Twenty-one and Done

Nevada lawmakers adjourned after wrapping up a four-month session. In the end, both sides got a little of what they wanted, thanks to a Supreme Court ruling and late-session negotiations that led to a $6.2 billion general fund budget and the extension of $620 million in temporary taxes that were set to expire.

Democrats who hold a slim majority in the Senate and Assembly lacked the clout to push their agenda for tax reforms and higher education spending. Meanwhile Republicans were encouraged by Governor Brian Sandoval, who campaigned on a no-new-tax platform — but who failed to live-up to his campaign promise.

Lawmakers also sent a message to California: the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency has to change its ways or the state may withdraw from the 1969 compact. SB271 lays out a series of conditions the agency has to meet to keep the state from walking away.

The TRPA must update its regional development plan by 2015 and revise voting requirements so Nevada has a greater voice in the area. Failure will give the state the option to sever ties with the agency which is charged with overseeing environmental protections and development in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

The bond with TRPA should have been trashed instead of the organization being given conditions to meet. The largely political body hasn’t lived up to its mission statement in its 42 years of existence.

Plus — the battle over a $2.2 billion K-through-12 school budget and a bunch of new policy reforms is finally over. Legislators wrapped up policy reforms and finalized a budget that sets per-pupil state funding about $400 higher than predicted in January.

During last-minute action, lawmakers pushed through final pieces of an education reform package. The bill which reorganizes the state Board of Education and gives the governor the authority to appoint the state superintendent now heads for Governor Brian Sandoval’s desk.

Administrators now head back to the bargaining table to see if they can score union concessions to implement recommended salary and benefit reductions. Those benefit and salary cuts amount to about 7 percent overall.

What is beyond understanding is why a return to the bargaining table — no one elected the union’s over Nevada’s lawmakers. If they can continue taxes that were due to expire, a ban on cell-phone and GPS use in your vehicle and undo the voter mandated 2006 Nevada Clean Air Act — then lawmakers certainly can trump anything a union has to say about wages.

Lastly — here’s what passed as “job creation” in the Nevada Legislature this session: Self-driving cars. Nicknamed the “Google Car Bill,” it will allow the Internet search engine to legally test drive remote-controlled vehicles throughout the state.

If Sandoval signs the bill, Nevada will become the first state to allow cars that drive themselves. Supporters say it could lead to more high-tech industry and jobs.

Big-effing-whoop!

Thankfully, the legislature convenes every two years and lasts only four-month when it does.