Senate leaders say they expect to pass Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval’s proposed tax plan.
Republican Senate Majority Leader Michael Roberson said the state Senate will vote on SB252 on Tuesday and that he expects the measure to pass with the constitutionally required two-thirds vote.
The bill is Sandoval’s proposed restructuring of the state’s business license fee designed to raise more than $437 million to fund K-12 education programs. Lawmakers held hours of meetings vetting the bill last month and passed it out of committee on a party-line vote.
Senate Democratic Minority Leader Aaron Ford said Monday that he’s cautiously optimistic that the bill will pass out of the Senate.
Tuesday also marks a legislative deadline for most bills to pass out of their house of origin.
Abortion parental notification bill not expected to advance
A bill requiring doctors to notify parents before performing an abortion on a minor is not expected to move forward in the Nevada Senate.
AB405 passed the Assembly in a 24-17 party-line vote on Friday. It was introduced in the Senate on Monday and immediately referred to the finance committee.
Republican Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ben Kieckhefer said the bill is unlikely to get a hearing.
AB405 would require physicians to send a written notification to parents or guardians of a minor seeking an abortion and requires a 48-hour wait time before the procedure. Girls could seek an exception through the courts.
Democratic opponents say girls would go to desperate lengths to keep their parents from knowing about their abortion.
Some Republicans raised concerns about the bill’s cost for courts.
Senate OKs bill urging Congress to pass immigration reform
Nevada senators have passed a nonbinding measure that urges Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
Senate Joint Resolution 21 passed unanimously on Monday. It now heads to the Assembly for review.
The measure seeks changes that would implement a guest worker program and create a pathway to citizenship for legalized immigrants.
The Legislature does not have the power to change immigration law, but Democratic Sen. Mo Denis said the measure would respectfully ask congressional representatives to do so.
Opponents have said they would be more open to the measures described in the resolution if the borders weren’t so porous.
Senate passes limited industrial marijuana farming bill
Nevada senators have approved a measure allowing for colleges or the state agriculture department to grow industrial hemp.
Lawmakers voted unanimously on Monday to approve SB305. The bill now moves to the Assembly.
Democratic Sen. Tick Segerblom is sponsoring the measure, which would allow governmental bodies to cultivate industrial hemp for agricultural or research purposes.
The bill was amended to remove language allowing private growers to cultivate hemp. The state agriculture department cautioned in a fiscal note that Nevada’s climate isn’t ideal for growing hemp and that the original bill could run into federal regulatory hurdles.
Industrial hemp differs from medical or recreational marijuana plants in THC content and appearance. Industrial cannabis products include things like hemp yarn.
Nineteen other states have pilot programs to study industrial hemp.
Senate OKs GOP bill restricting school administrator unions
Nevada senators have passed a bill that would restrict some school administrators from unionizing.
Republican Senate Majority Leader Michael Roberson is sponsoring SB241, which passed in a 15-4 vote on Monday. It now heads to the Assembly.
The bill bars administrators who make more than $120,000 a year from collective bargaining. It also requires state arbitrators to conduct a hearing on a labor dispute more quickly, and largely prevents raises from taking effect if a union contract expires and a new one is not in place.
Roberson has said collective bargaining is meant to protect the rights of laborers and not management.
