Gov. Lombardo announced yesterday that he intends to call a “special session” of the Legislature some time in the next couple of months.
In a short statement, the governor said simply: “The goal will be to finish what the Legislature left unfinished – plain and simple.”
Our Brittany Sheehan has posted some background and observations on Nevada News & Views. Click here.
The “unfinished” business is likely his crime and health care proposals.
The crime bill, SB457, was introduced on April 9, 2025. But the Democrat majority in the Senate dragged its feet on considering it.
It passed, 20-1, as an “emergency” measure on June 2nd, the last day of the session, and sent to the Assembly.
But as McKenna Ross of the Review-Journal reported, it was amended in the Assembly to include “new penalties for smash-and-grab” thefts (yay!) and passed 36-6.
The amended version then when back to the Democrats in the Senate, who failed to pass the amended bill before the session ended at midnight.
The bill is obviously needed and had overwhelming bi-partisan support, but Democrat leaders screwed the pooch by mismanaging the clock, leaving it as unfinished business.
Lombardo’s health care bill, SB495, wasn’t produced and submitted by the Democrat-controlled LCB (Legislative Counsel Bureau) until May 15, 2025.
It was then stonewalled in the Senate until the last day of the session, when it passed 13-8.
However, the Democrats added a controversial amendment regarding emergency room policies, which led to the eight Senate Republicans voting against it.
It then went over to the Assembly, where Republicans declined to suspend parliamentary rules to keep the legislation alive, sealing its fate. It died without a vote.
The foot-dragging and gamesmanship played to the Democrats’ advantage in the Legislature during the regular session. But the governor controls the process in a special session.
If Democrats want to keep screwing around, the governor can keep them in a special session for pretty much as long as he wants to get the job done – right in the middle of election season.
Oh, and none of the legislators will be able to fundraise for 15 days before, during, and 15 days after the session. So Democrats should be more highly motivated for finish the unfinished business this time around.
Also possibly on the agenda will be the film studio bill – which Democrats also screwed around on during the regular session.
The bill was opposed by most Republicans, but the devil will be in the details if brought up again.
My guess is the governor would sign it as a way to boost the economy and create new jobs if passed by the Legislature. It’s not a hill for him to die on.
But there was enough opposition by Democrats in the Legislature that the only way it passed was with some Republican votes.
In fact, the original bill during the regular session, AB238, narrowly passed in the Assembly 22-20 with seven GOP votes.
But then Democrats dicked around with a competing bill in the Senate, and the clock ran out before it could vote on it.
The bill also included what many conservatives consider to be “poison pills” – such as DEI requirements and money for “workforce development and training” – which is code for “progressive slush fund.”
If approved, the bill would require the film studios to direct 10% of its film tax credits to the fund, which over 15 years could total between $140-180 million.
If Republicans in the Legislature were smart…
Oh…never mind.
No, I’m going to suggest it.
The ONLY way Republicans are going to get REAL school choice through the Democrats in this Legislature is to include a big bump in the funding for Opportunity Scholarships – which Democrats have bled almost to death over the past couple of sessions – from that 10% provision.
Someday maybe Republicans – like the seven who voted for this bill during the regular session – will learn how to play legislative hardball and stop giving away their votes to the Democrats in return for table scraps.
As it stands, Democrats don’t have to buy the cow because these Republicans keep giving them the milk for free.
It’s all in the hands of the GOP’s leadership, especially in the Assembly.
Ugh. We’re doomed.
