on the river."
Federal Government resumes oil leasing in Nevada
"The federal government announced plans last week to resume oil and gas leasing on public land. And on Monday, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management sent out a press release that it would hold a lease sale on June 14 for 2,560 acres, split into five parcels, in northern Nye County."
Fallon tribe seeks protection of sacred land.
In March, leaders for the Fallon Paiute Shoshone tribe traveled to Washington D.C. in a bid to protect what they view as a sacred valley: Dixie Valley, known as Paumu in Paiute. They asked the Biden administration and congressional representatives to designate the area a national monument, an act that would make it Nevada’s fifth and the largest in the continental United States.
Healthcare News
$5 Million Donation starts first-of-its-kind endowment for Renown Children’s Hospital
The Wilbur May Foundation recently announced a $5 million gift to Renown Health Foundation. This gift marks the first major donation to support the newly formed Renown Children’s Hospital Endowment Fund. The neonatal and pediatric intensive care units will be named after May in his honor.
Infrastructure News
Nevada State Infrastructure Bank to finance priority infrastructure projects
Using $75 million in general obligation bonds, the bank will be making allocations to support the following priority infrastructure areas:
Nevada will receive more than $57 million over the next five years as part of the Carbon Reduction Program.
The Carbon Reduction Program, created under the federal Infrastructure law, will fund a wide range of projects designed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from on-road highway sources.
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.
Opening remarks
It’s our favorite season, Campaign Season!
Campaign season is in full swing! Large 4x8 campaign signs have cropped up on most busy intersections in Nevada and smaller signs are popping up in your neighbors' yards. It’s also Spring, which means the Windy Season in the state. Many candidates find themselves chasing down, rehanging or repairing their damaged assets.
A campaign tool not quite as susceptible to the wind is the airwaves (no pun intended). Last night as I watched the news, a pro John Lee for Governor ad came on telling me how great a conservative he was, immediately followed by an ad that discredited his conservative record.
Our phones are ringing off the hook with energetic new candidates and incumbents that want to meet and ask for financial support. It’s great. We get to learn a lot about them and discuss what’s important to our clients. We really enjoy this part of the job.
It’s also polling season so next time your phone rings and it’s a number you don’t recognize, answer it and participate. You’ll see later in this roundup a couple stories about recent polls published that give some insight on the statewide races. There are more to come. Next week I’ll have my insights on how polls are conducted and why (sometimes) the information is important to the voter and important to the candidates.
Important Deadlines
| 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
The Cook Political Report changes CD3 and CD4 ratings from “Lean Democratic” to “Toss-Up”
During redistricting and reapportionment last year, the Democratically controlled legislature used a "divide and conquer" strategy when redrawing the congressional district boundaries: divide the democratic stronghold of NV-01 (Dina Titus) in order to strengthen the slight advantage democrats enjoy in NV-03 and NV-04 to ensure a Democratic "conquer" in 2022, though this move, as David Wasserman explains, may instead result in catastrophe:
NV-03: Susie Lee (D) - Parts of Las Vegas, Summerlin
…Republicans appear to be consolidating behind real estate attorney April Becker, who lost a 2020 state senate race by 631 votes and just got GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy's backing. Lee won't lack resources, but it's a Toss Up.
NV-04 Steven Horsford (D) - North Las Vegas, southern "Cow Counties"
If there's a consolation for Horsford, it's that Republicans are headed for a bruising June 14 primary between Assemblywoman Annie Black, who made waves attending the January 6 rally and defying mask mandates at the state capital, and insurance businessman Sam Peters, a retired Air Force major and pro-Trump activist. GOP strategists don't consider either to be out of central casting. But in this climate, even a weak GOP nominee could prevail.
How much money do top Nevada candidates have heading into primary season?
Quarter 1 Contributions and Expense (C&E) reports were due last Friday. In general, fundraising numbers provide insight into just how competitive a campaign expects their race for office may be. While both Senator Catherine Cortez Masto and Governor Steve Sisolak have multiple times more money than their top opponents in the respective Republican primaries, the sheer of amount of dollars both campaigns are raising indicate both campaigns expect a tough general election in November.
