State of State address to be virtual only

Gov. Steve Sisolak will give his second State of the State address on Jan. 19 virtually and will release his proposed budget to the public the day before, his office announced Tuesday.

Rather than giving his speech in front of state lawmakers inside the Legislature building, as has been the tradition, Sisolak’s address will instead be prerecorded and broadcast “to avoid an increased risk of spread” of the coronavirus, his office said. Viewers will be able to stream the address online, with details about how to view the speech being released later.

The speech will lay out the governor’s priorities heading into the highly anticipated legislative session, which starts next month. Nevada’s economy has been ravaged by the pandemic as the state’s lifeblood industries — gaming and tourism — have experienced massive revenue dips because of closures, restrictions and an overall drop in visitation.

In November, Sisolak told state agencies to prepare for budget cuts of 12 percent for each of the next two fiscal years.

Sisolak said he will release a summary of his recommended budget, which governors have historically kept under wraps until the address itself, before the speech airs.

“This State of the State will undoubtedly look different than any prior State of the State in Nevada history. My recommended budget will represent where we are as a result of the COVID-19 emergency, and my State of the State will highlight where we are going,” Sisolak said in a statement.

“Despite the tough circumstances we face as a result of this historic pandemic, I’m eager to share all the reasons we have to be optimistic about our future.”