Nevada State Senate

General Information
Party control: |  Democrat
Session start:[1] |  No regular legislative session
Session end:[1] |  No regular legislative session
Term length: |  4 years
Term limits: |  3 terms (12 years)
Redistricting: | Legislature-dominant
Salary: |  $164.69/calendar day up to 60 days. Senators who are not up for re-election until 2022 receive $159.89/calendar day. + per diem
Members
Total: | 21
Democrats: | 11
Republicans: | 9
Other: | 0
Vacancies: | 1
Leadership
President: |  Lisa Cano (D)
Maj. Leader: |  Nicole Cannizzaro (D)
Min. Leader: |  James Settelmeyer (R)
Elections
Last election: | November 3, 2020
Next election: | November 8, 2022

The Nevada State Senate is the upper chamber of the Nevada State Legislature. Alongside the Nevada State Assembly, it forms the legislative branch of the Nevada state government and works alongside the governor of Nevada to create laws and establish a state budget. Legislative authority and responsibilities of the Nevada State Senate include passing bills on public policy matters, setting levels for state spending, raising and lowering taxes, and voting to uphold or override gubernatorial vetoes.

The Nevada State Senate meets in the state capitol complex in Carson City, Nevada.

Governor Steve Sisolak (D) signed new legislative maps into law on November 16, 2021.[2] These maps take effect for Nevada's 2022 legislative elections. On November 14, 2021, the Nevada State Senate voted 12-9 to approve the Democratic congressional and legislative map proposals.[3] On November 16, the Nevada State Assembly voted 25-17 to approve the maps.[4] Click here for more information about redistricting after the 2020 census.

* Eleven of the state Senate's 21 seats are up for election in 2022.

* Ten of the chamber's 21 seats were up for election in 2020. The chamber's Democratic majority decreased from 13-8 to 12-9. Click to read more »
* Nevada has a Democratic trifecta. The Democratic Party controls the office of governor and both chambers of the state legislature.

This page contains the following information on the Nevada State Senate.

* Which party controls the chamber
* The chamber's current membership
* Partisan control of the chamber over time
* Elections in the chamber and how vacancies are filled
* A district map
* How redistricting works in the state
* Legislation currently under consideration
* Legislative session dates
* Legislative procedures, such as veto overrides and the state budget process
* A list of committees

## Contents

* 1 Party control
* 1.1 Current partisan control
* 2 Members
* 2.1 Leadership
* 2.2 Current leadership and members
* 2.3 Salaries
* 2.4 Swearing in dates
* 2.5 Membership qualifications
* 3 Historical party control
* 3.1 Trifecta history
* 4 Elections
* 4.1 Elections by year
* 4.2 2022
* 4.3 2020
* 4.4 2018
* 4.5 2016
* 4.6 2014
* 4.7 2012
* 4.8 2010
* 4.9 2008
* 4.10 2006
* 4.11 2004
* 4.12 2002
* 4.13 2000
* 4.14 Term limits
* 4.15 Vacancies
* 5 District map
* 6 Redistricting
* 6.1 2020
* 6.1.1 District map before and after 2020 redistricting
* 6.2 2010
* 7 Sessions
* 7.1 Legislation
* 7.2 Dates of legislative sessions in Nevada by year
* 7.3 2022
* 7.4 2021
* 7.5 2020
* 7.6 2019
* 7.7 2018
* 7.8 2017
* 7.9 2016
* 7.10 2015
* 7.10.1 Major issues in 2015
* 7.11 2014
* 7.12 2013
* 7.12.1 Major issues in 2013
* 7.13 2012
* 7.14 2011
* 7.15 2010
* 7.16 About legislative sessions in Nevada
* 8 Legislative roles and procedures
* 8.1 Veto overrides
* 8.2 Role in state budget
* 9 Committees
* 10 Constitutional amendments
* 11 See also
* 12 Footnotes

## Party control[edit]

### Current partisan control[edit]

The table below shows the partisan breakdown of the Nevada State Senate as of October 2022:

Party  | As of October 2022

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| Democratic Party | 11
| Republican Party | 9
| Other  | 0
| Vacancies  | 1
Total |  21

## Members[edit]

### Leadership[edit]

The lieutenant governor serves as the president of the Senate but only votes in the case of a tie. If the lieutenant governor is not present, the president pro tempore presides and has the power to make commission and committee appointments. The president pro tempore is elected to the position by the majority party. The other leadership positions, such as the majority and minority leaders, are elected by their respective party caucuses to head their parties in the chamber.[5][6]

