Nevada Legislature: Session closes in frantic manner

The 2015 Legislature ended Monday night with neither a bang nor a whimper.

While the Senate finished in anger, the Assembly finished in confusion as the clock struck 12 on day 120.

Senate Democrats flashed anger as Majority Leader Michael Roberson, R-Las Vegas, pushed final measures to a vote, complaining they weren’t even allowed to hear what the measures were about.

Saying they were forced to vote on bills, Minority Leader Aaron Ford, D-Las Vegas, shouted “Shame on you” to Lt. Gov. Mark Hutchison and Roberson.

“I spent 29 years of my life preserving democracy and this is a mockery,” charged Sen. Pat Spearman, D-Las Vegas. “This is a mockery.”

Meanwhile, the Assembly disintegrated into confusion as Robin Titus, R-Smith Valley, tried to block agreement on SB7 expanding the list of people who could order a legal hold for mental evaluation on people.

That was followed by a confused series of motions from Assemblyman Lynn Stewart, R-Las Vegas, who was unable to formulate a motion to concur on several different bills until he was helped first by Majority Leader Paul Anderson and then Chief Clerk Susan Furlong.

Following that, with just two minutes left on the clock, John Ellison of Elko asked if the body could amend one last bill. After he was helped out, he corrected the motion to call for concurrence on the Senate amendment, narrowly squeaking under the midnight deadline.

But after all that, both chambers erupted in applause when told they had officially adjourned sine die.

“It’s like parking a bulldozer in a compact slot but it’s parked,” said one LCB staffer shaking his head.

Roberson thanked staff throughout the building saying “you guys make this happen.”

Ford said that, “obviously there’ve been some ups and down.” But he too expressed appreciation to staff.

Hutchison finished the night with a simple “let’s go home.”