Results from OH Predictive Insights/Nevada Independent poll:
Healthcare News
Governor Sisolak Hosts Healthcare Provider Summit
U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra was the keynote guest speaker and announced that his department will be awarding $1 million to Nevada to assist with the transition to the new 3-digit state suicide prevention hotline: 9-8-8. The state plans to launch 9-8-8 this July. Furthermore, Governor Sisolak announced he plans to allocate $20 million of ARPA funds to open four to six crisis stabilization centers to help address behavior health needs in the state.
First awards From Nevada Opioid Settlement Money Announced
The Nevada Attorney General's Office has announced the first round of disbursements for money from the state's opioid settlement. The state and each signatory to the One Nevada Agreement, the plan for how funds from any opioid-related settlement will be allocated, are set to receive a total of $71.1 million, before costs." Clark County will receive around $26.3 million in settlement funds. Washoe County will receive approximately $3.7 million.
Nevada Health Response to End Regular COVID-19 Media Call
In another sign that the government is transitioning to a post-pandemic routine, the state announced today that it plans is cancelling the recurring COVID-19 call with media. Going forward, the media updates will be scheduled on an as needed basis.
Infrastructure News
Granholm, Lee, Cortez Masto tout Nevada’s role in clean energy
U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm visited Southern Nevada last week on a tour that highlighted the state's clean energy initiatives and decarbonization efforts. “We’ve got to have a focus as a nation on getting critical materials, critical minerals for the batteries that these electric vehicles will need,” Granholm said. “[Nevada has] a lot of that. And so that is a huge opportunity.”
LVCVA Shortens their Operating Agreement with The Boring Co.
Board members voted 11-1 Tuesday to spend up to $4.5 million for a one-year agreement with Boring from July 1 to June 30, 2023. The board approved the first Loop operations and management agreement on Jan. 12, 2021. The initial term of the agreement is from Feb. 1, 2021, through June 30, and at the time provided for an extension of one additional five-year period. Tuesday’s vote changed the five-year extension.
Circa Sports expanding into the Reno market
The operator of the world’s largest sportsbook in Las Vegas, Circa Sports, secured a deal with Legends Bay Casino owner Olympia Gaming to operate a sportsbook at the property being constructed just east of Reno. Olympia Gaming is targeting a summer opening for its new casino at the Legends at Sparks Marina.
Google to invest $30 million in Nevada
Google announced plans to invest $30 million in Nevada over the rest of 2022, part of a push to put billions of dollars into offices and data centers around the U.S.
State of Nevada launches dashboard tracking relief spending
The State has released a dashboard to allow residents to track how federal relief funds are being spent and allocated throughout the state. So far, the largest spending categories are PreK - 12 Education ($1.35 billion), Direct Payments to Counties and Cities ($890 million) and Housing ($842 million). The state has a little over $1.1 billion left to allocate.
Click here to view the latest program spending in detail.
Environmental News
Federal agency weighs emergency action as Colorado River demand outpaces supply
The river’s two main storage reservoirs, Lake Mead and Lake Powell, are at historically low levels and operating in uncharted territory. Federal water managers have warned the Colorado River Basin States that they are considering an emergency action that proposes to keep more water in Lake Powell but could accelerate the decline of Lake Mead, potentially risking short-term water cuts. State officials are expected to comment on the federal emergency plan by April 22.
Southwest Gas to explore alternative in Icahn’s bid
“Tendering into Mr. Icahn’s offer would only encourage an opportunistic attempt to acquire Southwest Gas at an inadequate price and contingent upon a long list of ambiguous conditions, some of which Mr. Icahn has made no move to fulfill,” according to a statement by the Las Vegas based utility.
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.
They continue to meet via video conference but we’re hopeful that by Spring some will begin to meet in person. 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.