### Current leadership and members[edit]

* Senate president: Lisa Cano (D)
* President Pro Tem: Moises Denis (D)
* Majority leader: Nicole Cannizzaro (D)
* Minority leader: James Settelmeyer (R)

Office | Name | Party | Date assumed office

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Nevada State Senate District 1 | Patricia Spearman | Democratic  | November 7, 2012
Nevada State Senate District 2 | Moises Denis | Democratic  | November 3, 2010
Nevada State Senate District 3 | Chris Brooks | Democratic  | 2018
Nevada State Senate District 4 | Dina Neal | Democratic  | November 4, 2020
Nevada State Senate District 5 | Carrie Buck | Republican  | November 4, 2020
Nevada State Senate District 6 | Nicole Cannizzaro | Democratic  | November 9, 2016
Nevada State Senate District 7 | Roberta Lange | Democratic  | November 4, 2020
Nevada State Senate District 8 | Marilyn Dondero Loop | Democratic  | November 7, 2018
Nevada State Senate District 9 | Melanie Scheible | Democratic  | November 7, 2018
Nevada State Senate District 10 | Fabian Donate | Democratic  | February 4, 2021
Nevada State Senate District 11 | Dallas Harris | Democratic  | 2018
Nevada State Senate District 12 | Joseph Hardy | Republican  | November 3, 2010
Nevada State Senate District 13 | Vacant |  |
Nevada State Senate District 14 | Ira Hansen | Republican  | November 7, 2018
Nevada State Senate District 15 | Heidi Gansert | Republican  | November 9, 2016
Nevada State Senate District 16 | Donald Tatro | Republican  | November 12, 2021
Nevada State Senate District 17 | James A. Settelmeyer | Republican  | November 3, 2010
Nevada State Senate District 18 | Scott Hammond | Republican  | November 7, 2012
Nevada State Senate District 19 | Peter Goicoechea | Republican  | November 7, 2012
Nevada State Senate District 20 | Keith Pickard | Republican  | November 7, 2018
Nevada State Senate District 21 | James Ohrenschall | Democratic  | November 7, 2018

### Salaries[edit]

See also: Comparison of state legislative salaries
State legislators

Salary| Per diem
$164.69/calendar day up to 60 days. Senators who are not up for re-election until 2022 receive $159.89/calendar day.| $151/day; Legislators have a travel allowance of $10,000/session and leadership has an additional $900/session allowance.

### Swearing in dates[edit]

See also: When state legislators assume office after a general election

Nevada legislators assume office on the first Wednesday after the first Monday in November (the day after election day).[7]

### Membership qualifications[edit]

See also: State legislature candidate requirements by state

To be eligible to serve in the Nevada State Senate, a candidate must be:[8]

* At least 21 years old at the time of the election
* A resident of Nevada for at least one year
* A qualified elector and resident of the district

## Historical party control[edit]

Between 1992 and 2020, partisan control of the Nevada State Senate shifted from a Republican majority to a Democratic majority. Since the 2016 elections, Democrats have controlled the chamber. The table below shows the partisan history of the Nevada State Senate following every general election from 1992 to 2020. All data from 2006 or earlier comes from Michael Dubin's Party Affiliations in the State Legislatures (McFarland Press, 2007). Data after 2006 was compiled by Ballotpedia staff.

Nevada State Senate election results: 1992-2020

Year  | '92  | '94  | '96  | '98  | '00  | '02  | '04  | '06  | '08  | '10  | '12  | '14  | '16  | '18  | '20

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Democrats | 10 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 12
Republicans | 11 | 13 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 12 | 11 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 8 | 9

Between 1992 and 2020, majority control of the state Senate changed three times. During that period, the Democratic and Republican parties both claimed relatively narrow majorities, the largest being from 1994 to 1996 when Republicans had a five-seat advantage. From 1992 to 2020, neither Democrats or Republicans held more than the 14 seats required to override a gubernatorial veto.

Republicans controlled the Senate from 1992 until the 2008 elections. In the 2008 elections, Democrats picked up two seats and held a 12-9 majority. That Democratic majority held until the 2014 elections, when Republicans gained an 11-10 majority. Republicans held the majority until the 2016 elections, when Democrats retook control of the chamber with their own 11-10 majority. Democrats held a 12-9 majority following the 2020 elections.

