ACR1_EN

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 1–Committee on
Elections, Procedures, and Ethics

FILE NUMBER..........

Assembly Concurrent RESOLUTION—Adopting the Joint Rules of the Senate and Assembly for the 72nd Session of the Legislature.

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of Nevada, The

Senate Concurring, That the Joint Rules of the Senate and

Assembly as amended by the 71st Session are adopted, with the

following changes, as the Joint Rules of the Senate and Assembly

for the 72nd Session of the Legislature:

CONFERENCE COMMITTEES

Rule No. 1. Procedure Concerning.

In every case of an amendment of a bill, or joint or concurrent

resolution, agreed to in one House, dissented from in the other, and

not receded from by the one making the amendment, each House

shall appoint a committee to confer with a like committee to be

appointed by the other; and the committee so appointed shall meet

publicly at a convenient hour to be agreed upon by their respective

chairmen and announced publicly, and shall confer upon the

differences between the two Houses as indicated by the

amendments made in one and rejected in the other and report as

early as convenient the result of their conference to their respective

Houses. The report shall be made available to all members of both

Houses. The whole subject matter embraced in the bill or resolution

shall be considered by the committee, and it may recommend

recession by either House, new amendments, new bills or

resolutions, or other changes as it sees fit. New bills or resolutions

so reported shall be treated as amendments unless the bills or

resolutions are composed entirely of original matter, in which case

they shall receive the treatment required in the respective Houses

for original bills, or resolutions, as the case may be.

The report of a conference committee may be adopted by

acclamation, and such action may be considered equivalent to the

adoption of amendments embodied therein. The report is not

subject to amendment. If either House refuses to adopt the report,

or if the first conference committee has so recommended, a second

conference committee may be appointed. No member who served

on the first committee may be appointed to the second.

There shall be but two conference committees on any bill or

resolution. A majority of the members of a conference committee

from each House must be members who voted for the passage of

the bill or resolution.

MESSAGES

Rule No. 2. Procedure Concerning.

Proclamations by the Governor convening the Legislature in

extra session shall, by direction of the presiding officer of each

House, be read immediately after the convening thereof, filed and

entered in full in the Journal of proceedings.

Whenever a message from the Governor is received, the Sergeant

at Arms will announce: “Mr. President, or Mr. Speaker, the

Secretary of the Governor is at the bar.” The Secretary will, upon

being recognized by the presiding officer, announce: “Mr.

President, or Mr. Speaker, a message from His Excellency, the

Governor of Nevada, to the Honorable, the Senate or Assembly,”

and hand same to the Sergeant at Arms for delivery to the Secretary

of the Senate or Chief Clerk of the Assembly. The presiding officer

will direct the biennial message of the Governor to be received and

read, and all special messages to be received, read and entered in

full in the Journal of proceedings.

Messages from the Senate to the Assembly shall be delivered by

the Secretary or Assistant Secretary, and messages from the

Assembly to the Senate shall be delivered by the Chief Clerk or

Assistant Chief Clerk.

NOTICE OF FINAL ACTION

Rule No. 3. Communications.

Each House shall communicate its final action on any bill or

resolution, or matter in which the other may be interested, by

written notice. Each such notice sent by the Senate must be signed

by the Secretary of the Senate, or a person designated by the

Secretary. Each such notice sent by the Assembly must be signed

by the Chief Clerk of the Assembly, or a person designated by the

Chief Clerk.

BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS

Rule No. 4. Signature.

Each enrolled bill or joint resolution shall be presented to the

presiding officers of both Houses for signature. They shall, after an

announcement of their intention to do so is made in open session,

sign the bill or joint resolution and their signatures shall be

followed by those of the Secretary of the Senate and Chief Clerk of

the Assembly.

Rule No. 5. Joint Sponsorship.

1. A bill or resolution introduced by a standing committee of

the Senate or Assembly may, at the direction of the chairman of the

committee, set forth the name of a standing committee of the other

House as a joint sponsor, if a majority of all members appointed to

the committee of the other House votes in favor of becoming a joint

sponsor of the bill or resolution. The name of the committee joint

sponsor must be set forth on the face of the bill or resolution

immediately below the date on which the bill or resolution is

introduced.

2. A bill or resolution introduced by one or more Legislators

elected to one House may, at the direction of the Legislator who

brings the bill or resolution forward for introduction, set forth the

names of one or more Legislators who are members elected to the

other House and who wish to be primary joint sponsors or non

-primary joint sponsors of the bill or resolution. The number of

primary joint sponsors must not exceed five per bill or resolution.

The names of each primary joint sponsor and non-primary joint

sponsor must be set forth on the face of the bill or resolution in the

following order immediately below the date on which the bill or

resolution is introduced:

(a) The name of each primary joint sponsor, in the order

indicated on the colored back of the introductory copy of the bill or

resolution; and

(b) The name of each non-primary joint sponsor, in alphabetical

order.

