Here's a few non all encompassing thoughts on the session that was:
The Special Session
Governor Sandoval was the one who called for the special session (at a cost of about $25,000) when a few of his pet bills were left for dead when the clock ran out at midnight Monday night/Tuesday morning.I realize there was a captive senate & assembly still around when the special session was first discussed, but why couldn't the special session be scheduled for, say noon on Tuesday, so the senate, assembly & legislative workers could grab some sleep before plowing into the last bit of work?
No reason the Governor couldn't have gotten his required paper work out from 8 am to 11 am and called the session to order at noon or 1 pm Tuesday, rather than keep the entire legislative operation up all night while the paper work was being completed.
Just seems that might have been a bit more friendly way to handle the last few bills on a short special session.
Accomplishments
SJR-13 was the first vote (of two required) to work towards repealing the same sex marriage ban that was placed in the Nevada Constitution back in 2003. Time has moved on, opinions are changing, and more states and countries are coming around to allowing/recognizing same sex marriage and now Nevada has take step one in this 3 step process to grant marriage equality to all in Nevada.SJR-15 was another landmark vote. This vote was the 2nd of the two votes required to remove the 150 year old protected mining tax cap from the state constitution. This resolution was fought by mining interests and even the Governor opposed it (shocking!), but with the VERY surprising help of GOP Senator Mike Roberson, a long time democratic issue was finally able to get enough support to get a passing vote. Now this issue will be brought before the voters in November 2014, where it should pass with ease. Mining will fight it, but I hear some business folks will jump on board to see this vote passes. Of course the business folks, would rather see mining take the hit so thus the support for the measure. Also, the business folks want to see the mining bill pass so it can squash the modified business tax proposed by the teachers union. But after 150 years and 3 decades of talk, it appears mining is set to lose their constitutional protection, a thing no other Nevada business/industry enjoys, not even the gambling houses!
After thinking the gun sale background check bill (SB 221) was all but dead, the bill rose like the Phoenix from the legislative ashes, even fighting off a watered down GOP version to make it out of committee and see votes in both chambers! The bill passed pretty much along party lines and now will go to the Governor Sandoval. Sandoval has said he will veto the bill, but there is political risk in that move. Background checks are popular with over 70% of Nevadans. So bully to those who stepped up and passed this bill and now puts it squarely in Sandoval's lap - Let's see if this veto or even signing comes back to haunt Sandoval in his re-election run in 2014.
There were other good things that came out of this session, but in the interest of brevity, I will stop at those 3!
Disappointments
One big whammy was the failure of AB 230 (the Sex Education Bill) - This failure really sent the activists into hyperventilation with the heat for the failure being placed directly on Senate Majority Leader Mo Denis & Senator Justin Jones. Emmily Bristol who blogs as the Sin City Siren ( see blog here: http://sincitysiren.wordpress.com/ ) really went off and pulled no punches on her and her fellow activists angst regarding the collapse of the bill. The galling thing was that it didn't even get a vote and died in committee, despite promises and assurances that the bill would seemingly sail to passage. What political fallout from this remains to be seen, but rest assured many democratic supporters were fuming over this bills collapse.
Removing the mining taxation cap from the state constitution. (SJR-15) There is some head scratching over how a issue democrats had embraced and made their cause for the better part of 25 years was hijacked by a suddenly moderate republican Senator Mike Roberson?!?! It wasn't the democrats who really sounded the horn on going after the mining cap this session, it was mining's long time buddies the GOP who turned on them! When Mike "Benedict Arnold" Roberson (mining's nickname for him) went public he was on board to go after mining, the democrats kind of meekly sat silent and let Roberson steal the spotlight that rightfully should have been on the democrats, as this was supposedly their issue?!?! The democratic leadership should have been out front leading the charge on SJR-15 & making sure the people of Nevada knew that this was a DEMOCRATIC issue. But no, they sat back and let Roberson get all the press, which might help in GOP races in 2014 - Opportunity lost, in my humble opinion, and opportunity the democrats might regret in 2014.
Removing the mining taxation cap from the state constitution. (SJR-15) There is some head scratching over how a issue democrats had embraced and made their cause for the better part of 25 years was hijacked by a suddenly moderate republican Senator Mike Roberson?!?! It wasn't the democrats who really sounded the horn on going after the mining cap this session, it was mining's long time buddies the GOP who turned on them! When Mike "Benedict Arnold" Roberson (mining's nickname for him) went public he was on board to go after mining, the democrats kind of meekly sat silent and let Roberson steal the spotlight that rightfully should have been on the democrats, as this was supposedly their issue?!?! The democratic leadership should have been out front leading the charge on SJR-15 & making sure the people of Nevada knew that this was a DEMOCRATIC issue. But no, they sat back and let Roberson get all the press, which might help in GOP races in 2014 - Opportunity lost, in my humble opinion, and opportunity the democrats might regret in 2014.
Strong moments
These were some of the strong moments that stood out to me.
During the debates over same sex marriage (SJR 13) there were more than a few stirring bits of oratory, but a few stood out.
1) Senator Kelvin Atkinson gained national notoriety when he spoke and mentioned he was gay during a floor session. His comments went nationwide, getting Atkinson interviews and appearances on national TV outlets.
2) Senator Justin Jones had to go against his church leanings and mentioned his own family circle when explaining his support of same sex marriage
3) Senator Pat Spearman likened the discrimination of same sex marriage to that of the racial discrimination she has faced over her lifetime.
4) Assemblywoman Michelle Fiore who broke with her own republican party leanings explaining her mother was gay & how this vote was personal in extending equality to all couple who seek marriage.
A strong moment that caused a bit of a stir, started a Twitter hash tag (#FierceFlores) and rallied activists to the cause on the sex ed bill (AB230) was when Assemblywoman Lucy Flores testified that she had had an abortion in her teens. This admission brought admiration from supporters, but also brought hate from others who take the rather intolerant angle to their ideology.
Capable rookies
These freshmen legislators stood out to me.
Senator Aaron Ford - The bow tied one is not one to miss details and questions, and questions thoroughly and thoughtfully, delving deep into the issues leaving no stone unturned.
Senator Pat Spearman - "Pastor Pat" stood out as one of the calmer voices, imparting wisdom, compassion and perspective like few others.
Senator Justin Jones - Jones took on the NRA with his gun bill, and while he was hit from all sides, his background check bill stood the test and got a passing vote.
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