### Trifecta history[edit]

A state government trifecta is a term that describes single-party government, when one political party holds the governor's office and has majorities in both chambers of the legislature in a state government. Between 1992 and 2021, Nevada was under the following types of trifecta control:

* Democratic trifecta: 1992, 2019-2021
* Republican trifecta: 2015-2016
* Divided government: 1993-2014, 2017-2018

Nevada Party Control: 1992-2022
Five years of Democratic trifectas • Two years of Republican trifectas
Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

Year  | 92  | 93  | 94  | 95  | 96  | 97  | 98  | 99  | 00  | 01  | 02  | 03  | 04  | 05  | 06  | 07  | 08  | 09  | 10  | 11  | 12  | 13  | 14  | 15  | 16  | 17  | 18  | 19  | 20  | 21  | 22

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Governor | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D
Senate | D | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D
House | D | D | D | S | S | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | D | R | R | D | D | D | D | D | D

## Elections[edit]

### Elections by year[edit]

Nevada state senators serve staggered, four-year terms and half of the Senate is up for election every two years. Nevada holds elections for its legislature in even years.

### 2022[edit]

See also: Nevada State Senate elections, 2022

Elections for the Nevada State Senate will take place in 2022. The general election is on November 8, 2022. A primary was scheduled for June 14, 2022. The filing deadline was March 18, 2022.

### 2020[edit]

See also: Nevada State Senate elections, 2020

Elections for the office of Nevada State Senate took place in 2020. The general election was held on November 3, 2020. A primary was scheduled for June 9, 2020. The filing deadline was March 13, 2020.

Heading into the 2020 general election, there were 13 Democrats and eight Republicans in the chamber. Democrats lost one seat in the election, giving them a 12-9 majority.

Nevada State Senate

Party  | As of November 3, 2020  | After November 4, 2020
| Democratic Party | 13 | 12
| Republican Party | 8  | 9
Total |  21 |  21

### 2018[edit]

See also: Nevada State Senate elections, 2018

Elections for the Nevada State Senate took place in 2018. A closed primary election took place on June 12, 2018. The general election was held on November 6, 2018. The candidate filing deadline was March 16, 2018.[9]

In the 2018 elections, Democrats increased their majority in the Nevada State Senate from 10-8 to 13-8.

Nevada State Senate

Party  | As of November 6, 2018  | After November 7, 2018
| Democratic Party | 10 | 13
| Republican Party | 8  | 8
| Independent  | 1  | 0
| Vacancy  | 2  | 0
Total |  21 |  21

### 2016[edit]

See also: Nevada State Senate elections, 2016

Elections for the Nevada State Senate took place in 2016. The primary election took place on June 14, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was March 18, 2016. A total of 11 seats out of the 21 seats in the Nevada State Senate were up for election in 2016.

Heading into the election, Republicans held an 11-10 majority. Democrats won control of both the Nevada State Senate and the Nevada State Assembly in the general election. This broke the Republican trifecta previously held in the state. Democrats were able to flip one Senate seat, which was all that they needed to gain control of the chamber. Assembly Democrats were also able to win a majority, picking up 10 seats and moving to a 12-seat majority.

State Senator Patricia Farley said shortly after the election that she would change her party affiliation from Republican to nonpartisan with the intention of caucusing with Democrats.[10] The change in Farley's party affiliation gave the Democratic Caucus a three-seat majority.

Nevada State Senate

Party  | As of November 7, 2016  | After November 8, 2016
| Democratic Party | 10  | 11
| Republican Party | 11 | 10
Total |  21 |  21
Click [show] to see election information dating back to 2000

### 2014[edit]

See also: Nevada State Senate elections, 2014

Elections for the Nevada State Senate took place in 2014. A primary election took place on June 10, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was March 14, 2014.

Heading into the election, Democrats held an 11-10 majority. Democrats lost one seat in the election, giving Republicans an 11-10 majority.

| Nevada State Senate

Party  | As of November 3, 2014  | After November 4, 2014
| Democratic Party | 11 | 10
| Republican Party | 10  | 11
Total |  21 |  21

### 2012[edit]

See also: Nevada State Senate elections, 2012

Elections for the office of Nevada State Senate took place in 2012. The primary election was held on June 12, 2012, and the general election was held on November 6, 2012. The candidate filing deadline was March 16, 2012. A total of 12 seats were up for election.

Heading into the election, Democrats held a 10-9 majority with two vacancies. Democrats gained one seat in the election, giving them an 11-10 majority.

Nevada State Senate

Party  | As of November 5, 2012  | After the 2012 Election
| Democratic Party | 10 | 11
| Republican Party | 9  | 10
| Vacancy  | 2  | 0
Total |  21 |  21

The table below details the 10 districts with the smallest margin of victory in the November 6 general election in 2012.

