• Carson Now on Facebook
  • Follow Carson Now on Twitter
  • Follow Carson Now by RSS
  • Follow Carson Now by Email

How the Nevada Legislature is preparing for a special session during COVID-19 pandemic

Early next month, hundreds of elected officials, state workers, lobbyists and members of the public will congregate in Carson City for a special legislative session to patch massive holes in the state’s budget.

But this upcoming special session will be unlike any other; the still ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions on large public gatherings will require major changes to the physical building space, structure and operations of the Legislature when it convenes.

Although legislative leaders and Gov. Steve Sisolak had previously said that they planned to hold a special session sometime in June, they said on Monday that more time was needed to prepare “proper safety protocols” for legislators, staff, and members of the public in the legislative building.

“While the Governor expressed concern over moving the date into the next fiscal year, he understands the important need of ensuring the safety of members and staff during a special session in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to ensuring the public has a safe way to participate in the process,” Sisolak’s office said in a statement on Monday.

But measures to put those safety changes in place are well underway.

Last week, The Nevada Independent toured the capital’s Legislative Building alongside new Legislative Counsel Bureau Director Brenda Erdoes and facility manager John Vietti, who showcased some of the safety features and changes that will greet lawmakers, lobbyists and members of the public in the coming weeks.

Although many safety features are still in the works, full-time legislative staff are actively working to bring the four-story legislative building into compliance with state and federal health guidelines to mitigate any spread of COVID-19.

Although Carson City has largely avoided a major outbreak of the virus (132 cases, with 98 recoveries), Erdoes said that it was important for the Legislature to take all possible precautions given that not only a large number of lawmakers but also lobbyists and members of the public will be coming from Las Vegas and all around the state.

“It is kind of daunting because of the small number of people that you’re going to fit in those rooms where we usually pack a lot of people,” she said. “So it’s an interesting dilemma.”

So far, planned changes will include:

— Replacing handicap access buttons with wireless sensors on the building’s back door

— Only allowing two people in an elevator at one time

— Plexiglass barriers at the legislative police station

— Hiring of daytime janitors to clean and disinfect surfaces on an hourly basis

— Free and available hand sanitizer and masks

— Hands free faucets, toilets and doors inside bathrooms. Several water bottle filling stations are being installed, and any other freestanding water fountains will be covered during the special session

— Having only one chair at each table in the cafeteria area

— A reprogrammed HVAC system set at 100 percent pressure intake (meaning maximum air pressure coming into the building at all times), as well as improved air filters and potentially UV ventilation fans inside of building elevators

— Roping off sections of chairs and couches to only allow one person to sit at a time

Erdoes said that legislative staff were keeping track of the costs of all the changes to the building and believed it would all be reimbursable from federal funds.

Lawmakers will also see several COVID-19 related safety changes.

In the Senate chambers, staff are planning to install sheets of plexiglass between individual seats in the chamber, as the installed microphones and voting buttons for each seat are fairly close together. In the Assembly chambers, the large plexiglass windows separating the floor of the gallery from seating areas for the public and press have been removed, in order to physically distance the 42 Assembly members at least six feet apart and potentially sit some of them further back in the chamber.

Erdoes said that the second floor viewing areas of the Senate and Assembly may be closed to the public, but that was a decision to be made closer to whenever a special session is called.

She also said that the private caucus rooms used by lawmakers won’t be in use, and that legislative staff were working on finding other accommodations for Assembly and Senate caucuses that will allow members to remain six feet apart while meeting.

Erdoes said that in addition to spacing out seats in the Assembly and Senate chambers, legislative staff were working on a way to allow legislators to cast votes from their individual offices if deemed necessary to comply with social distancing rules while still meeting constitutional requirements to cast votes in the seat of government. Additional safety measures are being considered, such as making hallways or staircases one-way only.

She said many of the decisions and contingencies would be made closer to whenever the special session would be called, and would likely depend on the trendlines of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations throughout the state and the region. Nevada has seen sizable upticks in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations over the past several days.