3. The Legislative Counsel shall not cause to be printed the

name of a standing committee as a joint sponsor on the face of a bill

or resolution unless the chairman of the committee has signed his

name next to the name of the committee on the colored back of the

introductory copy of the bill or resolution that was submitted to the

front desk of the House of origin or the statement required by

subsection 5. The Legislative Counsel shall not cause to be printed

the name of a Legislator as a primary joint sponsor or non-primary

joint sponsor on the face of a bill or resolution unless the Legislator

has signed the colored back of the introductory copy of the bill or

resolution that was submitted to the front desk of the House of

origin or the statement required by subsection 5.

4. Upon introduction, any bill or resolution that sets forth the

names of primary joint sponsors or non-primary joint sponsors, or

both, must be numbered in the same numerical sequence as other

bills and resolutions of the same House of origin are numbered.

5. Once a bill or resolution has been introduced, a primary joint

sponsor or non-primary joint sponsor may only be added or

removed by amendment of the bill or resolution. An amendment

which proposes to add or remove a primary joint sponsor or non

-primary joint sponsor must not be considered by the House of

origin of the amendment unless a statement requesting the addition

or removal is attached to the copy of the amendment submitted to

the front desk of the House of origin of the amendment. If the

amendment proposes to add or remove a Legislator as a primary

joint sponsor or non-primary joint sponsor, the statement must be

signed by that Legislator. If the amendment proposes to add or

remove a standing committee as a joint sponsor, the statement must

be signed by the chairman of the committee. A copy of the

statement must be transmitted to the Legislative Counsel if the

amendment is adopted.

6. An amendment that proposes to add or remove a primary

joint sponsor or non-primary joint sponsor may include additional

proposals to change the substantive provisions of the bill or

resolution or may be limited only to the proposal to add or remove

a primary joint sponsor or non-primary joint sponsor.

PRINTING

Rule No. 6. Ordering and Distribution.

Each House may order the printing of bills introduced, reports of

its own committees, and other matter pertaining to that House only;

but no other printing may be ordered except by a concurrent

resolution passed by both Houses. Each Senator is entitled to the

free distribution of four copies of each bill introduced in each

House, and each Assemblyman to such a distribution of two copies.

Additional copies of such bills may be distributed at a charge to the

person to whom they are addressed. The amount charged for

distribution of the additional copies must be determined by the

Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau to approximate the cost

of handling and postage for the entire session.

RESOLUTIONS

Rule No. 7. Types, Usage and Approval.

1. A joint resolution must be used to:

(a) Propose an amendment to the Nevada Constitution.

(b) Ratify a proposed amendment to the United States

Constitution.

House or any committee or member of Congress, any department or

agency of the Federal Government, or any other state of the Union.

2. A concurrent resolution must be used to:

(a) Amend these Joint Rules.

(b) Request the return from the Governor of an enrolled bill for

further consideration.

House is necessary and appropriate.

(d) Express facts, principles, opinion and purposes of the Senate

and Assembly.

(e) Establish a joint committee of the two Houses.

(f) Direct the Legislative Commission to conduct an interim

study.

3. A concurrent resolution or a resolution of one House may be

used to:

(a) Memorialize a former member of the Legislature or other

notable or distinguished person upon his death.

(b) Congratulate or commend any person or organization for a

significant and meritorious accomplishment, but any request for

drafting the resolution must be approved by the Senate Committee

on Legislative Affairs and Operations or the Assembly Committee

on Elections, Procedures, and Ethics before submission to the

Legislative Counsel.

VETOES

Rule No. 8. Special Order.

Bills which have passed a previous Legislature, and which are

transmitted to the Legislature next sitting, accompanied by a

message or statement of the Governor’s disapproval, or veto of the

same, shall become the subject of a special order; and when the

special order for their consideration is reached and called, the said

message or statement shall be read, together with the bill or bills so

disposed or vetoed; and the message and bill shall be read in the

Senate by the Secretary of the Senate and in the Assembly by the

Chief Clerk of the Assembly, without interruption, consecutively,

one following the other, and not upon separate occasions; and no

such bill or message shall be referred to any committee, or

otherwise acted upon, save as provided by law and custom; that is

to say, that immediately following such reading the only question

(except as hereinafter stated) which shall be put by the Chair is,

“Shall the bill pass, notwithstanding the objections of the

Governor?” It shall not be in order, at any time, to vote upon such

vetoed bill without the same shall have first been read, from the

first word of its title to and including the last word of its final

section; and no motion shall be entertained after the Chair has

stated the question save a motion for “The previous question,” but

the merits of the bill itself may be debated.

ADJOURNMENT

Rule No. 9. Limitations and Calculation of Duration.

1. In calculating the permissible duration of an adjournment for

3 days or less, the day of adjournment must not be counted but the

day of the next meeting must be counted, and Sunday must not be

counted.

2. The Legislature may adjourn for more than 3 days by motion

based on mutual consent of the Houses or by concurrent resolution.

One or more such adjournments, for a total of not more than 20

days during any regular session, may be taken to permit standing

committees, select committees or the Legislative Counsel Bureau to

prepare the matters respectively entrusted to them for the

consideration of the Legislature as a whole.

