Politics - Las Vegas Sun News

Steve Marcus

John Ensign announces he will not seek another term during a news conference at the Lloyd George Federal Building in Las Vegas on Monday, March 7, 2011.

FEC fine a 'sad end to a sad story' for Ensign: Politics:; May 24, 2013; By Karoun Demirjian; Two years ago, the Federal Election Commission deciding to fine former Sen. John Ensign $32,000 for breaking campaign finance laws would have been big news. But in a week filled with scandals, the punishment failed to stir anyone. “It’s old news, and the political world has moved on,” said Eric Herzik, a political science professor at UNR. “It’s just a sad end to a sad story.” The contorted tale of Ensign’s ethically shady steps to extricate himself from a long-term affair with his campaign treasurer — who also happened to be the wife of his chief of staff — gripped ...

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Sex education bill loses its momentum, dies in Nevada Senate: May 24, 2013; By Conor Shine; A controversial bill that would have updated and standardized sex education curriculum across the state won’t advance any farther after it died in the Senate Friday.

Political heat derails plan to let Legislature meet in Las Vegas: May 24, 2013; By Cy Ryan; A proposal to allow the Nevada Legislature to meet in Las Vegas is being scrapped.

Report: More staff needed at Las Vegas psychiatric hospital: May 24, 2013; By Cy Ryan; Gov. Brian Sandoval has asked the Legislature to set aside $4 million in a contingency fund to hire more staff at the Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital, as recommended by a consultant’s report.

A patient stands in the emergency room lobby after being treated for a moped accident at Sunrise Hospital Monday, March 25, 2013.

Lucky No. 11? Legislature may take another stab at capping ER bills: May 24, 2013; By Andrew Doughman; Having an emergency and going to the hospital might be less financially burdensome if the Legislature passes a constitutional amendment this year. Assembly Speaker Marilyn Kirkpatrick, D-North Las Vegas, wants emergency room bills to be constitutionally capped, a move she says will save constituents from expensive hospital bills incurred when they’re taken to out-of-network hospital emergency rooms.

The colorful sandstone formations near Whitney Pockets in Gold Butte entice visitors to camp and explore.

Reid bill would preserve Nevada’s chunk of Grand Canyon: May 23, 2013; By Karoun Demirjian; Sen. Harry Reid announced Thursday that he has introduced legislation to create the Gold Butte Conservation Area, a public land site in Clark County that would include 220,000 acres of wilderness.

Nevada Secretary of State Ross Miller testifies at the Legislative Building in Carson City, Nev., on Thursday, March 14, 2013. Miller is urging lawmakers to support a bill that would update the state's polling books to include electronic voter photos. (AP Photo/Cathleen Allison)

Secretary of state calls GOP suit a political 'smear' to derail bills: May 23, 2013; By Cy Ryan; Secretary of State Ross Miller says a GOP lawsuit to force him to turn over his records is a “political smear” aimed at derailing legislative bills to make campaign financing more transparent.

Committee approves tax break for film industry: May 23, 2013; By Cy Ryan; The Senate Taxation Committee has approved a slimmed-down bill to provide up to $20 million in tax credits to film companies that come to Nevada to produce such things as movies and television shows.

Nevada Assemblyman James Healey, D-Las Vegas, speaks about his former partner who died in an accident in 2010, during an Assembly floor debate on gay marriage at the Legislative Building, in Carson City on Thursday, May 23, 2013. The Assembly voted 27-14 in favor of repealing the language in the Nevada Constitution that defines marriage as between a man and a woman, giving voters a chance to allow same-sex marriage.

Nevada Assembly backs resolution to end ban on gay marriage: May 23, 2013; By Andrew Doughman; The Nevada Assembly voted 24-17 today to move one step closer to removing a ban on same-sex marriage from the state Constitution.

Prices for gasoline near $4.00 per gallon at this station on Blue Diamond Road Thursday, April 14, 2011.

Las Vegas gas prices likely headed up, if Nevada passes fuel-tax bill: May 23, 2013; By Andrew Doughman; Gas prices could increase statewide under a bill that received strong support today from lawmakers and business groups.

A cable shovel dumps gold ore into a truck in Crescent Valley in September 2001.

Hey, voters, here's a golden opportunity with a silver lining: May 23, 2013; By Andrew Doughman; The Assembly today approved a resolution that will allow voters to decide on the 2014 ballot whether or not the mining industry’s tax rate should be in the state constitution.

Nevada Assemblywoman Michele Fiore inspects the product and learns about the different uses for and varieties of marijuana during a trip to a dispensary in Arizona on Friday, March 22, 2013.

Committee sends bill for medical marijuana clinics to Nevada Senate: May 23, 2013; By Cy Ryan; A plan to create a network of medical marijuana clinics — with the owners paying hefty licensing fees — was approved by the Nevada Senate Finance Committee today.

Yucca Mountain is located about 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas.

Republicans press NRC chair for answers on Yucca Mountain: May 23, 2013; By Karoun Demirjian; The crisis that engulfed the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and threatened to tip the scales on the Yucca Mountain project last year is in the past, if the bipartisan nods of reserved approval that new chairwoman Allison MacFarlane received at her reconfirmation Thursday are any indicator.

Higher dues for homeowners at stake in HOA legislation: May 23, 2013; By Andrew Doughman; Anyone living in a homeowners association in Nevada might want to pay attention to the next few weeks at the Legislature.

A model of the UNLV Now stadium project is shown here at the Nevada System of Higher Education's Board of Regents meeting on Friday, Jan. 11, 2013. UNLV and its private developer partners updated regents on the project, which now features a 100-yard-long video screen and six VIP suites seating 300 people.

Tax district aspect to UNLV Now stadium bill gets a tweak: May 23, 2013; By Paul Takahashi; A tax-increment financing plan may no longer be part of the UNLV stadium bill, according to discussions between university officials and lawmakers.

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Monday, May 20

R&R Partners CEO Billy Vassiliadis on the big energy bill, taxes and online poker. Watch »

Monday, May 6

Assembly Minority Leader Pat Hickey says it's unlikely his caucus would support any tax reform that would actually raise revenue, but spoke favorably of Speaker Kirkpatrick's forthcoming live entertainment tax bill. Washoe County District Attorney Richard Gammick is calling it quits after two decades in office. Watch »