2012 Margin of Victory, Nevada State Senate

District  | Winner  | Margin of Victory  | Total Votes  | Top Opponent
District 15 |  Greg Brower | 0.5% | 58,438 | Sheila Leslie
District 9 |  Justin Jones | 0.7% | 43,397 | Mari Nakashima St. Martin
District 6 |  Mark Hutchison | 1.7% | 54,097 | Benny Yerushalmi
District 18 |  Scott Hammond | 2.8% | 53,257 | Kelli Ross
District 5 |  Joyce Woodhouse | 3.9% | 51,044 | Steve Kirk
District 11 |  Aaron Ford | 24.5% | 35,641 | John Drake
District 7 |  David Parks | 28.3% | 39,852 | Trish Marsh
District 3 |  Richard Segerblom | 28.8% | 33,777 | Ed Gobel
District 13 |  Debbie Smith | 29.5% | 40,126 | Kathy Martin
District 19 |  Pete Goicoechea | 33.5% | 44,389 | Harley Kulkin

### 2010[edit]

See also: Nevada State Senate elections, 2010

Elections for the office of Nevada State Senate took place in 2010. The primary election was held on June 8, 2010, and the general election was held on November 2, 2010. The candidate filing deadline was March 12, 2010.

Heading into the election, Democrats held a 12-7 majority with two vacancies. Democrats lost one seat in the election, giving them an 11-10 majority.

Nevada State Senate

Party  | As of November 1, 2010  | After the 2010 Election
| Democratic Party | 12 | 11
| Republican Party | 7  | 10
| Vacancy  | 2  | \-
Total |  21 |  21

In 2010, the candidates for state Senate raised a total of $4,320,019 in campaign contributions. The top 10 donors were:[11]

2010 Donors, Nevada State Senate

Donor  | Amount
Senate Republican Leadership Conference  | $75,000
Senate Republican Leaders Fund  | $65,000
Nevada Association of Realtors  | $63,500
Boyd Gaming  | $53,000
Las Vegas Sands Corp  | $52,500
R & S Investment Properties  | $50,500
Nevada State Education Association  | $47,500
South Point Hotel & Casino  | $47,500
Move Nevada Forward PAC  | $46,500
Sunrise Healthcare System  | $46,250

### 2008[edit]

See also: Nevada State Senate elections, 2008

Elections for the office of Nevada State Senate consisted of a primary election on August 12, 2008, and a general election on November 4, 2008.

During the 2008 election, the total of contributions to Senate candidates was $4,764,881. The top 10 contributors were:[12]

2008 Donors, Nevada State Senate

Donor  | Amount
MGM Mirage  | $89,699
Boyd Gaming  | $81,500
Nevada Association Of Realtors  | $77,000
Associated General Contractors Of Las Vegas  | $68,500
Las Vegas Chamber Of Commerce  | $59,500
Nevada Power Co  | $55,500
Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 525  | $55,497
South Point Hotel & Casino  | $55,000
Station Casinos  | $53,500
Clark County Education Association  | $52,500

### 2006[edit]

See also: Nevada State Senate elections, 2006

Elections for the office of Nevada State Senate consisted of a primary election on August 15, 2006, and a general election on November 7, 2006.

During the 2006 election, the total of contributions to Senate candidates was $4,860,473. The top 10 contributors were:[13]

2006 Donors, Nevada State Senate

Donor  | Amount
MGM Mirage  | $107,637
Cory, Timothy S  | $100,000
Station Casinos  | $82,276
Jackson, John D & Terri  | $77,000
Harrahs  | $72,505
Nevada Association Of Realtors  | $69,500
Ran Services  | $61,000
Nevada Motor Transport Association  | $56,578
International Gaming Technology  | $55,778
Associated General Contractors Of Las Vegas  | $55,000

### 2004[edit]

See also: Nevada State Senate elections, 2004

Elections for the office of Nevada State Senate consisted of a primary election on September 7, 2004, and a general election on November 2, 2004.

During the 2004 election, the total of contributions to Senate candidates was $4,652,079. The top 10 contributors were:[14]

2004 Donors, Nevada State Senate

Donor  | Amount
MGM Mirage  | $78,440
International Gaming Technology  | $70,500
Nevada Association Of Realtors  | $67,000
Station Casinos  | $63,939
Nevada Subcontractors Association  | $57,500
Southern Nevada Home Builders Association/HI-PAC  | $53,000
Retail Association Of Nevada  | $50,000
Shaffer, Ray & Sharon  | $50,000
Davenport, Leo  | $50,000
Senate Republican Leadership Conference Of Nevada  | $50,000

### 2002[edit]

See also: Nevada State Senate elections, 2002

Elections for the office of Nevada State Senate consisted of a primary election on September 3, 2002, and a general election on November 5, 2002.

