This story was updated to clarify that Assemblyman Koenig's BDR regarding electric cars has been put on hold.
The 82nd Nevada Legislative Session opened Monday at the State Capitol in Carson. Both chambers, the Assembly, and the Senate, gaveled in just after 11 a.m. The Assembly was opened by the temporary presiding officer, Secretary of State Cisco Aguilar (D) who then turned the gavel over to new Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager (D) after the required election of Speaker and Speaker Pro Tempore. In the Senate, the presiding officer was newly elected Lt. Governor Stavros Anthony (R) who also serves as the President of the Senate. Senators then nominated and elected Senator Pat Spearman (D) as President Pro Tempore.
Assemblyman Greg Koenig (R) from AD 38, representing Fallon and Churchill County described the Opening Day in the Assembly, saying, “It was crazy long!” There were multiple roll calls, signing of certification of election, speeches by the Majority Leader, Minority Leader and other members. Koenig said the first week was very full with committee meetings and floor sessions. He said, “so far everyone is playing nice, but the super majority is definitely in charge.”
Koenig serves on three committees: Education (which he said fits nicely with his background of 12 years on the Churchill County School Board), Health and Human Services (again fits well as he is an Optometrist), and Government Affairs. The Government Affairs Committee meets daily, Education twice a week, and Health and Human Services meets three times weekly. So far Koenig described the committee meeting as “a lot of hearings by state agencies” and remarked that “it’s a slow start” to the session. The assembly is now preparing to start voting on bills that have passed out of committees and he looks forward to the debate and votes on those bills.
Koenig has sponsored one bill and has three Bill Draft Requests going through the legal work yet to become bills. He said that his bills would all be “rural related to help my rural constituents.”
AB 92 would authorize a board of county commissioners to create the office of county counsel. This bill was the topic of a previous Post story, and can be read at thefallonpost.org/news/5220,da-opposes-commissioners-idea-to-hire-their-own-lawyer.
The BDRs concern telemedicine for optometry which he described as important to rural communities. “I have patients who have to make long trips from places like Battle Mountain only to return a week later for a five-minute check in.” If passed, the bill would allow “Zoom” type meetings with patients saving them the long drives. The second BDR concerns adding “Rural Emergency Hospitals” to Nevada Revised Statutes. This would allow for small rural communities to establish a place for emergency room type treatments and be reimbursed by insurance or the state depending on the case. Currently only larger hospitals qualify for the reimbursements.
In addition, the third BDR, which has been put on hold after Governor Lombardo’s proposal to suspend the fuel tax, would require people with electric vehicles to report their mileage to the state and pay taxes equivalent to what gas pump-drivers pay, in order to help maintain roads. Koenig said depending on what happens with the fuel tax issue this may stay on hold.
Dr. Koenig has chosen to rent an apartment in Carson to avoid the drive each day with committee hearings and floor sessions each day, it will help him to be more “fresh and alert”. He receives a small allowance for housing, but it only covers about half of the cost. He plans to return to Fallon every weekend to be back with “the more grounded.” Koenig can be reached at his Capitol office by email: [email protected] or by phone at: (775) 684-8507. He will continue to update The Fallon Post each week as the Legislative session progresses.
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