Nevada State Legislature building in Carson City. CREDIT: David R. Frazier / Photo Researchers / Universal Images Group

The personal is political. Do you remember this phrase used by feminists in the women’s movement? Are you using topics important to you personally to do your research papers? Are you investigating the political aspects of the issue and advocating for change? Do you want Nevada law to reflect your position? A helpful source of information is the Nevada State Legislature. There you can find out the bills or laws that are being proposed during the current 80th session that began on February 4th, 2019. A good place to start is by looking at the frequently asked questions (FAQs) so that you know how to navigate the website. Here are a few listed:

• How do I find out who is my legislator?
• How can I find a bill?
• How can I view the vote on a bill?

This year CSN has identified the following issues as 2019 Legislative priorities:

• CSN/NSC Health and Sciences Building
• Northwest Campus Planning
• NSHE Prison Education Program
• NSHE Promise Scholarship Fix

Aside from issues important to CSN and the Nevada System of Higher Education, there are other issues surrounding higher education funding and the success of students enrolled here at CSN that will be coming up in the session. Other issues important to Nevadans are:

• Health care and social services
• Wages and taxes
• Gun control
• Criminal justice reform
• Marijuana

You can research legislation by using CSN library databases and looking for newspaper articles. The ProQuest Central database has articles by the Las Vegas Sun and Las Vegas Review Journal and the Newsbank (Las Vegas/ Nevada News) database covers those same publications plus broadcast stations. These and more are easily found when you click “Browse Databases” on the CSN Libraries homepage. Another resource from CSN Libraries is the Nevada and Local Information guide with a section devoted to the state of Nevada.

Fun Facts about the 80th Nevada Legislature:

• For the first time in history women legislators are in the majority
• The legislature only meets for 120 days every two years
• Nevada legislators are the lowest paid in the nation
• Assembly members serve for two years, senators four years
• Mariana Kihuen is serving as CSN’s interim director of government affairs and will spearhead CSN’s efforts to pass bills on our top priorities
• CSN Day at the Legislature will be on March 25, 2019 and students can travel to Carson City to observe legislative activities and talk to their legislators
  

  Thirty-two female members of the Nevada Legislature pose before the start of the state’s legislative session in Carson City. The group represents the first female-majority legislature in the country. CNN.com