During the 2002 election, the total of contributions to Senate candidates was $2,878,156. The top 10 contributors were:[15]

2002 Donors, Nevada State Senate

Donor  | Amount
Senate Republican Leadership Conference Of Nevada  | $65,000
Nevada Senate Democrats  | $57,207
Clark County Education Association  | $56,000
Raggio Senate Campaign  | $49,750
International Gaming Technology  | $45,000
Nevada State Education Association  | $42,508
Nevada Association Of Realtors  | $39,000
Bristlecone PAC  | $38,968
Coast Hotels & Casinos  | $35,500
Terry Care For Senate Seven  | $33,853

### 2000[edit]

See also: Nevada State Senate elections, 2000

Elections for the office of Nevada State Senate consisted of a primary election on September 5, 2000, and a general election on November 7, 2000.

During the 2000 election, the total of contributions to Senate candidates was $2,623,356. The top 10 contributors were:[16]

2000 Donors, Nevada State Senate

Donor  | Amount
Nevada State Education Association  | $62,428
Clark County Education Association  | $56,224
Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino  | $54,000
Nevada Senate Democratic Leadership Fund  | $45,824
Las Vegas Chamber Of Commerce  | $44,800
Southern Nevada Home Builders Association  | $39,000
Bellagio  | $38,000
Sierra Pacific Power  | $36,712
Station Casinos  | $33,872
Nevada Bell  | $32,000

### Term limits[edit]

See also: State legislatures with term limits

The Nevada legislature is one of 15 state legislatures with term limits. Voters enacted the Nevada Term Limits Act in 1996. That initiative said that Nevada senators are subject to term limits of no more than three four-year terms, or a total of twelve years.[17]

The first year that the term limits enacted in 1996 impacted the ability of incumbents to run for office was 2010.

### Vacancies[edit]

See also: How vacancies are filled in state legislatures

If there is a vacancy in the Nevada State Legislature, the board of county commissioners in the county representing the seat must decide on a replacement. The board of county commissioners must select a person from the same political party that last held the seat when making its decision. If the vacancy happens before the next legislative session and an election for county officers is scheduled, no replacement is named.[18]

See sources: Nevada Const. Art. 4, Sec. 12

## District map[edit]

See also: Nevada state legislative districts

The state of Nevada has 63 legislative districts. Each district elects one representative. The state Senate has 21 districts and the state House has 42 districts.

Use the interactive map below to find your district.

The map below shows this district's current boundaries, not those enacted as part of the 2020 redistricting cycle.

## Redistricting[edit]

See also: Redistricting in Nevada

In Nevada, both congressional and state legislative district boundaries are drawn by the state legislature. The lines are subject to veto by the governor.[19]

Under a state law enacted in 2019, state prison inmates are counted as residents of their home addresses for redistricting purposes.[20]

### 2020[edit]

See also: Redistricting in Nevada after the 2020 census

Governor Steve Sisolak (D) signed new legislative maps into law on November 16, 2021.[2] These maps take effect for Nevada's 2022 legislative elections. On November 14, 2021, the Nevada State Senate voted 12-9 to approve the Democratic congressional and legislative map proposals.[3] On November 16, the Nevada State Assembly voted 25-17 to approve the maps.[4]

#### District map before and after 2020 redistricting[edit]

Below is the state Senate map in effect before and after the 2020 redistricting cycle.

### Nevada State Senate Districts
before 2020 redistricting cycle

Click a district to compare boundaries.

### Nevada State Senate Districts
after 2020 redistricting cycle

Click a district to compare boundaries.

### 2010[edit]

See also: Redistricting in Nevada after the 2010 census

Nevada received its local Census data on February 24, 2011. At a 35.1 percent rate of growth, Nevada was the fastest-growing state in the United States from 2000 to 2010. The state's five most populous cities grew as follows: Las Vegas grew by 22.0 percent, Henderson grew by 47.0 percent, Reno grew by 24.8 percent, North Las Vegas grew by 87.9 percent, and Sparks grew by 36.1 percent.[21]

Democrats controlled the Legislature, while Governor Brian Sandoval was a Republican. The Legislature failed to finish new maps and a court-appointed panel of three special masters took over. New maps were finalized on December 8, 2011, and no challenges were made.[22]

## Sessions[edit]

### Legislation[edit]

The legislation tracker below displays all legislation that the Nevada State Senate has approved in its most recent legislative session—this includes legislation that has been sent from the Senate to the House and legislation that has already been approved by the House and signed by the governor after its passage in the Senate. The table below includes the bill number, its name, progress, most recent action date, and sponsor. Scroll up and down and side to side to see more. Click the bill number to read the bill text and see its voting history. Click the headings to sort the content. Rearrange the order of the headings by clicking and dragging them. Click the magnifying glass in the bottom left corner to search for specific terms. The legislation tracker is maintained and updated by BillTrack50.