EXPENDITURES FROM THE LEGISLATIVE FUND

Rule No. 10. Manner of Authorization.

Except for routine salary, travel, equipment and operating

expenses, no expenditures shall be made from the Legislative Fund

without the authority of a concurrent resolution regularly adopted

by the Senate and Assembly.

LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION

Rule No. 11. Membership and Organization.

1. When members of the minority party in the Senate or in the

Assembly comprise less than 34 percent of the total number elected

to that House, minority party membership for that House on the

Legislative Commission must be:

(a) One, if such membership is less than 21 percent.

(b) Two, if such membership is between 21 percent and 33

percent. If the members of the minority party in the Senate or in the

Assembly comprise more than 33 percent of the total number

elected to that House, minority party membership for that House on

the Commission must be three, being equal to the membership of

the majority party.

2. Each House shall select one or more alternate members for

each member from that House, designating them according to party

or according to the individual member whom the alternate would

replace.

3. A vacancy in the regular Senate or Assembly membership

created by death or by resignation or by the Legislator’s ceasing to

be a member of the Legislature shall be filled by the proper

alternate member as designated by that House. If there is no proper

alternate member, the Legislative Commission shall fill the vacancy

by appointing a Senator or Assemblyman of the same party.

4. If for any reason a member is or will be absent from a

meeting and there are no alternates available, the Chairman of the

Commission may appoint a member of the same House and

political party to attend the meeting as an alternate.

5. The members shall serve until their successors are appointed

by resolution as provided in NRS 218.660, notwithstanding that

their terms of office may have expired, except that the membership

of any member who does not become a candidate for reelection or

who is defeated for reelection shall terminate on the day next after

the election and the vacancy shall be filled as provided in this Rule.

6. The Chairman shall be selected at the first meeting of the

newly formed Legislative Commission and shall serve until his

successor is appointed following the formation of the next

Legislative Commission.

RECORDS OF COMMITTEE PROCEEDINGS

Rule No. 12. Duties of Secretary of Committee and Director.

1. Each standing committee of the Legislature shall cause a

record to be made of the proceedings of its meetings.

2. The secretary of a standing committee shall:

(a) Label each record with the date, time and place of the

meeting and also indicate on the label the numerical sequence in

which the record was made;

(b) Keep the records in chronological order; and

adjournment of any regular or special session of the Legislature

with the Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau.

3. The Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau shall:

(a) Index the records;

(b) Make the records available for accessing by any person

during office hours under such reasonable conditions as he may

deem necessary;

name and address of any person accessing any of the records and

identifying the records accessed; and

(d) Retain the records for two bienniums and at the end of that

period keep some form or copy of the record in any manner he

deems reasonable to ensure access to the record in the foreseeable

future.

[REAPPORTIONMENT AND REDISTRICTING

Rule No. 13. Responsibility for Measures and Approval of

Research Requests.

1. The Committee on Government Affairs of the Senate and

the Committee on Elections, Procedures, and Ethics of the

Assembly are respectively responsible for measures which

primarily affect the designation of the districts from which

members are elected to the Legislature. These committees are

hereby designated as the “redistricting committees” for the

purposes of this rule and Joint Standing Rules Nos. 13.1, 13.2, 13.3,

13.4, 13.5 and 13.6.

2. Any request for research concerning the population of

proposed districts must be submitted to the Research Division of the

Legislative Counsel Bureau through one of these redistricting

committees.

Rule No. 13.1. Equality of Representation.

1. In order to meet constitutional guidelines for deviations in

population among state legislative districts, no plan, or proposed

amendment thereto, will be considered that results in an overall

range of deviation in excess of 10 percent, or a relative deviation in

excess of plus or minus 5 percent from the ideal district population.

2. The population of each of the Nevada congressional districts

must be as nearly equal as is practicable. Any population deviation

among the congressional districts from the ideal district population

must be necessary to achieve some legitimate state objective.

Legitimate state objectives, as judicially determined, include

making districts compact, respecting municipal boundaries,

preserving the cores of prior districts and avoiding contests between

incumbent representatives. In order to meet constitutional

guidelines for congressional districts, no plan, or proposed

amendment thereto, will be considered that results in an overall

range of deviation in excess of 1 percent, or a relative deviation in

excess of plus or minus one-half percent from the ideal district

population.

3. Equality of population in accordance with the standard for

state legislative districts is the goal of redistricting for the State

Board of Education and the Board of Regents.

Rule No. 13.2. Population Database.

1. The total state population, and the population of defined

subunits thereof, as determined by the 2000 federal decennial

census must be the exclusive database for redistricting by the

Nevada Legislature.

2. Such 2000 census data as validated by the staff of the

Legislative Counsel Bureau must be the exclusive database used for

the evaluation of proposed redistricting plans for population

equality.

Rule No. 13.3. Districts.

All district boundaries created by a redistricting plan must follow

the census geography.

Rule No. 13.4. Procedures of the Redistricting Committees.

