CARSON CITY — Gov. Steve Sisolak has officially called a special session beginning at 9 a.m. Friday to tackle issues including criminal and social justice, evictions and election reform.
The formal proclamation, issued about 6 p.m. Thursday, sets the business that lawmakers may consider. It comes nearly two weeks after a 12-day special session that filled a $1.2 billion hole in the state budget.
It includes measures on criminal and social justice reform, electoral issues related to safety during the coronavirus pandemic, business and worker protections, statutory reform in regard to unemployment insurance and alternative dispute resolutions for evictions.
“I again look forward to collaborating with Nevada legislators to meet the challenges that are unfortunately before us,” Sisolak said in a statement. “In order to protect the time necessary to address the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, my expectation is that this special session will be thorough and as efficient as possible.”
Lawmakers will look at revising Senate Bill 242 from the 2019 regular legislative session, which increases protections for police officers accused of misconduct under some circumstances. The proclamation also allows them to examine use-of-force conduct standards and liability for misuse of force.
Legislators will also discuss unemployment insurance payments, a major source of discontent for many Nevadans who have had trouble getting benefits. Lawmakers will discuss allowing the Employment Security Division to “expedite payment of benefits with good cause.”
The upcoming election will be a hot topic during the session.
Republican Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske has said her department does not have the money to conduct a mail-in election like the June primary, but lawmakers will consider providing every active voter a mail-in ballot for the November election, as well as expanding in-person voting locations. Wayne Thorley, the deputy secretary of state for elections, has said that any legislation requiring more mail-in ballots will have to come with more money.
Liability protections for nonprofits, businesses, schools and others that comply with mandated health and safety standards will also be on the docket. The same section includes language to increase worker protections.
Friday's special session was initially expected to be called immediately after the previous one, which adjourned on July 19. Sisolak issued a statement shortly before the end of that session stating he would wait until he was confident that the Legislature had “fully reviewed all policy items and is ready to conduct a thorough, organized and efficient second special session.”
The session, according to the proclamation, “should not” end later than 11:59 p.m. Aug. 7, though the language is not binding. Lawmakers can work past that date.