David Calvert / The Nevada Independent via AP
Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson during the first day of the 81st session of the Nevada Legislature in Carson City on Monday, Feb. 1, 2021.
Monday, Feb. 1, 2021 | 6:05 p.m.
The opening of the four-month Nevada Legislature on Monday came with a message from state Democratic and Republican leaders: It’s time to work together.
Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson, D-Las Vegas, and Assembly Minority Leader Robin Titus, R-Wellington, had similar comments after being sworn in for the start of the Legislature’s 81st regular session, urging compromise as lawmakers face tense policy discussion about pandemic restrictions, taxes and budget cuts.
“As we have seen in recent months, our democracy is only as strong as our weakest link,” Frierson said to lawmakers on the floor. “We have sworn an oath to protect that democracy and uphold the institution in which you now serve.”
Frierson said Nevadans are looking to us to lead them to the light at the end of the tunnel after suffering about 11 months through the economic and health crisis of the pandemic. The nearly 90 days of business closures in the spring contributed to a $1.2 billion budget deficit, which was addressed last summer in a special session.
Now there’s more work to be done in getting the state back on its feet, from passing legislation to help diversify the workforce to getting students back into the classroom. You can argue it’s the most important meeting of state lawmakers in history.
“This pandemic has clearly shown us a widening gap of haves and have-nots that cannot be ignored,” Frierson said. “For anyone who was struggling prior to the start of the pandemic, they are in desperate circumstances. COVID-19 has exposed the deep cracks we have continued to put Band-Aids on and we simply must do better.”
Frierson expects “vigorous debate” on many issues, including “expanding access to affordable health care, getting folks back to work, helping our small businesses get back on their feet, and yes, closing corporate tax loopholes, so that we are securing an economic future for Nevada families that not only gets them through today but for the decades ahead of them.”
Titus, a Republican, said she was looking forward to working across the aisle and said lawmakers must “leave paralyzing hyper-partisanship at the door.” Of course, only time will tell if the opening promises from both parties comes to fruition with Democrats in control of both houses. However, they don’t have a super majority, meaning they’ll need to pick up Republican support if they attempt to raise any revenue via tax increases.
“To my Assembly majority colleagues, I look forward to working together to pass legislation for Nevadans and for your collegiality,” Titus said. “We may have differences when it comes to policy, but I know there’s mutual respect (for) one another and this institution that is sometimes all too lacking in our national politics.”
The session has a massively different look and feel as access to the statehouse has been restricted to lawmakers, staff and some media. It’s the first time that a regular session of the Legislature has had such restrictions, meant to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Typically, the hallways of the statehouse are buzzing with conversations and other activity. They were notably silent on Monday and will be moving forward.
“Normally opening day is packed full of people in these chambers and these galleries and there’s a lot of pomp and circumstance that we’ve had to forego,” Assembly Majority Floor Leader Teresa Benitez-Thompson, a Reno Democrat, said.
Weekly COVID-19 testing is offered to those who are allowed in the building. Vaccines have been made available to lawmakers, though Frierson previously said some may have not been vaccinated.
Though members of the public will not be allowed in the statehouse initially, once lawmakers and staff are offered the vaccine, the Legislature hopes to loosen the restrictions slightly. Current measures are meant to keep proceedings in line with current capacity limits imposed in the state.
The public can participate virtually in committee meetings by going to the Legislature’s website. Simply navigate to the committee meeting you want to participate in and hit the “participate” button, after which they will be sent an email with the meeting’s call-in information. Members of the public can also send written testimony to the committee’s email address, found on the committee’s page on NELIS.
According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, many state legislatures have passed legislation allowing for remote meetings or voting. In January, the New Hampshire House of Representatives held a drive-in session in which microphones were brought to car windows for debate or comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
