NEVADA LEGISLATIVE MANUAL State of Nevada SEVENTY-EIGHTH SESSION of the NEVADA LEGISLATURE CARSON CITY Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau February 2015
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TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION... vii CHAPTER I MEMBERS OF THE NEVADA LEGISLATURE... 1 Biographies of Members of the Nevada Senate... 3 Biographies of Members of the Nevada Assembly... 43 Members of the Nevada Legislature... 93 Senate... 95 Assembly... 97 Members of the Nevada Legislature by District... 101 Senate... 101 Assembly... 102 Interim Committees and Subcommittees (2013 2014)... 103 Senate Standing Committees and Leadership... 111 Assembly Standing Committees and Leadership... 113 CHAPTER II LEGISLATIVE STRUCTURE, FINANCIAL OPERATION, AND RESPONSIBILITIES... 115 Legislative Terminology... 117 The Legislative Structure... 117 Size and Apportionment... 118 2011 Reapportionment and Redistricting... 118 Membership Qualifications... 120 Vacancies... 120 Officers and Employees... 121 Interest Groups and Media... 122 Press... 122 Lobbyists... 122 Legislative Powers, Privileges, and Responsibilities... 123 Legislator Duties... 123 Privileges and Immunities... 125 Limitations on the Legislative Power... 125 Crimes Against the Legislative Power... 127 Contracts in Which a Legislator Has an Interest... 127 Ethics and Conflict of Interest... 128 Reporting of Contributions and Campaign Expenses... 129 Financial Disclosure... 129 Financial Operation of the Legislature... 130 Legislative Fund... 130 Legislator Compensation and Allowances... 130 Legislators Retirement... 131 Endnotes for Chapter II... 133 iii
CHAPTER III LEGISLATIVE PROCEDURE AND ACTION... 137 Legislative Procedure... 139 Sessions... 139 Legislative Leadership... 140 Legislative Officers: Senate... 140 Legislative Officers: Assembly... 142 Floor Leaders... 143 Procedure and Order of Business in the Senate and Assembly... 143 Quorum... 144 Order of Business... 144 The Legislature in Action: A Bill Becomes a Law... 145 Organizing the Legislature... 145 Catastrophic Emergencies... 147 Bill Drafting... 147 Prefiling of Bills... 148 Fiscal Notes... 148 Introduction and First Reading... 150 Committees... 151 Standing Committees... 151 Committee of the Whole... 153 Select Committees and Conference Committees... 153 Committee Hearing... 154 Notice of Bills, Topics, and Public Hearings... 155 Consent Calendar... 155 Second Reading... 155 General File and Third Reading... 156 In the Other House and Conference Committees... 157 Deadlines for Legislation... 157 Enrollment... 158 Gubernatorial Action... 158 Effective Date of the Bill... 158 Adoption or Passage of Resolutions... 158 Petitions and Memorials... 159 Nonlegislative Initiatives to Change Statutes or the Nevada Constitution... 159 Distinction Among Types of Legislation... 160 Bill... 160 Skeleton Bill... 160 Joint Resolution... 160 Concurrent Resolution... 161 One-House Resolution... 161 Endnotes for Chapter III... 162 iv
CHAPTER IV LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL BUREAU AND LEGISLATIVE BUILDING... 165 The Legislative Counsel Bureau... 167 Legislative Commission... 168 Interim Finance Committee... 169 Director... 170 Audit Division... 171 Legal Division... 173 State Printing Office... 175 Research Division... 175 Fiscal Analysis Division... 178 Administrative Division... 179 Summary... 179 Facilities and Services... 179 Legislative Counsel Bureau Offices... 179 Sedway Office Building... 180 Legislative Building... 180 State Printing Office... 180 Las Vegas Office... 181 Telephone Communications... 181 Legislative Telephone Service... 181 State Legislative Message Center... 181 Courtesy Phone... 182 Billing of Legislators for Telephone Service... 182 Toll-Free Services for Constituents... 182 Long-Distance Calls to Legislators... 182 Public Point of View... 183 Postal Service... 183 Fire and Emergency Procedures... 183 Emergency Telephone Numbers (From Within the Building)... 184 Endnotes for Chapter IV... 185 CHAPTER V RESOURCES FOR LEGISLATORS... 187 Basic Printed Resources... 189 Statutes of Nevada... 189 Nevada Revised Statutes... 190 Nevada Administrative Code... 193 Histories... 193 Index of Bills and Resolutions... 194 Legislative Journals... 195 Nevada Report to Taxpayers... 196 Political History of Nevada... 196 Audits of State Agencies... 197 v
Legislative Videorecordings... 197 Recommended Schedule of Priorities for Capital Improvements... 197 Mason s Manual of Legislative Procedure... 198 Nevada... 198 Legislative Counsel Bureau Publications... 198 Executive Budget... 199 Economic Forum... 200 Library Services for Legislators... 201 Research Library Legislative Counsel Bureau... 201 State Library and Archives... 201 State Library Services... 202 Archives and Records... 203 Nevada s Supreme Court Law Library... 203 Internet Services... 204 Legislature s Website... 204 CHAPTER VI APPENDICES OF SELECTED INFORMATION... 205 List of Appendices of Selected Information... 207 Appendix A 120-Day Calendar and Dates of Interest... 209 Appendix B Limitations and Deadlines for Bill Draft Requests... 215 Appendix C Nevada s Legislative Process... 219 Appendix D Examples of Bills, Resolutions, and a Fiscal Note... 223 Appendix E Legislative Counsel Bureau Bulletins... 249 Appendix F Legislative Terminology... 265 Appendix G Legislative District Maps... 275 Appendix H Building Maps... 283 Appendix I State Agency Map... 291 Appendix J Index... 295 vi
INTRODUCTION The Nevada, required under Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 218F.400, is produced each biennium by the Legislative Counsel Bureau. It is designed primarily as a reference tool for legislators. However, it is also intended for use by members of the Executive and Judicial Branches of government, representatives of private interest groups, and interested citizens. The manual contains information pertaining to current members of the Legislature; legislative structure and procedures; Legislative Counsel Bureau staff services; and administrative details for legislators. It also includes the structure and selected personnel of the Executive and Judicial Branches of government and local governments. Suggestions for corrections or improvements of the manual are welcome and should be directed to the Research Division, Legislative Counsel Bureau. The Flag of the Nevada Legislature At its 1967 Session, the Legislature of the State of Nevada adopted an official flag, which was designed by the senior government class of Tonopah High School. The flag flies outside the Legislative Building whenever the Senate and Assembly are in session in accordance with NRS 218A.175. vii