“Right now, the numbers are going up in Northern Nevada,” she said. “So if they happen to go up tremendously, then that might make a different decision than if they were staying where they were.”

She also said that legislative staff planned to request anybody entering the building to wear a mask while inside, while noting that legislatures in other states had adopted special rule changes requiring legislators to wear a mask.

Other changes for members of the public are still up in the air. Democratic Assembly Majority Leader Teresa Benitez-Thompson said on a call with Northern Nevada small businesses last week that she expected the committee hearing rooms throughout the building would be used for public comment and broadcast into the main legislative chambers.

Erdoes said the specifics on public involvement were still being discussed, noting that legislative staff still didn’t know how many members of the public would likely be in the building or want to testify during the special session — and that they would still have to abide by the governor’s limits on gatherings of 50 or more people or exceeding 50 percent of fire code occupancy.

“We haven’t ever hit those numbers, haven’t worried about it,” she said. “But now, the social distancing, it’s a little different.”

— This story was used with permission of The Nevada Independent. Go here for updates to this and other stories.

Top Stories

... or see all stories

Western Nevada College grad Krysta Palmer will attempt to qualify for the Summer Olympics for the second time this week during the U.S. Olympic Diving Trials in Knoxville, Tenn. The 2021 Olympic bronze medalist will compete in the 3-meter synchro springboard diving competition today, Monday, and the 3-meter springboard diving event Thursday and Saturday.

A new agreement between the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest and the Nevada Division of Forestry will enhance safe and effective wildfire response across Nevada. The centerpiece of this partnership is the creation of the joint Arc Dome Wildland Fire Module that is focused on planning, monitoring, and responding to wildfires. This initiative represents in shared resources to confront the wildfire crisis.

The 2024 KIDS COUNT Data Book, released by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, highlights significant challenges in child well-being across Nevada, emphasizing an urgent need for accessible early education. As Nevada works to improve its rankings in child well-being and education, families face critical barriers to accessing early learning opportunities.

The Mile High Jazz Band Association's annual membership meeting and end-of-the-fiscal-year party will be on Sunday, June 30, at 6:00 p.m., at the Carson City Historical Society’s Carriage House, behind the Foreman-Roberts House Museum, 1207 N. Carson Street, Carson City.

While staying at the enchanting Renaissance recently, I had a view of the Truckee River, and a half dozen homeless folks dwelling there on her silent shores. They pretty much kept to themselves until a gregarious gentleman came along with something to eat that he passed out to one after another until they were all up and around on the riverbank, bargaining and trading with what little they had to offer. This was quite possibly their main meal for the day, and they were exhibiting great gladness in celebrating it.

Rabbits are overrunning our property. Initially, it was cute to see tiny bunnies. While cottontails only live 12 to 15 months, they can have two to six litters per year, each with five to six young. They only have a 28-to-29-day gestation period, and females breed again within hours of giving birth.

Going with the theme Intentional Camera Movement, also known as "ICM" in photog nomenclature, local shooters put their camera lenses to the test, producing a number of award-winning pictures for this month's Carson City Photo Club competition.

Carson City Symphony Association’s “Strings in the Summer 2024 - Rhythm & Strings” is a weekly program for string-instrument players of all ages and levels. It meets on Thursdays, from June 20 to August 1 (except July 4), from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. in the Tahoe Room at the Carson City Senior Center, 911 Beverly Drive.

Gusty winds and low humidity Sunday has prompted the National Weather Service to issue a Red Flag Warning for Carson City and surrounding counties.

The Class of 2024 was celebrated two weeks ago with a free all-night party hosted by Carson High Safe Grad. This event is only made possible because of the generosity of volunteered time and donated resources made available by the following individuals and organizations (businesses marked by an asterisk).

Here is the Carson City area road report for the week of June 17-23, 2024. Closures and lane restrictions are expected at the following locations due to road and utility work:

On June 6, 2020, Carson City Assistant Sheriff Daniel Gonzales graduated from the FBI National Academy in Quantico, VA. In a release provided by the FBI, 201 law enforcement officers graduated from the FBI National Academy.