1. A legislator or member of the public may present to the

redistricting committees any plans or proposals relating to

redistricting, including proposals for redistricting specific districts

or all the state legislative districts, congressional districts, districts

for the Board of Regents or districts for the State Board of

Education for consideration by the redistricting committees.

2. Bill draft requests, including bills in skeletal form, setting

forth specific boundaries of the state legislative districts,

congressional districts, districts for the Board of Regents or districts

for the State Board of Education, and amendments affecting a

majority of the state legislative districts, may only be requested by

the chairmen of the redistricting committees.

3. The chairmen of the redistricting committees are limited to

one request each for a bill draft setting forth the specific boundaries

of the state legislative districts, one request each for a bill draft

setting forth the specific boundaries of the congressional districts,

one request each for a bill draft setting forth the specific boundaries

of the districts for the Board of Regents and one request each for a

bill draft setting forth the specific boundaries of the districts of the

State Board of Education. At the direction of the chairman of the

redistricting committee, the bill draft requests setting forth the

specific boundaries of the state legislative districts, the

congressional districts, districts for the Board of Regents and

districts for the State Board of Education may be combined in any

manner.

Rule No. 13.5. Compliance with the Voting Rights Act.

1. The redistricting committees will not consider a plan that

discernibly violates section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, codified as

42 U.S.C. § 1973(a), which prohibits any state from imposing any

voting qualification, standard, practice or procedure that results in

the denial or abridgment of any United States citizen’s right to vote

on account of race, color or status as a member of a language

minority group.

2. The redistricting committees will not consider a plan in

which the Legislature subordinates traditional districting principles

to racial considerations and makes race the dominant and

controlling rationale in drawing district lines. For the purposes of

this subsection, “traditional districting principles” are those

traditional redistricting principles that have been judicially

recognized and include compactness of districts, contiguity of

districts, preservation of political subdivisions, preservation of

communities of interest, preservation of cores of prior districts,

protection of incumbents and compliance with section 2 of the

Voting Rights Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1973 (2).

3. For the purpose of analyzing the 2000 census data, the

redistricting committees shall adopt the method set forth in the

Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Bulletin No. 00-02 for

aggregating and allocating the 63 categories of race data that will

be reported to Nevada by the United States Census Bureau as part

of the federal decennial census.

Rule No. 13.6. Public Participation.

1. The redistricting committees shall seek and encourage:

(a) Public participation in all aspects of the reapportionment and

redistricting activities; and

(b) The widest range of public input into the deliberations

relating to those activities.

2. Notices of all meetings of the redistricting committees must

be transmitted to any member of the public who so requests,

without charge.

3. All interested persons are encouraged to appear before the

redistricting committees and to provide their input regarding the

reapportionment and redistricting activities. The redistricting

committees shall afford a reasonable opportunity to any interested

persons to present plans, or amendments to plans for redistricting,

unless such plans demonstrably fail to meet the minimally

acceptable criteria set forth in this rule and Joint Standing Rules

Nos. 13, 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.4 and 13.5.

4. Each of the redistricting committees, either jointly or

separately, shall hold at least one hearing in the southern portion of

this state and at least one hearing in a rural portion of this state to

allow residents throughout the state an opportunity to participate in

the deliberations relating to the reapportionment and redistricting

activities.

5. The Legislative Counsel Bureau shall make available to the

public copies of the validated 2000 census database for the cost of

reproducing the database.

6. The redistricting committees shall make available for review

by the public, copies of all maps prepared at the direction of the

committees.]

LIMITATIONS ON INTRODUCTION AND REQUESTS

FOR DRAFTING OF LEGISLATIVE MEASURES

Rule No. 14. Limitations on Drafting and Requirements for

Introduction; Duplicative Measures; Indication of Requester on

Committee Introductions.

1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 5 and Joint

Standing Rules Nos. 14.4, 14.5 and 14.6, after a regular legislative

session has convened, the Legislative Counsel shall honor, if

submitted before 5 p.m. on the 8th calendar day of the legislative

session, not more than:

(a) Two requests from each Assemblyman; and

(b) Four requests from each Senator,

for the drafting of a bill or resolution.

2. Except as otherwise provided in subsections 4 and 5 and

Joint Standing Rules Nos. 14.4, 14.5 and 14.6, after a regular

legislative session has convened, the Legislative Counsel shall

honor, if submitted before 5 p.m. on the 22nd calendar day of the

legislative session, not more than 50 requests, in total, from the

standing committees of each House for the drafting of a bill. The

Majority Leader of the Senate and the Speaker of the Assembly

shall, not later than the 1st calendar day of the legislative session,

determine and provide the Legislative Counsel with a written list of

the number of requests for the drafting of a bill that may be

submitted by each standing committee of their respective Houses,

within the limit provided by this subsection. The lists may be

revised any time before the 22nd day of the legislative session to

reallocate any unused requests or requests which were withdrawn

before drafting began on the request.