### Dates of legislative sessions in Nevada by year[edit]

### 2022[edit]

See also: Dates of 2022 state legislative sessions

In 2022, the legislature will not hold a regular session.

### 2021[edit]

See also: 2021 Nevada legislative session and Dates of 2021 state legislative sessions

In 2021, the legislature was scheduled to convene on February 1, 2021, and adjourn on June 1, 2021.

### 2020[edit]

See also: Dates of 2020 state legislative sessions

In 2020, the legislature did not hold a regular session.

### 2019[edit]

See also: 2019 Nevada legislative session and Dates of 2019 state legislative sessions

In 2019, the legislature was in session from February 4, 2019, through June 3, 2019.

### 2018[edit]

See also: Dates of 2018 state legislative sessions

In 2018, the legislature did not hold a regular session.

Click [show] for past years' session dates.

### 2017[edit]

See also: Dates of 2017 state legislative sessions

In 2017, the legislature was in session from February 6, 2017, through June 5, 2017.

### 2016[edit]

See also: Dates of 2016 state legislative sessions

In 2016, the Legislature did not hold a regular session.

### 2015[edit]

See also: Dates of 2015 state legislative sessions

In 2015, the legislature was in session from February 2 through June 1. The legislature held a four-day special session from December 16 to December 19 on tax abatements and tax credits.[23]

#### Major issues in 2015[edit]

Major issues in the 2015 legislative session included business licensing fees, construction defect reform, organized labor reform, education reform, Voter ID, legalizing recreational marijuana, and economic development.[24]

### 2014[edit]

See also: Dates of 2014 state legislative sessions

In 2014, the Legislature did not hold a regular session.

### 2013[edit]

See also: Dates of 2013 state legislative sessions

In 2013, the legislature was in session from February 4 to June 3.

#### Major issues in 2013[edit]

Major issues in the 2013 legislative session included taxes, state's tax structure, spending, medicare, and gun control.[25]

### 2012[edit]

See also: Dates of 2012 state legislative sessions

In 2012, the Legislature did not hold a regular session.

### 2011[edit]

In 2011, the legislature was in session from February 7 through June 6.[26]

### 2010[edit]

In 2010, the Legislature was not in regular  session. However, the Legislature did meet in 2010 for a special session, which lasted from February 23rd to March 1st.[27]

### About legislative sessions in Nevada[edit]

The Tenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution declares that any power not already given to the federal government is reserved to the states and the people.[28] State governments across the country use this authority to hold legislative sessions where a state's elected representatives meet for a period of time to draft and vote on legislation and set state policies on issues such as taxation, education, and government spending. The different types of legislation passed by a legislature may include resolutions, legislatively referred constitutional amendments, and bills that become law.

When the Nevada Constitution was adopted, its  fourth article established when the Nevada State Legislature, of which the Senate is a part, was to be in session. However, Section 29 of Article 4, the section that dealt with legislative sessions, was repealed by vote of the people in the 1958 general election. The session dates for the Nevada Legislature are no longer limited by the Nevada Constitution.

## Legislative roles and procedures[edit]

Every state legislature throughout the country features its own internal procedures that it uses to govern itself and how it interacts with other parts of state government. Ballotpedia's coverage of internal state legislative procedures includes veto overrides, the role of the legislature in the state budget, term limits, procedures for filling membership vacancies, and redistricting.

### Veto overrides[edit]

See also: Veto overrides in state legislatures

State legislatures can override governors' vetoes. Depending on the state, this can be done during the regular legislative session, in a special session following the adjournment of the regular session, or during the next legislative session. The rules for legislative overrides of gubernatorial vetoes in Nevada are listed below.

How many legislators are required to vote for an override? Two-thirds of members in both chambers

Two-thirds of members in both chambers must vote to override a veto, which is 28 of the 42 members in the Nevada State Assembly and 14 of the 21 members in the Nevada State Senate. Nevada is one of 36 states that requires a two-thirds vote from both of its legislative chambers to override a veto.

How can vetoes be overridden after the legislature has adjourned?

