Nevada Democrats eye bills to tie gun control, education, safety
CARSON CITY — Majority Democrats reworked top legislative initiatives behind the scenes Monday to tie education funding, gun control and school safety together in two bills that simultaneously seek to box in Republican opposition and answer criticism over cuts in safety funding.
The twin moves break a stalemate on the session’s major gun control initiative and also potentially thwart an anticipated legal fight over a nearly $100 million business payroll tax extension that is key to balancing Gov. Steve Sisolak’s proposed 2020-21 general fund budget. Democrats pushed the extension through the Assembly last week but moved to rescind that vote Monday.
To replace it, Senate Democrats introduced a new bill Monday that ties revenue from the tax extension directly to education funding, effectively daring Republicans to vote against school funding to oppose it.
Despite an opinion from legislative lawyers saying otherwise, Republicans maintain that the tax extension is effectively a tax increase that requires a two-thirds majority vote, and hence their support. They have promised legal action if the extension is approved.
Read more: https://www.reviewjournal.com/news/politics-and-government/2019-legislature/nevada-democrats-eye-bills-to-tie-gun-control-education-safety-1673467/