3. A request for the drafting of a bill or resolution that is

submitted by a standing committee pursuant to this section must be

approved by a majority of all of the members appointed to the

committee before the request is submitted to the Legislative

Counsel.

4. A standing committee may only request the drafting of a bill

or resolution or introduce a bill or resolution that is within the

jurisdiction of the standing committee.

5. The Legislative Counsel shall not honor a request for the

drafting of a bill or resolution submitted by a member or standing

committee of the Senate or Assembly unless such information as is

required to draft the measure is submitted to the Legislative

Counsel with the request.

6. A measure introduced by a standing committee at the

request of a Legislator or organization must indicate the Legislator

or organization at whose request the measure was drafted.

7. The following measures must be introduced by a standing

committee:

(a) Measures drafted at the request of agencies and officers of

the Executive Branch of State Government, local governments, the

courts and other authorized nonlegislative requesters.

(b) Measures requested by interim legislative studies.

designated to request measures on behalf of a standing committee

during the interim. Bills requested by or on behalf of a standing

committee must be introduced by that committee.

8. Resolutions requested by or on behalf of a standing

committee may be introduced by an individual member.

9. If two or more measures are being considered in the same

House which are substantively duplicative, only the measure which

has been assigned the lowest number for the purpose of establishing

its priority in drafting may be considered, unless the measure with

the lowest number is not introduced within 5 days after introduction

of a measure with a higher number.

10. A Legislator may not change the subject matter of a request

for a legislative measure after it has been submitted for drafting.

Rule No. 14.2. Limitations on Time for Introduction of

Legislation.

1. Except as otherwise provided in Joint Standing Rules Nos.

14.4, 14.5 and 14.6:

(a) Unless the provisions of paragraph (b) or (c) are applicable, a

bill may only be introduced on or before:

(1) The 10th calendar day following delivery of the

introductory copy of the bill; or

(2) The last day for introduction of the bill as required by

paragraph (d),

whichever is earlier.

(b) If a bill requires revision after the introductory copy has been

delivered, such information as is required to draft the revision must

be submitted to the Legislative Counsel before the 10th calendar

day following delivery of the introductory copy of the bill. The

revised bill may only be introduced on or before:

(1) The 15th calendar day following delivery of the original

introductory copy of the bill; or

(2) The last day for introduction of the bill as required by

paragraph (d),

whichever is earlier.

information as is required to draft the revision must be submitted to

the Legislative Counsel before the 15th calendar day following

delivery of the original introductory copy of the bill. A bill revised

pursuant to this subsection may only be introduced on or before:

(1) The 20th calendar day following delivery of the original

introductory copy of the bill; or

(2) The last day for introduction of the bill as required by

paragraph (d),

whichever is earlier.

(d) Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, the last day for

introduction of a bill that was requested by:

(1) A Legislator is the 43rd calendar day of the legislative

session.

(2) A standing or interim committee or other requester is the

50th calendar day of the legislative session.

2. The Legislative Counsel shall indicate on the face of the

introductory copy of each bill the final date on which the bill may

be introduced.

3. If the final date on which the bill may be introduced falls

upon a day on which the House in which the bill is to be introduced

is not in session, the bill may be introduced on the next day that the

House is in session.

SCHEDULE FOR ENACTMENT OF BILLS

Rule No. 14.3. Final Dates for Action by Standing

Committees and Houses; Final Date for Requesting Drafting of

Reports for Conference Committees.

Except as otherwise provided in Joint Standing Rules Nos. 14.4,

14.5 and 14.6:

1. The final standing committee to which a bill is referred in its

House of origin may only take action on the bill on or before the

[71st] 68th calendar day of the legislative session. A bill may be re

-referred after that date only to the Committee on Finance or the

Committee on Ways and Means and only if the bill is exempt

pursuant to subsection 1 of Joint Standing Rule No. 14.6.

2. Final action on a bill may only be taken by the House of

origin on or before the [82nd] 79th calendar day of the legislative

session.

3. The final standing committee to which a bill is referred in

the second House may only take action on the bill on or before the

[106th] 103rd calendar day of the legislative session. A bill may be

re-referred after that date only to the Committee on Finance or the

Committee on Ways and Means and only if the bill is exempt

pursuant to subsection 1 of Joint Standing Rule No. 14.6.

4. Final action on a bill may only be taken by the second House

on or before the [113th] 110th calendar day of the legislative

session.

No notice of reconsideration of any final vote on a bill is in order

on the last day on which final action is allowed.

Rule No. 14.4. Emergency Requests.

1. After a legislative session has convened:

(a) The Majority Leader of the Senate and the Speaker of the

Assembly may each submit to the Legislative Counsel, on his own

behalf or on the behalf of another Legislator or a standing

committee of the Senate or Assembly, not more than five requests

for the drafting of a bill or resolution.

(b) The Minority Leader of the Senate and the Minority Leader

of the Assembly may each submit to the Legislative Counsel, on his

own behalf or on the behalf of another Legislator or a standing

committee of the Senate or Assembly, not more than two requests

for the drafting of a bill or resolution.