Vetoes can be overridden in a special session or when the next regular session convenes.[29] Two-thirds of members in both chambers must agree to call for a special session.[30]

Authority: Article 4, Section 35 of the Nevada Constitution

"Every bill which may have passed the Legislature, shall, before it becomes a law be presented to the Governor. If he approve it, he shall sign it, but if not he shall return it with his objections, to the House in which it originated, which House shall cause such objections to be entered upon its journal, and proceed to reconsider it; If after such reconsideration it again pass both Houses by yeas and nays, by a vote of two thirds of the members elected to each House it shall become a law notwithstanding the Governors objections."

### Role in state budget[edit]

See also: Nevada state budget and finances
Nevada on

Check out Ballotpedia articles about policy in your state on:
Budgets • Civil liberties • Education • Elections • Energy • Environment • Healthcare • Pensions

* * *

The state operates on an biennial budget cycle that starts July 1 of each biennium. The sequence of key events in the budget process is as follows:[31]

1. Budget instructions are sent to state agencies in March.
2. Agencies submit their requests to the governor by September 1.
3. Agency hearings are held in September.
4. The governor submits the budget to the Nevada State Legislature in January.
5. The legislature passes a budget in June. A simple majority is needed to pass a budget.

In Nevada, the governor has no veto authority over the budget.[31]

The governor is required by statute to submit a balanced budget. In turn, the legislature is constitutionally required to pass a balanced budget.[31]

## Committees[edit]

See also: List of committees in Nevada state government

Every state legislature and state legislative chamber in the country contains several legislative committees. These committees are responsible for studying, amending, and voting on legislation before it reaches the floor of a chamber for a full vote. The different types of committees include standing committees, select or special, and joint.

* Standing committees are generally permanent committees, the names of which sometimes change from session to session.
* Select or special committees are temporary committees formed to deal with specific issues such as recent legislation, major public policy or proposals, or investigations.
* Joint committees are committees that feature members of both chambers of a legislature.

Ballotpedia covers standing and joint committees. The Nevada State Senate has 10 standing committees:

* Finance Committee
* Revenue and Economic Development Committee
* Senate Commerce and Labor Committee
* Senate Education Committee
* Senate Government Affairs Committee
* Senate Growth and Infrastructure Committee
* Senate Health and Human Services Committee
* Senate Judiciary Committee
* Senate Legislative Operations and Elections Committee
* Senate Natural Resources Committee

## Constitutional amendments[edit]

In every state but Delaware, voter approval is required to enact a constitutional amendment. In each state, the legislature has a process for referring constitutional amendments before voters. In 18 states, initiated constitutional amendments can be put on the ballot through a signature petition drive. There are also many other types of statewide measures.

The methods in which the Nevada Constitution can be amended:

See also: Article 16 and Article 19 of the Nevada Constitution and Laws governing ballot measures in Nevada
Nevada Constitution

Articles
Preliminary Action • Ordinance • Preamble • 1 • 2 • 3 • 4 • 5 • 6 • 7 • 8 • 9 • 10 • 11 • 12 • 13 • 14 • 15 • 16 • 17 • XVIII • 19 • Election Ordinance

The Nevada Constitution can be amended via three different paths: a constitutional convention, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment or an initiated constitutional amendment.

* Section 1 of Article 16 governs how the Nevada legislature can propose an amendment to the constitution through a legislatively referred constitutional amendment.

* An amendment can be proposed in either chamber of the state legislature.
* A majority of the members of both chambers must approve the proposed amendment.
* After the next general election for members of the state legislature, the proposed amendment must be considered again and approved by a majority of the members of both chambers a second time.
* The state legislature can call a special election for the proposed amendment(s) if they wish.
* The amendment is then put to a vote of the people. If "a majority of the electors qualified to vote for members of the Legislature voting thereon" vote in favor of it, the measure becomes part of the constitution unless it is precluded by Section 2 of Article 19.
* If two amendments that contradict each other are proposed at the same election, the one that gets the most votes becomes part of the constitution.

* Section 2 of Article 16 governs constitutional conventions.

* If two-thirds of the Nevada State Legislature votes in favor, a question about whether to hold a constitutional convention goes on a statewide ballot.
* That election must be held at the same time as an election is being held for members of the state legislature. In other words, a constitutional convention question can't go on a special election ballot.
* A majority vote—but not a simple majority vote—of the statewide electorate is required to generate a convention: "In determining what is a majority of the electors voting at such election, reference shall be had to the highest number of votes cast at such election for the candidates for any office or on any question."

* Sections 2 and 3 of Article 19 govern initiated constitutional amendments.

