Nevada Film Bill Back In Play During Special Session Barely Survives Early Objection
The proposed bill to expand Nevada’s film tax credit program has been met with fierce opposition from many corners, including from Reno Assemblymember Selena La Rue Hatch who forced an early vote on a motion to object, which ended in a 21 to 21 tie, meaning it now goes to an Assembly committee, despite not having majority support.
The tactic to immediately kill the film bill almost worked if not for an assembly member Tracy Brown May who was called in urgently to participate in the vote remotely.
La Rue Hatch views the bill as a massive giveaway of public dollars with little return on investment for constituents in Northern Nevada, providing tax credits for large corporations to the detriment of more pressing needs, and not requiring a special legislative session, which is deemed to have a requirement of urgency.
Some of those in favor have referred to it as a jobs bill, giving opportunities to workers and students, including at UNR, while southern lawmakers see it as possible economic boon for an area currently feeling tourism doldrums.
The special session started yesterday was called by Governor Joe Lombardo for what he has has called “unfinished” business to reconsider previous bills or parts of bills from recent sessions, including the Republican’s hoped for crime bill provisions to ban certain low-level criminal offenders from entering the Las Vegas Strip for up to a year, new legislation on cybersecurity, school zone safety and wages as well as numerous budget requests.