2. A request submitted pursuant to subsection 1:

(a) May be submitted at any time during the legislative session

and is not subject to any of the provisions of subsections 1 and 2 of

Joint Standing Rule No. 14, subsection 1 of Joint Standing Rule

No. 14.2 and Joint Standing Rule No. 14.3.

(b) Is in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other requests for the

drafting of a bill or resolution that are authorized to be submitted to

the Legislative Counsel by the Majority Leader of the Senate,

Speaker of the Assembly, Minority Leader of the Senate or Minority

Leader of the Assembly.

3. The list of requests for the preparation of legislative

measures prepared pursuant to NRS 218.2475 must include the

phrase “EMERGENCY REQUEST OF” and state the title of the

person who requested each bill or resolution pursuant to this Rule.

If the request was made on behalf of another Legislator or a

standing committee, the list must also include the name of the

Legislator or standing committee on whose behalf the bill or

resolution was requested.

4. The Legislative Counsel shall cause to be printed on the face

of the introductory copy of all reprints of each bill or resolution

requested pursuant to this Rule the phrase “EMERGENCY

REQUEST OF” and state the title of the person who requested the

bill or resolution.

Rule No. 14.5. Waivers.

1. At the request of a Legislator or a standing or select

committee of the Senate or Assembly , subsection 1 or 2 of Joint

Standing Rule No. 14, subsection 1 of Joint Standing Rule No. 14.2

or any of the provisions of Joint Standing Rule No. 14.3, or any

combination thereof, may be waived by the Majority Leader of the

Senate and the Speaker of the Assembly, acting jointly, at any time

during a legislative session. A request for a waiver submitted by a

committee must be approved by a majority of all members

appointed to the committee before the request is submitted to the

Majority Leader and the Speaker.

2. A waiver granted pursuant to subsection 1:

(a) Must be in writing, executed on a form provided by the

Legislative Counsel, and signed by the Majority Leader and the

Speaker.

(b) Must indicate the date on which the waiver is granted.

the waiver is being granted.

(d) Must include the bill number for which the waiver is granted

or indicate that the Legislative Counsel is authorized to accept and

honor a request for a new bill or resolution.

(e) Must indicate the provisions to which the waiver applies.

(f) May include the conditions under which the bill for which

the waiver is being granted must be introduced and processed.

3. The Legislative Counsel shall not honor a request for the

drafting of a new bill or resolution for which a waiver is granted

pursuant to this Rule unless such information as is required to draft

the bill or resolution is submitted to the Legislative Counsel within

2 calendar days after the date on which the waiver is granted.

4. Upon the receipt of a written waiver granted pursuant to this

Rule, the Legislative Counsel shall transmit a copy of the waiver to

the Secretary of the Senate and the Chief Clerk of the Assembly.

The notice that a waiver has been granted for an existing bill must

be read on the floor and entered in the Journal, and a notation that

the waiver was granted must be included as a part of the history of

the bill on the next practicable legislative day. A notation that a

waiver was granted authorizing a new bill or resolution must be

included as a part of the history of the bill or resolution after

introduction.

5. The Legislative Counsel shall secure the original copy of the

waiver to the official cover of the bill or resolution.

6. No notice of reconsideration or any final vote on a bill is in

order on the last day on which final action is allowed by a waiver.

Rule No. 14.6. Exemptions.

1. Upon request of the draft by or referral to the Senate Finance

Committee or the Assembly Committee on Ways and Means, a bill

which:

(a) Contains an appropriation; or

(b) Has been determined by the Fiscal Analysis Division to:

(1) Authorize the expenditure by a state agency of sums not

appropriated from the State General Fund or the State Highway

Fund;

(2) Create or increase any significant fiscal liability of the

State;

(3) Implement a budget decision; or

(4) Significantly decrease any revenue of the State,

is exempt from the provisions of subsections 1 and 2 of Joint

Standing Rule No. 14, subsection 1 of Joint Standing Rule No. 14.2

and Joint Standing Rule No. 14.3. The Fiscal Analysis Division

shall give notice to the Legislative Counsel to cause to be printed

on the face of the bill the term “exempt” for any bills requested by

the Senate Finance Committee or Assembly Committee on Ways

and Means that have been determined to be exempt and shall give

written notice to the Legislative Counsel, Secretary of the Senate

and Chief Clerk of the Assembly of any bill which is determined to

be exempt after it is printed. A notation of each exemption granted

after the bill was printed must be included as a part of the history of

the bill on the next practicable legislative day. The term “exempt”

must be printed on the face of all subsequent reprints of the bill.

2. Unless exempt pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection 1, all

of the provisions of Joint Standing Rules Nos. 14, 14.2 and 14.3

apply to a bill until it is determined to be exempt pursuant to

subsection 1. A bill determined to be exempt does not lose the

exemption regardless of subsequent actions taken by the

Legislature.

3. A cumulative list of all bills determined by the Fiscal

Analysis Division pursuant to subsection 1 to be exempt after being

printed must be maintained and printed in the back of the list of

requests for the preparation of legislative measures prepared

pursuant to NRS 218.2475.