* Signatures equaling 10 percent of the number of voters who voted at the immediately preceding general election must be collected to qualify an amendment for the ballot, and these signatures are subject to a distribution requirement.
* If an initiated constitutional amendment is approved in one election, it must win again at the next general election in an even-numbered year for it to become part of the constitution.
* Nevada is the only state that requires that a citizen-initiated amendment be voted on twice. For legislatively referred constitutional amendments, voter approval is required at one election after it is put on the ballot through approval by the legislature in two sessions.

2023 measures:

See also: 2023 ballot measures

Certified:

The following measures were certified for the ballot.

No measures to list

2022 measures:

Below is a list of measures that were referred to the 2022 ballot by the legislature.

See also: Nevada 2022 ballot measures

Certified:

The following measures were certified for the ballot.

* Nevada Question 1, Equality of Rights Amendment (2022)
* Nevada Question 2, Minimum Wage Amendment (2022)

## See also[edit]

Elections | Nevada State Government | State Legislatures | State Politics

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|
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* Nevada State Senate elections, 2022
* Nevada State Senate elections, 2020
* Nevada State Senate elections, 2018

* Nevada State Legislature
* Nevada State Assembly
* Governor of Nevada
* Nevada Supreme Court

* State legislative elections, 2022
* State legislative elections, 2021
* State legislative elections, 2020
* State legislative elections, 2019
* State legislative elections, 2018

* State government trifectas
* State government triplexes
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* Ballot measures

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 This date reflects the regularly-scheduled date and does not reflect any change made as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. For more information on changes to state legislative sessions as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, click here.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `govsign`
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `senateadv`
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Cite error: Invalid `<ref>` tag; no text was provided for refs named `sb1`
5. ↑ Nevada Legislature, "Legislative Officers: Nevada Senate," accessed August 4, 2014
6. ↑ Nevada Legislature, "NV Senate Leadership of the 77th (2013) Session," accessed August 4, 2014
7. ↑ Nevada Constitution, "Article 4, Section 4," accessed November 1, 2021
8. ↑ Nevada State Legislature, "Facts About the Nevada Legislature," accessed February 9, 2021
9. ↑ Clark County NV, "2018 state/federal elections," accessed August 3, 2017
10. ↑ Las Vegas Sun, "State Sen. Patricia Farley to caucus with Democrats," November 14, 2016
11. ↑ Follow the Money, "Nevada Senate 2010 Campaign Contributions," accessed December 17, 2013
12. ↑ Follow the Money, "Nevada 2008 Candidates," accessed August 23, 2013
13. ↑ Follow the Money, "Nevada 2006 Candidates," accessed August 23, 2013
14. ↑ Follow the Money, "Nevada 2004 Candidates," accessed August 23, 2013
15. ↑ Follow the Money, "Nevada 2002 Candidates," accessed August 23, 2013
16. ↑ Follow the Money, "Nevada 2000 Candidates," accessed August 23, 2013
17. ↑ U.S. Term Limits, "State Legislative Term Limits," accessed February 4, 2021
18. ↑ Nevada Legislature, "Constitution of Nevada," accessed February 9, 2021 (Article IV, Section XII)
19. ↑ All About Redistricting, "Nevada," accessed May 5, 2015
20. ↑ Prison Policy Initiative, "Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak signs law ending prison gerrymandering," May 31, 2019
21. ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "U.S. Census Bureau Delivers Nevada's 2010 Census Population Totals, Including First Look at Race and Hispanic Origin Data for Legislative Redistricting," accessed February 9, 2021
22. ↑ Nevada Legislature, "2011 Reapportionment and Redistricting Home," accessed February 9, 2021
23. ↑ Las Vegas Review-Journal, "Nevada legislators flock to special session for Faraday," accessed December 17, 2015
24. ↑ Las Vegas Review Journal, "Five (other) big issues for the 2015 Nevada Legislature," accessed February 2, 2015
25. ↑ Kolotv.com, "Nev. Legislature convenes Monday with uncertainty," February 2, 2013
26. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2011 Legislative Sessions Calendar," accessed June 6, 2014(Archived)
27. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "2010 Legislative Sessions Calendar," accessed June 6, 2014(Archived)
28. ↑ Find Law, "Tenth Amendment - U.S. Constitution," accessed May 20, 2017
29. ↑ Nevada Legislature, "Vetoes and Special Sessions," accessed July 3, 2017
30. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Special Sessions," May 6, 2009
31. ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 National Association of State Budget Officers, "Budget Processes in the States, Spring 2015," accessed February 5, 2021

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