By Kyle Roerink

Monday, Feb. 2, 2015 | 2 a.m.

Carson City soon will be overrun with lawmakers, lobbyists and media for Nevada’s 78th legislative session.

The city is known for its history, and lawmakers are poised to add a memorable session to the books. The Legislature is full of diverse personalities with distinct ideologies and goals who either will kindle healthy debate or implode any chance of successful lawmaking.

With Nevada facing an estimated $150 million revenue shortfall, the Republican-controlled Legislature has a lot of work to do if it wants to pass a balanced budget. Up for debate will be Gov. Brian Sandoval’s proposal to raise $882 million for education, as well as the tax structure and growing cost of Medicaid.

Sandoval, more than state lawmakers, will define the session. Passing his agenda will take slick legwork. He must unite lawmakers in his fractured Republican Party and persuade Democrats, reeling from a landslide defeat in the election, to align with his vision.

Don’t hold your breath. The governor may be the state’s most popular politician, but that doesn’t mean he can corral the firebrands in the Legislature. If history is any indicator of what’s to come, expect fireworks this session.

These are some of the people, issues and places that will dominate the conversation in Carson City.

THE GOP

Republicans will control both legislative chambers for the first time since 1985.

But if history repeats, their grip won’t last. After the GOP’s ’85 victory, Democrats won back power the very next election and had controlled one or both chambers since.

Republicans think they can hold on this time. The party will be poised to keep the reins if it can pass tax reforms and fund education without destroying itself.

But that’s a tall order. The majority includes 15 new lawmakers: some right-wing conservatives, others more moderate.

THE SENATE

The 21-member state Senate runs much smoother than the Assembly.

Republican Sen. Michael Roberson is majority leader. He is close with the governor and has a unified caucus.

During his campaign, Roberson highlighted his effort during the 2013 session to raise mining taxes. This session, digging into the mining industry’s pockets will be one of many topics he and Aaron Ford, the Democratic Senate minority leader, hash out.

THE ASSEMBLY

In the Assembly, no one is sure who is in charge of the Republican caucus. There has been a revolving door of leaders and lots of internal dysfunction since the Nov. 4 election.

Even Republicans have deemed it the “clown caucus” and compared it to a “second-rate, Vegas lounge act.”

The caucus includes 13 freshmen, many with differing definitions of what it means to be a conservative.

Hickey and Hansen

Assemblyman Pat Hickey was the obvious pick for speaker because he was the Republican Party’s minority leader in 2013 and is an ally of Gov. Brian Sandoval. But he lost the vote to Assemblyman Ira Hansen, who is more conservative.

Hansen, however, lasted less than a month at the top. He stepped down as speaker after racially insensitive columns he wrote for the Sparks Tribune were uncovered.

Hambrick and Fiore

After Hansen, Assembly Republicans chose John Hambrick as their leader. He is serving his fourth Assembly term and aspired to be at the top. But his tenure as speaker-elect hasn’t been a breeze.

When Hambrick came to power, the GOP-led Assembly tapped Assemblywoman Michele Fiore for the No. 2 spot, majority leader. She also was chairwoman of the chamber’s taxation committee. But late last year, news broke that Fiore had more than $1 million in tax liens. Hambrick removed Fiore from her leadership positions, and Assemblyman Paul Anderson was chosen as her replacement.

THE LOBBYISTS

Paid consultants who work to influence votes are an integral part of any law-making body.

Most industries in Nevada have representatives in the Legislature. Some, though, have more influence.

	Pete Ernaut, president of government affairs, R&R Partners. Represents NV Energy, AT&T, General Motors and numerous mining and insurance companies. Ernaut also is an adviser to Gov. Brian Sandoval.
	Greg Ferraro, president, Ferraro Group. Represents Cox Communications, Apple, Waste Management, JP Morgan Chase, insurance companies and hospitals. Ferraro also is an adviser to Sandoval.
	Ruben Murillo Jr., president of the Nevada State Education Association. Represents 28,000 public school employees.
	Danny Thompson, executive secretary treasurer of Nevada AFL-CIO. Represents 225,000 workers comprising 125 unions.
	Virginia Valentine, president of Nevada Resort Association. Represents more than 60 hotels and casinos.