(AP)- There were many last minute deals in the works to keep things interesting up until a minute before 1 a.m. Tuesday, when under the law the session ended.
Assembly Bill 183, sponsored by Assemblywoman Debbie Smith, D-Sparks, was the first bill vetoed by Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval. The measure was to allow school districts to keep lower balances in bond reserve accounts and use that money for school maintenance projects.
Sandoval vetoed the bill because he eyed the same $300 million in those accounts to help fund his budget. That plan, however, fizzled after a Supreme Court ruling questioned the legality of taking money from local government funds to pad state coffers.
After a budget deal was reached by extending the sunset on taxes imposed two years ago, Sandoval agreed to revive Smith's proposal. It passed the Legislature early Tuesday in a catchall bill that also included a measure by Sen. Joe Hardy, R-Boulder City, authorizing a public-private partnership to construct a toll road around Boulder City.
The Aces' ballpark measure would allow the team to impose up to a 12 percent surcharge on tickets, parking and concessions to finance bonds to pay off stadium construction debt.
Another proposal geared toward Reno authorizes a $2 room tax to fund renovations at downtown facilities, such as the National Bowling Stadium and Reno ballroom.
Backers of three separate proposals for a sports arena in Las Vegas weren't as fortunate.
SB501 sought authorization to create a "facility district" to money to help finance such a venture.
The bill died late Monday in the Assembly.
