Washoe commission calls meeting to fill 3 legislative seats before special session

CARSON CITY — The Washoe County Commission will hold a special meeting Thursday to fill three empty seats in the Nevada Legislature in advance of an anticipated special session to consider a domed NFL stadium in Las Vegas.

Commission Chairwoman Kitty Jung announced the meeting Monday, three days after she said the county would await formal word from Gov. Brian Sandoval of a possible special session before moving to fill the seats through appointment.

Sandoval notified the county Friday that vacancies exist and commissioners should proceed to fill them.

Clark County commissioners meet Wednesday to fill two legislative vacancies from Southern Nevada.

The agenda for Thursday’s meeting says appointments will be made from “a list of county commissioner nominated and qualified person” to fill two Senate and one Assembly seat from Washoe County, the second most populous in the state.

Under state law, those appointed must live in the district and be of the same political party as the person who created the vacancy.

Senate District 15 was represented by Republican Greg Brower, who resigned to take a federal job in Washington, D.C. Former state Sen. Debbie Smith, D-Sparks, represented District 13. She died in February. Former Assemblyman Pat Hickey, R-Reno, resigned and was appointed by Sandoval to the state Board of Education.

A legislative session could be called as early as the first week in October to consider the recommendations of a special committee to increase the hotel room tax rate to help finance a domed stadium to try to lure the Oakland Raiders to Las Vegas.

Other proposals involve a room tax rate increase to pay for expansion and upgrades to the Las Vegas Convention Center and a sales tax increase in Clark County to pay for more police officers.

Sandoval would set the agenda of what lawmakers will consider during a special session, though it’s always possible something unforeseen can come up. Passage of any tax increase requires a two-thirds majority — 14 in the Senate and 28 in the Assembly — regardless of how many legislators are present for the vote.

Sandoval on Friday said he is reviewing the recommendations of the Southern Nevada Tourism Infrastructure Committee before calling lawmakers back to Carson City.

Contact Sandra Chereb at schereb@reviewjournal.com or 775-461-3821. Follow @SandraChereb on Twitter.