Muscle Powered

Join Muscle Powered for an evening hike of Kings Canyon Waterfall Trail in Carson City at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 19.

Carson City Fire Department and sheriff's deputies were called early Saturday evening to a vehicle that reportedly crashed into the garage of a residence in the 3700 block of Woodside Drive.

After nine months of learning just about every aspect of what makes Carson City tick, 23 members of the Carson City Leadership Class of 2024 graduated on Thursday, June 13.

The Jazz & Beyond festival committee announces that the winner of the 2024 poster and program cover art contest is Carol Foldvary-Anderson. Her design, "More Than Just Jazz!" was selected from six entries to highlight the 21st annual Carson City music festival.

Join the Carson City Library for an author event that hits close to home with the release of Virginia City V. Bonanza: A Tale of Merging Histories, published by Rowman & Littlefield. Written by Monette Bebow-Reinhard, the discussion takes place Saturday, June 22, 2024, at 10:30 a.m. at the Carson City Library, located at 900 N. Roop St., Carson City.

Attention film lovers and sci-fi film enthusiasts: Prepare to blast off into a world of imagination and creativity with Silver State Storyteller's Moon Rocks Sci-Fi Short Film Competition happening today at the Brewery Arts Center in Carson City.

Carson City eateries will take to the streets at the center of the capital city today, Saturday, June 15 for the 30th Taste of Downtown, a long tradition to benefit the city's shelter for domestic violence victims.

The annual Stewart Father's Day Powwow at the former Stewart Indian Boarding School Campus in Carson City is underway, continuing through Sunday.

Lenny aka Tommy Two-Tone is a handsome long-haired orange kitty with a sweet face and silky soft fur. He likes people and once comfortable with you, he will purr with delight while you pet him.

After several years of set backs due to the economy, the Sierra Flats Affordable Housing project is finally opening with a ribbon cutting July 9, providing 80 new rent controlled units to the capital city.

There are two portions of the project, a building for seniors and a building for family and workforce housing, each containing 40 units.

UNR Extension Master Gardener Community Garden Talks

Join UNR Extension Master Gardeners of Carson City for a night in the garden.

Today is the last day of school, which brings on High School graduation across Lyon County. The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office congratulates all of those that are graduating today, and wishes them the best as they enter the workforce, go off to college, join the military or any other adventure they choose to embark on.

The Carson City School District reminds the community that all school offices within the district, with the exception of Carson High School, will be closed from June 17 to August 5. The Carson High School office will be open to help you from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Douglas County is pleased to announce important updates to parking regulations and options for visitors and residents enjoying Zephyr Cove Beach at Lake Tahoe this summer.

For the first time, "No Parking" signs will line both sides of Highway 50 in each direction from the new stoplight installed by the Nevada Department of Transportation at Warrior Way.

Two people have been found dead after the plane they were in crashed in Alpine County, south of Lake Tahoe. On June 13 at approximately 1 a.m., deputies from the Alpine County Sheriff's Office were notified of an overdue aircraft that had left Lodi, Calif. on Wednesday afternoon.

A sixteen-year-old Carson City resident is in custody following a gas station robbery Thursday night.

According to Sheriff Ken Furlong, the robbery occurred at an ExtraMile convenience store and involved a knife.

Here are the votes as of Tuesday, June 13 at 4:40 p.m.

The votes will not be finalized until all mail ballots have been counted. So far, the majority of ballots (5,720) were cast by mail, followed up by early voting (2,171) with the least amount of votes (1,842) cast on Election Day.

We will continue to update results as they come in.

Carson City author Michael K. Falciani, left, receives the ACES High Award from

We have a winner! Dragon Crown Books is pleased to announce that Carson City author Michael K. Falciani is the winner of the inaugural ACES High Award for outstanding contribution to The ACES Anthology 2023.