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Associated Press
Darcia Anthony, left, and her partner, Danielle Williams, chat before participating in a marriage ceremony at City Hall in Baltimore, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013. Gay marriage is one of the social issues Nevada lawmakers will face this year.
By Anjeanette Damon (contact) 
Friday, Feb. 1, 2013 | 2 a.m.
Sun Archives
The tedious and sometimes politically explosive process of crafting the state budget will dominate both legislative houses and headlines over the next 120 days.
But as lawmakers slog through the decisions about what to fund, expect a number of socially contentious issues to pull at their attention.
From gun control to gay marriage, lawmakers will become embroiled in a slew of difficult issues that will attract more attention from constituents than will the state budget, but legislative leaders in both houses and in both parties say the debates over such social issues won't distract from their priorities: the budget, education and economic development.
While the side issues will have their day before the hearing committees, “we have more important things than that,” said Assembly Majority Leader William Horne, D-Las Vegas. “The budget and Medicaid expansion and funding education, that’s far more important than those other debates.”
Senate Minority Leader Michael Roberson, R-Las Vegas, declined to even address the issues or answer questions about his stance on them.
“I’m focused on budget, economic development (and) education issues right now,” Roberson said. “There will be plenty of time to discuss other issues during the session.”
Here’s a look at the top five social issues that will generate heated debate.
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Gun control
The mass shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., that left 20 children and six teachers dead, sparked a heated national debate about gun control that will spill over to the state level.
Nevada has some of the most relaxed gun laws in the nation.
Some lawmakers want them more restrictive; others, less so.
Assemblywoman Michele Fiore, R-Las Vegas, said she will reintroduce legislation to allow concealed-weapon permit holders to carry guns on Nevada’s college and university campuses. That bill failed last session after heated debate on both sides of the issue.
Fiore is also co-sponsoring legislation to enact the so-called “castle doctrine,” expanding the definition of justifiable homicide.
Also in the mix is a bill sponsored by Sen. Ben Kieckhefer, R-Reno, that would further restrict access to guns by the mentally ill.
Horne is proposing legislation that would require statewide gun registration, prohibit the possession of armor-piercing ammunition, and enact an excise tax on guns and ammo that would fund mental health treatment in Nevada. Horne also wants to close the so-called gun show loophole, requiring private sellers to obtain a background check on their customers.
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Driving privileges for undocumented immigrants
In an unlikely bipartisan scenario, both Democratic and Republican leaders rushed to outdo each other in proposed legislation aimed at attracting Nevada’s expanding Hispanic voting bloc.
Senate Majority Leader Mo Denis, D-Las Vegas, beat Republicans to the punch on the driving question and introduced legislation that would create a driving privilege card for undocumented immigrants. The card could not be used as official identification but would allow immigrants who came to the country illegally to legally drive and obtain liability insurance.
Roberson voiced strong support for the measure.
But it’s been a hot-button issue for voters, and some of the more conservative Republicans in the Legislature aren’t on board with the legislation.
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The death penalty
Last session, Gov. Brian Sandoval vetoed a bill to study Nevada’s death penalty. That bill was a compromise among those who wanted the death penalty abolished and those who didn’t want to go quite that far.
This session, Sandoval has proposed spending nearly $700,000 to build a new execution chamber at the state prison in Ely. The old chamber was abandoned when officials closed the state prison in Carson City last year.
The funding proposal has already sparked heated protests from Democrats.
“That’s not going to happen,” said Sen. Tick Segerblom, D-Las Vegas. “(Sandoval) vetoed my bill last time to study the death penalty. That will be the first order of business. After that, we’ll see where it goes. But I don’t see any appetite to fund that death chamber.”
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Gay marriage
Last session, lawmakers stopped short of seeking a repeal of the constitutional amendment approved by voters to define marriage as solely between a man and a woman. Some activists were concerned a failure before voters a second time would cripple the effort to establish marriage rights for gays and lesbians in the future.
Instead, in a razor-thin vote after heated debate, they enacted a historic domestic partnership law.
But the public opinion tide is shifting on gay marriage.
In 2001, the year before Nevada voters approved the marriage question with 67 percent of the vote, 57 percent of Americans opposed gay marriage, according to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public life. Today, 48 percent of Americans favor it.
President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid have both migrated in support of gay marriage rights.
Segerblom and Assemblyman Elliott Anderson, D-Las Vegas, have sponsored a measure that would put the question back before voters in 2016. The Legislature would have to pass the measure twice, and the governor has no veto power over resolutions.
“When it comes to gay marriage, the move in the country has been 180 degrees from where it was four years ago,” Segerblom said. “It’s hard to believe, but that’s the reality.”
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Medical marijuana dispensaries
In 2000, Nevada voters legalized marijuana use for medical conditions and instructed the state to create a dispensary system. Lawmakers have failed to do so, meaning patients can legally possess marijuana but have no legal means of obtaining it.