4. The provisions of subsections 1 and 2 of Joint Standing Rule

No. 14, subsection 1 of Joint Standing Rule No. 14.2 and Joint

Standing Rule No. 14.3 do not apply to:

(a) A bill required to carry out the business of the Legislature.

(b) A bill returned from enrollment for a technical correction.

Legislature, has been returned from the Governor for further

consideration.

Rule No. 14.7. Amendments.

1. The Legislative Counsel shall not honor a request for the

drafting of an amendment to a bill or resolution if the subject matter

of the amendment is independent of, and not specifically related

and properly connected to, the subject that is expressed in the title

of the bill or resolution.

2. For the purposes of this Rule, an amendment is independent

of, and not specifically related and properly connected to, the

subject that is expressed in the title of a bill or resolution if the

amendment relates only to the general, single subject that is

expressed in that title and not to the specific whole subject matter

embraced in the bill or resolution.

3. This Rule must be narrowly construed to carry out the

purposes for which it was adopted which is to ensure the

effectiveness of the limitations set forth in Joint Standing Rules

Nos. 14, 14.2 and 14.3.

CONTINUATION OF LEADERSHIP OF THE

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY DURING THE

INTERIM BETWEEN SESSIONS

Rule No. 15. Tenure and Performance of Statutory Duties.

1. Except as otherwise provided in subsections 2 and 3, the

tenure of the President pro Tem, Majority Leader and Minority

Leader of the Senate and the Speaker, Speaker pro Tem, Majority

Floor Leader and Minority Floor Leader of the Assembly extends

during the interim between regular sessions of the Legislature.

2. The Senators designated to be the President pro Tem,

Majority Leader and Minority Leader for the next succeeding

regular session shall perform any statutory duty required in the

period between the time of their designation after the general

election and the organization of the next succeeding regular session

of the Legislature if the Senator formerly holding the respective

position is no longer a Legislator.

3. The Assemblymen designated to be the Speaker, Speaker

pro Tem, Majority Floor Leader and Minority Floor Leader for the

next succeeding regular session shall perform any statutory duty

required in the period between the time of their designation after

the general election and the organization of the next succeeding

regular session.

INTRODUCTION OF LEGISLATION REQUESTED

BY STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Rule No. 16. Delivery of Bill Drafts Requested by State

Agencies and Local Governments.

1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, on [the first]

or before the third legislative day, the Legislative Counsel shall

randomly deliver, in equal amounts, all legislative measures drafted

at the request of any state agency or department or any local

government to the Majority Leader of the Senate and the Speaker of

the Assembly for consideration for introduction.

2. Any legislative measure properly requested in accordance

with NRS 218.241 and 218.245 by any state agency or department

or any local government which has not been drafted before the

[first] third legislative day must, upon completion, be immediately

and randomly delivered, in equal amounts, by the Legislative

Counsel to the Majority Leader of the Senate and the Speaker of the

Assembly for consideration for introduction.

DATE OF FIRST JOINT BUDGET HEARING

Rule No. 17. Requirement.

The first joint meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on

Finance and the Assembly Standing Committee on Ways and

Means to consider the budgets of the agencies of the State must be

held on or before the 89th calendar day of the regular session.

CRITERIA FOR REVIEWING BILLS THAT

REQUIRE POLICIES OF HEALTH INSURANCE

TO PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR CERTAIN

TREATMENT OR SERVICES

Rule No. 18. Topics of Consideration.

Any standing committee of the Senate or Assembly to which a

bill is referred requiring a policy of health insurance delivered or

issued for delivery in this state to provide coverage for any

treatment or service shall review the bill giving consideration to:

1. The level of public demand for the treatment or service for

which coverage is required and the extent to which such coverage is

needed in this state;

2. The extent to which coverage for the treatment or service is

currently available;

3. The extent to which the required coverage may increase or

decrease the cost of the treatment or service;

4. The effect the required coverage will have on the cost of

obtaining policies of health insurance in this state;

5. The effect the required coverage will have on the cost of

health care provided in this state; and

6. Such other considerations as are necessary to determine the

fiscal and social impact of requiring coverage for the treatment or

service.

INTERIM FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

OF LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES

Rule No. 19. Date for Reporting.

Each legislative committee that adopted any findings or

recommendations during the interim since the last regular session

of the Legislature shall, no later than the 14th calendar day of the

regular session, inform interested members of the Senate and

Assembly of those findings and recommendations.

POLICY AND PROCEDURES REGARDING

SEXUAL HARASSMENT

Rule No. 20. Maintenance of Working Environment;

Procedure for Filing, Investigating and Taking Remedial

Action on Complaints.

1. The Legislature hereby declares its intention to maintain a

working environment which is free from sexual harassment. This

policy applies to all Legislators and lobbyists. Each member and

lobbyist is responsible to conduct himself or herself in a manner

which will ensure that others are able to work in such an

environment.

