The Nevada Constitution gives exclusive power to each House of the Legislature to determine the rules of its proceedings. (Nev. Const. Art. 4, § 6) Under existing law, all public books and records of a governmental entity, the contents of which are not otherwise declared by law to be confidential, must be open at all times during office hours for inspection and copying by the public. (NRS 239.010) This joint resolution proposes to amend the Nevada Constitution to provide, with certain exceptions, that the Legislature and its members are subject to the same provisions of law relating to public books and records.
The Nevada Constitution imposes various procedural requirements relating to the passage of bills and joint resolutions by the Legislature. (See, e.g., Nev. Const. Art. 4, § 18, Art. 11, § 6) This joint resolution proposes to amend the Nevada Constitution to prohibit a vote on a bill or joint resolution until after the bill or joint resolution has been made available to the public, including, without limitation, by posting on the Internet website of the Legislature, for at least 72 hours after its first reading in the House of its origin.
This joint resolution creates in the Executive Branch and sets forth the membership of the Political Practices Enforcement Commission. This joint resolution further gives the Commission the duty to: (1) interpret and enforce provisions of law relating to campaign finance, the activities of lobbyists, conflicts of interest of public officers, financial disclosure statements required of public officers and ethics in government; (2) maintain databases of reports that are available to the public relating to campaign finance, the activities of lobbyists, conflicts of interest of public officers, financial disclosure statements required of public officers and ethics in government; (3) provide training and advisory opinions to candidates and public officers relating to campaign finance, the activities of lobbyists, conflicts of interest of public officers, financial disclosure statements required of public officers and ethics in government; and (4) perform any other power or duty granted to the Commission by law. This joint resolution further: (1) authorizes the Commission to adopt regulations to carry out the provisions of law relating to campaign finance, the activities of lobbyists, conflicts of interest of public officers, financial disclosure statements required of public officers and ethics in government; (2) authorizes the Commission to investigate any violation of law relating to campaign finance, the activities of lobbyists, conflicts of interest of public officers, financial disclosure statements required of public officers and ethics in government; (3) subjects members of the Legislature to the legal authority and jurisdiction of the Commission the same as any other elected public officer; (4) requires that any criminal, civil or administrative fine imposed pursuant to the provisions of law relating to campaign finance, the activities of lobbyists, conflicts of interest of public officers, financial disclosure statements required of public officers and ethics in government be used to fund the duties and activities of the Commission; and (5) requires the Legislature to provide by law for the Commission to have authority to discipline a candidate, lobbyist or public officer for a violation of provisions of law relating to campaign finance, the activities of lobbyists, conflicts of interest of public officers, financial disclosure statements required of public officers and ethics in government.