Segerblom tried to address the issue last session, but the debate came too late in the session and failed.
This session, Segerblom is trying again.
Segerblom said he has support from some Republican legislators who have a libertarian streak.
“On medical marijuana, the far left and the far right are coming together; it’s just the middle not being there,” Segerblom said.
Not all Republicans are on board.
“Not at this time,” Assembly Minority Leader Pat Hickey, R-Reno, responded when asked whether he would support Segerblom’s measure. “I will happily participate in the discussion about the pros and cons of legalization, which is what the real intention of the sponsor is all about.”
I hope Horne realizes the career-ending results of going against public desires regarding guns. If not, we'll have someone in the seat that understands following the next election.
Horne will be voted out simply for proposing this legislation. This is Nevada, NOT California, we like our guns and freedom here and ANY infringement will not be complied with or tolerarted
Bye Bye Horne!
Horne needs to join Brooks on the mentally disabled list. What does enacting an excise tax on guns and ammo that would fund mental health treatment in Nevada have to do with mental health? He should enact an excise tax on illegal drugs because they create a lot of the mental problems. We already have to register our pistols. Then again, Horne probably wants to take away guns from the good people and only let the bad guys have them. Horne should move to Chicago where they really have gun control to see what it's like.
"Horne is proposing legislation that would require statewide gun registration, prohibit the possession of armor-piercing ammunition, and enact an excise tax on guns and ammo that would fund mental health treatment in Nevada. Horne also wants to close the so-called gun show loophole, requiring private sellers to obtain a background check on their customers."
Not freaking likely. There is already a ban on "armor-piercing ammunition" for handguns at the federal level. Rifle ammo is exempted, of course, because almost all mid-to-high powered rifles shooting FMJ ammo can pierce most soft body armor. Libs want to ban hollowpoint ammo as "anti-personnel" ammo and FMJ ammo as "armor piercing". The only one that needs to be pierced are the libs themselves.
Can't wait to see the reaction from the public next election as the Libs try to push gun control in Nevada. Lets see Reid jump on board. LOL
Gay marriage? What the hell are they discussing that for? That issue was already decided by the people of Nevada and is part of the state Constitution.
Lawmakers have nothing to do with this. The people of Nevada have spoken. Buh bye.
If somebody has a complaint about the Nevada Constitution, then go through the process to AMEND it, otherwise, buh bye.
@lovinglife: Dems seem to take issue with any constitution and prefer to write their own laws.
"Gay marriage? ... That issue was already decided by the people of Nevada and is part of the state Constitution. Lawmakers have nothing to do with this. The people of Nevada have spoken. Buh bye."
lovinglife -- despite how distasteful your post may be, good point. People keep forgetting Nevada has a Constitution and for the most part it's far more relevant than its federal counterpart. On the flip side, no one's freedoms are determined by other's opinions. Jim Crow laws were what "the people" spoke, too. And by the way, the basics of gay marriage were settled by the U.S. Supremes in the 60s with Loving v. Virginia.
"The fact that society may find speech offensive is not a sufficient reason for suppressing it. Indeed, if it is the speaker's opinion that gives offense, that consequence is a reason for according it constitutional protection. For it is a central tenet of the First Amendment that the government must remain neutral in the marketplace of ideas." -- Hustler Magazine and Larry C. Flynt v. Jerry Falwell, 485 U.S. 46, 55-6 (1988)
"enact an excise tax on guns and ammo that would fund mental health treatment in Nevada."
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Communism! Socialistic Fascism!
I got no problem taxing the gun nuts, their own ranting will bring that about..
Are we still the land of the "free" when we are being held hostage to the open threats of violence by the gun thugs and the mafia NRA?
Is it still a "democracy" when the most violent people DICTATE to the overall population what they are going to do?
People - it's time to stand up to the gun thugs the same we stood up to Hitler and to Stallin.
Nevada should keep it's nasty Marriage law on the books. You had a chance to lead. You failed. You called yourselves libertarian yet you let Jim Gibbons and John Ensign lead you by the nose. They took your money, your vote, and betrayed you. Robert and I have been together for 20 years, we married in Canada instead, we have our toothless Domestic Partnership here, but we won't look to Nevada for any change. Let the leaders lead... NY,WA,ME,MD,DC,IA,DE,NH,CT,VT. Next up this year IL,HI,OR...and Prop 8 is dead in CA. Bummer, NV
"enact an excise tax on guns and ammo that would fund mental health treatment in Nevada"
Enact a tax to fund ouster of politicians who are out of tune with public.
Governor Sandoval, please veto this.
Concur that discussing gay marriage is redundant as the people of Nevada have spoken.
Don't like it?
"they gotta get up out of here"
Chris Culliver ... quote of the year!
Where is horne from & lets get rid of him