Opening remarks
Thank you for the great feedback regarding the Roundup! If you ever want to submit a simple piece of information for us to include (and its SFW), please e-mail me: tom@tomclarksolutions.com.
I was pleased to receive my Voter Notification Card from the Washoe County Registrar of Voters. I was going to insert a pic of it, but after redacting ALL of the information I felt it pointless. I wonder how many people (or their puppy) received one by surprise and if it will trigger them to change their party affiliation.
The 2022 candidate list has been updated! Our always dependable, rock star Associate, Zoë Houghton has added the March 2022 voter registration statistics from the Secretary of State’s office. Fun fact: if you click on the name of the candidate you’ll be taken to their website (if it’s available) and you can learn everything (kinda) about them.
If you haven’t watched the Nevada Newsmakers debate hosted by Sam Shad between incumbent Congressman Mark Amodei and Republican Challenger (and Douglas County Commissioner) Danny Tarkanian, you should: Battle for CD2
They came. They filed. They stayed. Now it’s time for candidates to brush up on campaign practices. The Secretary of State has a tool for that: Campaign Guide 2022.
Normally, the date to file your federal taxes is April 15. Thanks to a Washington D.C. holiday, Emancipation Day, the date was moved to the next business day, April 18th. The holiday celebrates legislation passed in 1862 that ended slavery in Washington. However, April 15th is still an exciting day in Nevada Politics: Campaign Contribution and Expense (C&E) Reports are due.
Important Deadlines
| 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
Lawmakers OK $600 Million in American Rescue Plan Spending
The Nevada Independent provided a great overview of the most discussed items during last week’s Interim Finance Committee. “The state has $1.3 billion in unobligated funds out of the $2.7 billion in ARP state general aid.” (I’m going to miss Vice Chair Carlton's ability to analogize fiscal procedures to baseball. Catchers and pitchers apply to state funds too! - Zoë)
Governor Sisolak's Dignitary Protection Detail Adds Three Positions
The State Board of Examiners, a panel that ratifies and oversees state contracts and spending, unanimously approved a funding request for three new dignitary protection positions assigned to Governor Sisolak amid a rise in verbal and physical threats toward public officials across the nation.
Bidens Boos Bolster GOP in Nevada according to RGJ Poll
According to a Suffolk University/Reno Gazette Journal poll released on Tuesday, Senator Catherine Cortez Masto and Governor Steve Sisolak are trailing their Republican rivals for their seats. “Any time an incumbent polls under 50%, he or she is deemed vulnerable because they are established brands,” said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center in Boston."
Healthcare News
The Department of Health and Human Services has been allocated $43 million to “support behavioral health needs throughout Nevada.” According to a press release by the Department, the funding, made possible through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), is divided into 10 categories, with over 40 organizations receiving funds.
Infrastructure News
Reno-Tahoe International Airport to upgrade concourses, add parking in $1 billion project
This expansion project, dubbed MoreRNO, will be the largest construction project undertaken by the airport; the first phase of construction will be the ticketing area expansion and roadway upgrade and are expected to break ground this fall.
Last Thursday, Governor Sisolak formally launched his “Home Means Nevada” initiative in Las Vegas after Nevada lawmakers approved half of the planned $500 million investment during the Interim Finance Committee meeting.
Workforce report identifies the most in-demand jobs/industries in Southern Nevada
According to a regional "2022 Workforce Blueprint" released last week, the top 5 "high demand occupations" for Southern Nevada are software developers, civil engineers, managers, and veterinarians.
The report lists the following as target industries within Southern Nevada: general and advanced manufacturing, creative industries, information and communication technologies, transportation and logistics technologies, business and financial services, health care services and clean technologies.
Environmental News
Western U.S. housing crisis leads some to live on public lands
"A super-charged housing market has pushed yet another wave of people to live on Western public lands. Andres says it’s different than the economic downturn 14 years ago. This time, it's not just people losing their jobs, but instead includes many gainfully employed people who simply can’t find an affordable place to live."
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.
They continue to meet via video conference but we’re hopeful that by Spring some will begin to meet in person. 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.