2. In accordance with Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, for the

purposes of this Rule, “sexual harassment” means unwelcome

sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or

physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

(a) Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or

implicitly a term or condition of a person’s employment;

(b) Submission to or rejection of such conduct by a person is

used as the basis for employment decisions affecting the person; or

interfering with a person’s work performance or creating an

intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.

3. Each person subject to these Rules must exercise his own

good judgment to avoid engaging in conduct that may be perceived

by others as sexual harassment. The following noninclusive list

provides illustrations of conduct that the Legislature deems to be

inappropriate:

(a) Verbal conduct such as epithets, derogatory comments, slurs

or unwanted sexual advances, invitations or comments;

(b) Visual conduct such as derogatory posters, photography,

cartoons, drawings or gestures;

normal movement or interfering with the work directed at a person

because of his sex;

(d) Threats and demands to submit to sexual requests to keep a

person’s job or avoid some other loss, and offers of employment

benefits in return for sexual favors; and

(e) Retaliation for opposing, reporting or threatening to report

sexual harassment, or for participating in an investigation,

proceeding or hearing conducted by the Legislature or the Nevada

Equal Rights Commission or the federal Equal Employment

Opportunity Commission,

when submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or

implicitly a term or condition of a person’s employment or

submission to or rejection of such conduct by a person is used as

the basis for employment decisions affecting the person or such

conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with a

person’s work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or

offensive working environment.

4. A person may have a claim of sexual harassment even if he

has not lost a job or some other economic benefit. Conduct that

impairs a person’s ability to work or his emotional well-being at

work constitutes sexual harassment.

5. If a Legislator believes he is being sexually harassed on the

job, he may file a written complaint with:

(a) The Speaker of the Assembly;

(b) The Majority Leader of the Senate; or

complaint involves the conduct of the Speaker of the Assembly or

the Majority Leader of the Senate.

The complaint must include the details of the incident or incidents,

the names of the persons involved and the names of any witnesses.

6. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 7, the Speaker of

the Assembly or the Majority Leader of the Senate, as appropriate,

shall refer a complaint received pursuant to subsection 5 to a

committee consisting of Legislators of the same House. A complaint

against a lobbyist may be referred to a committee in either House.

7. If the complaint involves the conduct of the Speaker of the

Assembly or the Majority Leader of the Senate, the Director of the

Legislative Counsel Bureau shall refer the complaint to the

Committee on Elections, Procedures, and Ethics of the Assembly or

the Committee on Legislative Affairs and Operations of the Senate,

as appropriate. If the Speaker of the Assembly or the Majority

Leader of the Senate is a member of one of these committees, the

Speaker or the Majority Leader, as the case may be, shall not

participate in the investigation and resolution of the complaint.

8. The committee to which the complaint is referred shall

immediately conduct a confidential and discreet investigation of the

complaint. As a part of the investigation, the committee shall notify

the accused of the allegations. The committee shall facilitate a

meeting between the complainant and the accused to allow a

discussion of the matter, if both agree. If the parties do not agree to

such a meeting, the committee shall request statements regarding

the complaint from each of the parties. Either party may request a

hearing before the committee. The committee shall make its

determination and inform the complainant and the accused of its

determination as soon as practicable after it has completed its

investigation.

9. If the investigation reveals that sexual harassment has

occurred, the Legislature will take appropriate disciplinary or

remedial action, or both. The committee shall inform the

complainant of any action taken. The Legislature will also take any

action necessary to deter any future harassment.

10. The Legislature will not retaliate against a person who files

a complaint and will not knowingly permit any retaliation by the

person’s supervisors or coworkers.

11. The Legislature encourages a person to report any incident

of sexual harassment immediately so that the complaint can be

quickly and fairly resolved.

12. Action taken by a complainant pursuant to this Rule does

not prohibit the complainant from also filing a complaint of sexual

harassment with the Nevada Equal Rights Commission or the

federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

13. All Legislators and lobbyists are responsible for adhering

to the provisions of this policy. The prohibitions against engaging

in sexual harassment and the protections against becoming a victim

of sexual harassment set forth in this policy apply to employees,

Legislators, lobbyists, vendors, contractors, customers and visitors

to the Legislature.

14. This policy does not create any enforceable legal rights in

any person.

VOTE ON GENERAL APPROPRIATION BILL

Rule No. 21. Waiting Period Between Introduction and Final

Passage.

A period of at least 24 hours must elapse between the

introduction of the general appropriation bill and a vote on its final

passage by its House of origin.

USE OF LOCK BOXES BY STATE AGENCIES

Rule No. 22. Duties of Senate Standing Committee on

Finance and Assembly Standing Committee on Ways and

Means.

To expedite the deposit of state revenue, the Senate Standing

Committee on Finance and the Assembly Standing Committee on

Ways and Means shall, when reviewing the proposed budget of a

state agency which collects state revenue, require if practicable, the

agency to deposit revenue that it has received within 24 hours after

receipt. The committees shall allow such agencies to deposit the

revenue directly or contract with a service to deposit the revenue

within the specified period.

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