Nevada State Senate

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Nevada State Senate
SLP-Infobox Image-Color.png
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.

    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
         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]


    Office Name Party Date assumed office
    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
    SalaryPer 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
    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
    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

    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]

    DocumentIcon.jpg 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.


    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]

    Veto Override Graphic-No party.png

    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 Public Policy Logo-one line-on Ballotpedia.png
    Check out Ballotpedia articles about policy in your state on:
    BudgetsCivil libertiesEducationElectionsEnergyEnvironmentHealthcarePensions

    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:


    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
    Flag of Nevada.png
    Articles
    Preliminary ActionOrdinancePreamble1234567891011121314151617XVIII19Election Ordinance

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

    See also[edit]

    Elections Nevada State Government State Legislatures State Politics
    Ballotpedia Elections Badge-VOTE-no shadow-Square.jpg
    Nevada State Flag-Close Up.jpg
    State Houses-Tile image.png
    State Courts-Tile image.png

    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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