- Karen Fletcher
#NVLeg Week 19 : It Wasn't Good, But At Least It's Over
Hello Friend,
At last......special sessions are done! I get to write a special dispatch this week as Chairman McDonald has been traveling - this has been a long 129 days between all the sessions, and some thanks are in order.
First, a thank you to each and every reader who became an advocate this session. Things don't change unless we fight for what we believe in, and if you wrote or called in even once, you became part of a movement bigger than yourself. You became part of the movement to keep Nevada Nevada, fiercely independent with a conservative core.
Thanks to your efforts, this was the most involved session yet for Nevada Republicans. We had over 113,000 legislative contacts, which went straight to your representatives. Over 4,000 of the folks writing in had never contacted the Nevada Legislature before. And now they're empowered to make their voices heard, not just at the Legislature, but at school boards, city councils, regulatory hearings, and beyond!
Secondly, a huge thank you to our NVGOP Legislative Team, led by RNC National Committeeman Jim DeGraffenreid and our Executive Director Alida Benson. They had a fantastic support team with our Legislative Affairs Director Vida Keller, and our Legislative Champion County Parties - Carson City, Clark County, Washoe County, and Douglas County. Jim and Alida testified on 65 bills, sitting through hearings that ranged from 4 to 15 hours long to make sure Republican voices were heard. These hearings run late into the night, running past midnight. This team handled the late nights and long calls without complaint. We could never get through this session without our support squad - thank you for putting in the long hours so our Nevada Republican readers could see the results!
Tax Increases...Who Supported Them?
You have heard me talk about the property tax hikes that are coming your way, and I want to make sure you have the facts to hold your representatives accountable.
You may remember four Republicans who voted for AB1 - the property tax increase and $25 million Democrat Culinary Union ballot harvesting giveaway bill. In the Assembly, where this bill would have passed without any Republican votes, Assemblyman O'Neill, DeLong, and Assemblywoman Gallant voted for this tax increase. In the Senate, Senator Hammond became the official face of betrayal and voted with the Democrats to pass this tax increase. I wonder what promises were made to get these votes?
Less than 24 hours after the session ended, tax hikers are already trying to spin their actions and cover their tracks.....especially when they broke the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. Let's get the facts out there.
What does the platform of the NVGOP state?
"We support those in public office who actively support and work toward lower taxes and fees, and seek to reduce the size, cost, and scope of government at all levels."
So our stance on taxes should not come as a shock to anyone, much less those who swore an oath to uphold the party platform.
What is the property tax increase in AB1?
Section 19 details the property tax increase - a brand new tax. In 2019, the Democrats tried to extend a sunsetting tax without a supermajority vote claiming it was just an 'extension' or a 'reauthorization' or a 'continuation' of an existing tax.
The Nevada Supreme Court slapped that down unanimously.
The Republican Senate Caucus brought Legislature of the State of Nevada v. Settlemeyer, which ruled that an 'extension' or a 'reauthorization' of a sunsetting tax is a TAX INCREASE....which is why this bill required a 2/3 vote, and should have and could have been blocked by unified Republican legislators. So let's just stop with the lies.
If someone tries to give you the word salad of a 'continued tax', they are not telling the truth - and the Nevada Supreme Court says so! Make sure you set the record straight - and ask if they'll be covering your property tax increase.
Watch the floor statements here.
Good Bills Signed Into Law
AB120 : Allows retired doctors to volunteer their time in rural areas
AB154 : Allows private cord blood banking for live births
AB350 : Increases transparency on civil asset forfeiture in the state
SB441 : Ends COVID restrictions that were codified into law
SB292 : Makes school administrators 'at will' employees for first 3 years - would support application to all government employees
AB159 : Increases penalties relating to animal cruelty
AB158 : Expands the Emergency Medical Services Interstate Compact
AB400 : Although all Opportunity Scholarship and school choice provisions were gutted from this bill, funding for Read by Grade 3 with a delayed implementation of 2028 was preserved
Bad Bills Signed into Law
SB163 : Requires Nevada to pay for gender transition surgeries through Medicaid - even for minors. Read our opposition here!
AB220 : Allows water restrictions on residential properties by unelected bureaucrats even though Nevada is a conservation leader
SB131 : Protects sex traffickers who bring their victims to Nevada for the purpose of obtaining an abortion
SB172 : Allows STD treatments to minors of any age without parental consent
SB153 : Allows men to be housed in women's prisons if they identify as 'transgender'
AB175 : Stacks school boards with Democrat appointees
AB226 : In state tuition for illegal aliens
SB262 : Allows non-citizens to serve on town boards
AB7 : Expands government collection of electronic medical records
SB155 : Decriminalizes homelessness
VETOED Bad Bills
AB359 : GAS TAX INCREASE
AB144 : Banned the sale of compact fluorescent light bulbs
AB298 : Rent Control
AB354 : Limits open carry laws in Nevada
AB355 : Prohibit gun sales to 18 year olds
AB394 : Prohibits counting of ballots multiple times - aimed at Nye County hand count audit
SB171 : Prohibits firearm ownership based on nebulous 'hate crimes'
SB404 : Allows early counting of ballots with no penalties for leaked information
SB210 : Applies social justice warrior diversity requirements to state boards and commissions
SB239 : Assisted Suicide
SB404 : Allowed early counting of ballots and weakened already poor ID requirements
AB235 : Would have expanded prevailing wage requirements
SB302 : Makes Nevada a sanctuary state for doctors who do transgender surgeries (including on minors)
Vetoed Bills Overriden by Being Passed Through the A's Public Funding Bill
SB299 : Expands prevailing wage requirements to monorails and railroads
SB429 : Requires any business with 50 employees or more to give 12 weeks of paid leave - no word on how the business pays for it
Bills Needing Vetoes - Deadline Tonight at Midnight!
SB341/AB525/AB526 : Democrat Christmas Tree Bills to Democrat non-profits
AB242 - Requires electronic voting machines and prohibits paper ballots
SB443 - Reduces Voter ID requirements
AB328 : Pays for legal services for illegal aliens
AB286 : Allows voting from jail
AB246 : Expands required languages for ballots even though citizenship requirements specify ability to read, write, and speak English
AB224 : Expands collective bargaining for already overpaid government employees - unfortunately sponsored by the Republican Assemblymen in AD13 and AD38
You can send in your veto support for all of these in one click, here.
Support Vetoing these Bad Bills HERE!
If you'd like to contact your legislator and ask them about the Session, you can find them on nevadagop.org/advocacy.
If you feel inspired to run for office after all these NVLeg updates, sign up for BattleBorn Candidate College. Our platform opposes all tax increases, and we hold our legislators who vote like Democrats accountable. If you or someone you know is thinking of running, you can nominate them here to attend our Candidate College.
Please reach out with any questions, and thank you for being part of the movement to make Nevada great again.
Thank you,
Sigal Chattah RNC National Committeewoman, Nevada