Kasama Proposes Bills for Legislative Transparency

In response to allegations of conflicts of interest involving Democratic assembly members, Republican Las Vegas Assemblywoman Heidi Kasama has introduced a series of new bill draft requests (BDRs) to enhance transparency and accountability in the Nevada Legislature.

Kasama submitted three BDRs on Wednesday, March 6, with Governor Joe Lombardo expressing his support for the initiative.

The first bill, titled “Legislative Transparency and Accountability,” mandates that legislation undergo a 72-hour review before final approval. The second bill focuses on transparency and accountability, including adherence to open meeting laws, prompt responses to information requests, and public disclosure of member interests and relationships. The third bill addresses governance and appropriations transparency, proposing a governor’s line-item veto on appropriations and limiting direct state funding to nonprofits without additional attachments.

Speaker Steve Yeager stated that the bills would be vetted once introduced, pending proper language for review.

The BDRs follow allegations of conflicts of interest involving Democratic assembly members.

Assemblywoman Michelle Gorelow, who voted in favor of Assembly Bill 525 (AB525) allocating funds to nonprofit organizations, was appointed as the executive director of Arc of Nevada shortly after the bill’s passage. The Nevada Ethics Commission received a complaint against Gorelow, but the commission dismissed it.

Assemblyman Cameron “C.H.” Miller faced scrutiny for failing to disclose his position as president and CEO of the Urban Chamber of Commerce when voting to allocate funds to the organization. Miller later announced his resignation from the Legislature to run for the Las Vegas City Council.

Assemblywoman Bea Duran, who announced she would not seek re-election, faced criticism after the revelation that she had ties to organizations that received substantial state funding during the 2023 legislative session.

However, as KTVN reported, during the last session, Kasama failed to abstain from votes related to lowering housing and prescription drug costs despite her daughter lobbying on behalf of both industries and her and her husband working in the real estate industry and could have benefited financially from these bills had they become law.

Kasama defended her bills, emphasizing the need for increased transparency in the Legislature. She urged Nevada Democrats to join Republicans in pursuing these proposals.