Under existing law, committees, Legislators and other persons and entities are authorized to request the drafting of legislative measures for consideration during a regular legislative session. Existing law also establishes: (1) the maximum number of measures that those persons and entities are authorized to request; and (2) the minimum number of legislative measures that Legislators are required to prefile. (NRS 218D.150-218D.220, 219A.220) Sections 1-8 of this bill reduce the maximum number of requests for the drafting of legislative measures that are authorized to be made by requesters, unless the maximum number of requests authorized in existing law is 2 or less. Sections 1 and 2 clarify that the requests are required to be submitted to the Legislative Counsel. Section 1 also reduces the number of legislative measures that are required to be prefiled by Legislators, unless the minimum number of requests required to be prefiled in existing law is 2 or less. In addition to the requests currently authorized in the Nevada Revised Statutes, existing joint standing rules authorize each House, from the first day of a regular session until 5 p.m. on the 15th calendar day of the regular session, to submit a maximum of 60 requests for the drafting of a bill or joint resolution. The Majority Leader of the Senate and the Speaker of the Assembly are required to allocate all, some or none of these authorized requests and provide the Legislative Counsel with a written list of the number of requests that are authorized to be submitted by each member and standing committee of their respective Houses, and by the Majority Leader and Speaker. (Joint Standing Rule No. 14 of the Joint Standing Rules of the Senate and Assembly for the 83rd Legislative Session) Section 1 codifies these provisions into statute, but reduces from 60 to 40, for each House, the maximum number of such requests that are authorized to be submitted. Existing joint standing rules provide that, after a legislative session has convened, the Majority Leader of the Senate and the Speaker of the Assembly are authorized to each submit, on his or her own behalf or on the behalf of another Legislator or standing committee of the Senate or Assembly, respectively, a maximum of 10 requests for the drafting of a bill or resolution, which are required to be designated as emergency measures. (Joint Standing Rule No. 14.4 of the Joint Standing Rules of the Senate and Assembly for the 83rd Legislative Session) Section 2 codifies into statute: (1) this authority to submit requests, but reduces the maximum number of such requests that the Majority Leader and Speaker are each authorized to submit from 10 to 7; and (2) the requirement that those measures be designated as emergency measures. Existing joint standing rules provide that, after a legislative session has convened, the Minority Leader of the Senate and the Minority Leader of the Assembly are authorized to each submit, on his or her own behalf or on the behalf of another Legislator or standing committee of the Senate or Assembly, respectively, a maximum of 3 requests for the drafting of a bill or resolution, which are required to be designated as emergency measures. (Joint Standing Rule No. 14.4 of the Joint Standing Rules of the Senate and Assembly for the 83rd Legislative Session) Section 2 codifies into statute: (1) this authority to submit requests, but reduces the maximum number of such requests that each Minority Leader is authorized to submit from 3 to 2; and (2) the requirement that those measures be designated as emergency measures. If a vacancy occurs in the office of a Legislator after the general election and before the regular session of the Legislature is convened, existing law authorizes the caucus leader of the house and party of which the Legislator was a member to allocate all, some or none of the requests for the drafting of legislative measures requested or available to be requested by the Legislator. (NRS 218D.152) Section 9 of this bill repeals this authority.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 218D.150, 218D.155, 218D.160, 218D.175, 218D.190, 218D.205, 218D.210, 218D.213, 218D.152
BDR: 218D.150, 218D.155, 218D.160, 218D.175, 218D.190, 218D.205, 218D.210, 218D.213, 218D.152