Carson's O’Neill recaps Legislature for Chamber

The push-and-pull between a Democratic majority and a Republican governor during the 82nd session of the Nevada Legislature — and two special sessions that followed — produced a busy session with considerable results for public safety and the economy, according to District 40 Assemblyman P.K. O’Neill.

The Republican lawmaker, who represents Carson City, served as minority leader in the Assembly during the session and broke down his experiences and policy achievements for Carson City Chamber of Commerce members on Monday.

“It was probably one of the most active legislatures, I’ve been told, in the number of bills passed,” said O’Neill.

He said more than 1,200 bills were introduced and more than 800 heard. Those were pared down, he said, and usually a little more than 400 bills come out of a session.

According to the Nevada Legislature’s database, Gov. Joe Lombardo ended up signing 535 bills from the 82nd session. He also vetoed 75 bills. Two more bills were approved in the special sessions, including a bill outlining state capital improvements and a measure to help finance a new stadium in Las Vegas for the Oakland A’s.

“There was some respect,” O’Neill said of bipartisan efforts. “The Democrats knew to get some bills passed that they had to show some bipartisanship with the Republican governor. And we did try to work with them the best we could on a multitude of issues.”

O’Neill later added, “Whether it’s all Republicans all up and down or all Democrats … to me is not the best government.”

He argued “groupthink” can prevent thorough hearings on bills.

“The voices aren’t really heard all the time,” he said. “Naturally, I will say I am biased — If it’s all Republicans, I think it’s better — but I still question if people get their full, justified hearing on various issues and we don’t ramrod.”

O’Neill said he got six of his own bills passed.

“Which really sounds ‘O, wow,’” he said, “but when you put in 15 bills, the percentage isn’t as great when you only do four or five bills, which is what the freshmen did.”

O’Neill sponsored Assembly Bill 158 that enters Nevada into an interstate compact for emergency medical service personnel. Passed by both houses unanimously and signed into law by the governor on June 12, the bill allows EMTs and paramedics licensed in fellow compact states to work in Nevada and vice versa without new certification.

“When you talk medicine or any of the medical needs, you’re short on providers, no matter what it is,” O’Neill said.

A similar measure to enter the state into a nursing compact failed due to union opposition, O’Neill said.

“It was heard. It was Democrat-supported, but it was driven home to me the power that certain unions have. And to me, to a detriment to the state,” he said.

O’Neill was also proud of sponsoring Assembly Bill 346, which revised the State Budget Act. Approved by both houses — with one no vote in the Senate — and approved by the governor on June 15, the bill defines the term “adjusted base budget” to help state departments better budget for each biennium by adjusting for one-shot funding, rate changes, contractual obligations and other factors.

“If you didn’t spend all the money that you got in what was called the base budget, your budget was reduced and you had to argue to get it back,” O’Neill said of past budget practices.

In contrast, the change will encourage saving money “because you won’t be penalized,” O’Neill said.

“It really should help the state out to become more efficient, save money and give you better service at the end of it,” he said.

Perhaps the elephant in the room Monday was Senate Bill 1 for the A’s stadium that came out of the last special session. Up to $380 million of the $1.5 billion stadium proposed for Las Vegas would be publicly financed, according to O’Neill, who added he was getting some flak for supporting the project.

“I do not like making decisions for Clark County on something they want, or vice versa, because I don’t know Clark County, per se. Clark County — slash Las Vegas — wanted this stadium,” he said. “They wanted it.”

O’Neill said seven miles of the Las Vegas Strip pays for about 40 percent of the state’s general fund budget. He said Allegiant Stadium for the NFL Raiders in Vegas was successful, generating tax revenue for the entire state. While some private-public partnerships for stadiums don’t work out, “Las Vegas is unique to the entire rest of the country,” O’Neill said.

“If all goes south, if everything with this project goes south, Clark County will own nine acres on the Las Vegas Strip with a $1.5 billion stadium, which they can turn around and do whatever they feel like, sell, etc., etc.,” he said.

O’Neill argued from a business standpoint, the measure is a good deal for the state.