The Nevada Board of Education unanimously adopted legislative changes to a new teacher evaluation system rolling out this fall. In 2011, state lawmakers mandated a four-tiered rating system that grades teachers as being "highly effective," "effective," "minimally effective" or "ineffective" based on student test scores and how well teachers model good teaching practices.
Gov. Brian Sandoval wrapped up his work Thursday on bills passed by the 2013 Legislature, signing six into law, including the agreement that the state could not collect sales or use tax on complimentary meals given to some players in casinos or on the free food provided to their employees.
Gov. Brian Sandoval Thursday signed the five bills enacted during a special session of the Legislature, including the one permitting an increase in the sales tax in Clark County to pay for police.
Gov. Brian Sandoval has vetoed a bill requiring background checks for gun sales between private parties, saying it “imposes unreasonable burdens and harsh penalties upon law-abiding Nevadans, while doing little to prevent criminals from unlawfully obtaining firearms.”
On Sunday, I expressed disappointment that the Legislature didn't make more progress on mental health issues. In fairness, I want to lay out what the Sandoval administration feels it accomplished during the recently completed legislative session.
In what seemed like a rare stroke of legislative competence, Nevada lawmakers passed a bill this year allowing the establishment of licensed medical marijuana dispensaries. Now, however, the measure's future is in doubt.
Gov. Brian Sandoval’s office has been flooded with telephone calls for and against a bill expanding gun background checks, but the governor is standing firm on his promise to veto the legislation. On Monday alone, there were 44,000 calls — 33,000 of them against the bill.
Governor Brian Sandoval has approved bills to spend $19 billion in the next two years to run state government, conduct an audit on the cost of the death penalty and restore pay to state workers.
The new driver privilege law marks only one of the achievements of a Hispanic legislative caucus that has begun to show its strength as a major player in Nevada politics.
Gov. Brian Sandoval said Monday he will sign a bill permitting the Clark County Commission to raise the gasoline tax. There were estimates in the Legislature that this could raise the tax about 3 cents per gallon starting in January.
State Sen. Tick Segerblom says he’s optimistic Gov. Brian Sandoval will sign his medical marijuana dispensary bill, even though it could cost Nevada some $2 million.
When George Racz moved his “Copper Angels,” a gigantic pair of German-made pot stills, into a warehouse in Henderson in 2011 to start the state’s first craft distillery, no one but Racz was sure his distillery could make it.
The Legislature passed a bill in the final moments of its special session on Tuesday that would allow North Las Vegas to take money from its sewer and utility funds and use it to restore some of its dwindling services. Money typically spent on sewer and utility projects could be used to bolster the libraries, provide more overtime hours for firefighters and open up Craig Ranch Park, which the city hopes will bring in additional revenue.
I’ve been accused of being a Kenyan-born, Muslim socialist. The truth is, however, my aims are far more moderate — for Nevada to be a little more like Massachusetts, though of course retaining our cherished ideal of ready access to guns, booze and the craps table. Insofar as Nevada’s Democratic majority shares this modest goal of mine, how did they perform during the recently ended legislative session?
It can be pretty easy to ignore a bunch of politicians getting together in Carson City to pass bills. Life is hectic, and if you paid absolutely no attention to what happened during the 120-day legislative session or did not know a legislative session had occurred, that’s all right. So what, exactly, did Nevada’s 63 legislators do that might affect you during these past four months? Here’s the abbreviated, condensed rundown of what happened and how it might affect you.
For the first time in recent history, four party leaders who had never experienced a leadership position ran the Nevada Legislature. Each had ups and downs: Democrats stuck together to push through a progressive agenda while Republicans stayed united enough to block a significant tax increase and hand Gov. Brian Sandoval his $6.6 billion budget largely intact.
It makes for good politics when legislators say they're doing everything for the kids, but sometimes they're right. Parents with children in the Clark County School District can expect some major changes as a result of bills the Legislature passed during the past few months.
Nevada's higher education leaders on Thursday unanimously renewed UNLV President Neal Smatresk's contract for another four years. Nevada System of Higher Education Chancellor Dan Klaich recommended Smatresk remain at the helm of UNLV after an outside consultant found wide community support for the popular university president. Smatresk's total annual compensation will be $447,424.
One bill that will save some cancer patients thousands of dollars and another to require the state to pay extra for kidney dialysis have been signed by Gov. Brian Sandoval.
Nevada's higher education leaders unanimously approved $2.6 million in "mitigation" funding to help Northern Nevada community colleges transition to a new funding formula. Gov. Brian Sandoval's budget, approved by the Nevada Legislature just a few days ago, includes a new funding formula for Nevada's seven colleges and universities.
The dreaded high school proficiency exams are being phased out. Starting in the 2014-15 school year, thousands of high school sophomores, juniors and seniors no longer will have to take the Nevada High School Proficiency Exam.
The 2013 Legislature, which cost $20 million, could not complete its business by the 120-day time limit and were called into special session. But on the final day of the regular session, the lawmakers were able to complete work on a constitutional amendment that permits annual sessions and scraps the prohibition they be paid for only 60 days during the regular meetings.
Gov. Brian Sandoval has vetoed four bills including a measure to require some restaurants to post nutritional information and another on ward-only voting.
The final day of the Legislature ended in as hectic a manner as it began. When the clock struck midnight, some bills survived. Many didn’t, leaving Gov. Brian Sandoval to call a special session.
Legislators have officially moved Nevada out of the coal business. In a vote Monday night, the Assembly approved a shift away from coal-fired power plants and mandated investment in renewable energy and natural gas.
More money has been poured into construction for UNLV and the Nevada State College in Clark County by the Legislature that also gave the go-ahead for a study for building a large events center at UNLV.
The bill to allow Washoe County to raise its property and sales tax to make repairs on its aging schools cleared the Senate 16-4 Monday on the last day of the Legislature.
