Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) — A week removed from debate over hotly contested pieces of legislation like a construction defect lawsuit overhaul and the possible introduction of a statewide voter identification policy, it's become clear that Republican leadership in the Nevada Legislature plans to push an agenda close to conservative hearts.
Those issues and a number of other conservative-backed bills are on the docket for the fourth week of the 120-day legislative session, and lawmakers say the session's breakneck pace shows no signs of slowing down. Here are some issues to watch during the upcoming week:
___
CONSTRUCTION DEFECT SIGNING
In a political maneuver that had Democrats crying foul, Senate Republicans quickly pushed a bill limiting frivolous lawsuits aimed at construction defects to Gov. Brian Sandoval's desk. The bill passed out of the Assembly on Tuesday. Senate Republicans used a number of parliamentary maneuvers and last-minute hearings to get the bill out of committee and approved in a party-line vote by Friday.
Democratic Senate Minority Leader Aaron Ford said he was caught off guard by the maneuvering, and complained that the quick pace of the bill didn't give constituents and opponents a chance to testify.
Sandoval called for such a measure in his State of the State address and is expected to sign the bill.
___
POP-TART GUNS
Republicans plan to present AB121 on Monday in an Assembly Education Committee hearing. The bill would prohibit schools from punishing students that play with toy guns or wear firearm-related clothing.
The bill is informally known as the "Pop-Tarts" gun bill, after a highly publicized incident in Maryland where a second-grade student was suspended over chewing a toaster pastry into the shape of a gun. Republicans say the bill is necessary to prevent government overreach and that similar bills have passed in Florida, Texas and Oklahoma.
___
BOARDWALK AND PARK PLACE
Republican Senate Majority Leader Michael Roberson said the Revenue and Economic Development Committee will hear three days of testimony on possible changes to the property tax. Nevada gets more than a quarter of state revenue from property taxes, but the state's tax rate is calculated from a variety of conflicting and often confusing laws.
Roberson said the committee will most likely look at business taxes, including the governor's proposed business license fee increase, in early March.
___
CONTRACTORS HIRING IMMIGRANTS
Sparks Assemblyman Ira Hansen, a Republican, plans to present AB133 on Monday in the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee. The bill would prohibit contractors from hiring people living in the country illegally and would require the Nevada State Contractors Board to investigate and take action against contractors who hire unauthorized immigrants.
Democratic Assemblywoman Irene Bustamante-Adams, who chairs the Nevada Hispanic Legislative Caucus, said she opposes the bill and that the federal government already has rules governing the hiring of contractors.
___
VOTING RIGHTS RESOLUTION
A number of Senate Democrats have proposed a resolution aimed at expanding voting rights through an amendment to Nevada's Constitution. On Monday, members of the Senate Legislative Operations and Elections Committee are scheduled to review SJR7, which would codify the rights of voters in the constitution.
The resolution could meet some resistance, as Republicans introduced a bill last week that would implement a voter identification requirement into Nevada law.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
