NACO staff and members represent common interests to legislators and advocate for policy changes that will benefit Nevada’s counties. NACO members have reached consensus and affected change regarding the following State issues: unfunded mandates, funding for indigent hospital care, leveraging Medicaid dollars for long term care, county approval of tax abatements and additional county authority. In addition, NACO effectively maintains county participation between legislative sessions by monitoring and representing counties on State agency rule making and interim legislative studies. The Nevada Association of Counties is authorized by statute to submit five Bill Draft Requests for each legislative session.
2019 (80th) Session of the Nevada Legislature
NACO Bills and Information
Enacted Legislation that Impacts Counties
2017 (79th) Session of the Nevada Legislature
NACO Appointments to Boards & Commissions
NACO members and staff also serve on and appoint members to several important legislative, executive and judicial committees and task forces, including the following statutory boards.
- Board for the Fund for Hospital Care to Indigent Persons (NRS 428.195) – Carson City Supervisor, Stacey Giomi; Clark County Commissioner, William McCurdy II; Clark County Human Services Administrator, Tim Burch; ElkoCounty Commissioner, Delmo Andreozzi; White PineCounty Commissioner, Laurie Carson
- Commission on Off-Highway Vehicles (NRS 490.067) – Carson City Supervisor, Maurice White
- Committee on Local Government Finance (NRS 354.105) – Clark County CFO, Jessica Colvin; Humboldt County Comptroller, Gina Rackley; Washoe County CFO, Abigail Yacoben
- Health & Human Services Grants Management Advisory Committee (NRS 232.383) – Lyon County Human Services Director, Shayla Holmes
- Nevada Board on Indigent Defense Services (NRS 180.210) – Humboldt County Manager, Dave Mendiola; Mineral County Commissioner, Catherine Hall; Nye County Assistant Manager, Lorina Dellinger; Joni Eastley
- Nevada Commission on Nuclear Projects (NRS 459.0091) – Clark County Commissioner, Ross Miller
- Nevada Rural Housing Authority (NRS 315.977) – Roger Mancebo, Joni Eastley, Zetkha Fountas
- Private Activity Bond Council (NRS 348A.050) – NACO Executive Director, Vinson Guthreau
- State Land Use Planning Council (SLUPAC) (NRS 321.740) –Jacob Brinkerhoff, NACO Natural Resources Manager
Facts about the Nevada Legislature
Size and Apportionment of the Nevada Legislature
The Nevada Constitution sets the maximum size of the Legislature at 75 members. It further provides that the Senate may not be less than one-third nor more than one-half the size of the Assembly. The Nevada Legislature, which has the responsibility to establish the number of its members by law, presently has 63 members, 42 in the Assembly and 21 in the Senate.
Sessions
Regular sessions of the Legislature begin the first Monday in February of odd-numbered years. Nevada is one of only six states that have true biennial sessions. From 1961 through 1997, the length of legislative sessions in Nevada depended upon the time required to process proposed legislation, review the spending proposals of state agencies, and adopt a biennial state budget. Some sessions lasted as long as 169 days. At the 1998 General Election, Nevada voters approved a constitutional amendment limiting future regular biennial sessions to 120 days.
Qualifications of Legislators
To be elected to either house of the Legislature, a person must be at least 21 years of age at the time of the election, a resident of the state for 1 year, and a qualified elector and resident in the district to be represented.
Terms of Office
All 42 members of the Assembly are elected for 2-year terms at the general election held in even-numbered years. Members of the Senate are elected for 4-year terms, with 10 being elected in one General Election and 11 in the next. Effective for the 2010 General Election, a current or former Assembly or Senate member may not seek election to a house in which he or she has served for 12 years or more.
Compensation
Legislators receive a salary of $130 per day for the first 60 days of each regular session and the first 20 days of each special session. (Legislators receive no salary for the remaining 60 days of a regular session.) In addition, a per diem allowance for meals and lodging (consistent with the federal rate set for the Carson City area) is authorized by statute. Legislators receive additional allowances for stationery, postage, travel, and telephone use.
