Nevada Dems kept state from going off the rails in 2021 session

Legislators returning to their hometowns after 120 days in Carson City are no doubt discovering that outside the legislative bubble life has gone on without most people even noticing they’ve been gone. It’s always disconcerting to realize how few actually pay much attention to the "inside baseball" challenges of making the laws that govern our state. They may have seen a news story here or there but have probably forgotten it already, more concerned with the post-COVID adjustments in their lives and wondering if they dare plan an out-of-town vacation this summer.

Perhaps the most notable consequence of the 2021 session is what didn’t happen, especially when compared to other states where off-the-rail Republicans are consumed with making it harder to vote, denying transgender teens their rights and restricting abortion to the point of virtually eliminating it. None of that ugliness surfaced in Nevada — and, in fact, voting rights were expanded with the statutory framework now in place for automatic voting by mail. And the oddest gubernatorial priority in modern times, Governor Sisolak’s Innovation Zones proposal on behalf of an arrogant crypto magnate set on governing his own city, died before the bill was even born.

Legislators approved many welcome commonsense changes to Nevada’s statutes, including the banning of "ghost guns," allowing some forms of birth control to be sold without a prescription, and decriminalizing traffic tickets. They also raised more money for critical domestic violence programs. But in many other areas, progress was minimal, such as affordable housing, tenant rights, and major criminal justice reforms.

And in a couple of policy areas where legislators are taking a victory lap, the end result is still quite murky. For example, the vaunted new “public option” in health care insurance hasn’t been fully vetted and doesn’t seem significant enough to make much of a difference for working families who still won’t be able to afford the purchase. Instead of creating a complicated and controversial program, why didn’t legislators expand public health programs like Medicaid, allow people to buy in, or add more subsidies to the exchange? Oh well, the 2023 session is right around the corner, right?

Read more: https://www.rgj.com/story/opinion/columnists/2021/06/11/nevada-dems-kept-state-going-off-rails-2021-session-sheila-leslie/7639902002/
(Reno Gazette Journal)