Holiday? Hardly

Lawmakers will tackle a full agenda on Presidents Day

The issue of increasing the minimum wage saw a spirited debate in the Nevada Legislature last week, and it will be front and center again as lawmakers enter week three of the 2017 session.

Lawmakers are not taking Presidents Day off.

A second measure addressing the minimum wage, Senate Bill 106, is on deck Monday for the Senate Commerce, Labor and Energy Committee.

The bill would increase the minimum wage by 75 cents an hour each year for five years. That would give Nevada a minimum wage of $12 an hour for employers that don’t offer health insurance and $11 an hour for employers that do.

There are strong opinions on both sides of the issue, and another verbal battle is anticipated.

Monday will also be busy with a report from the Public Utilities Commission to the Assembly Energy Subcommittee, along with a rally on the Capitol grounds in support of clean energy and energy efficiency. A simultaneous rally will be held at the Sawyer Office Building in Las Vegas.

One of the most controversial issues of the session, the proposed funding of Education Savings Accounts, will be back before lawmakers on Tuesday when the Assembly Ways and Means Committee reviews Treasurer Dan Schwartz’s budget, which includes funding to manage the program should it be approved by lawmakers.

Gov. Brian Sandoval has proposed spending $60 million on the program to provide $5,100 to parents to send their children to private schools, including religious schools.

Republicans support ESAs, but Democrats are less than enthusiastic.

Education is also the subject of a Senate Finance hearing, where bills seeking to revise the Breakfast After the Bell Program and relating to funding for pupils with disabilities will be heard.

On Tuesday, the Assembly Legislative Operations and Elections Committee takes up Assembly Joint Resolution 2, which proposes to change Nevada’s constitution to define marriage as being between any two people. The constitution now says marriage is between a man and a woman.

At the same time, the Assembly Natural Resources Committee will take up Assembly Bill 159 to ban hydraulic fracturing, commonly called “fracking.” The controversial oil extraction process is not used currently in Nevada.

On Thursday, lawmakers will hear details of a proposed Office of Cyber Defense in Sandoval’s budget. Public Safety Director Jim Wright will testify on the proposal to a joint money subcommittee.

Floor sessions, bill introductions and other legislative business will be ongoing, as well, as lawmakers continue the push to adjourn by June 5.