LETTER: A matter of priorities for the Nevada Legislature

The Review-Journal reports on Friday that the 2023 legislative sausage grinder in Carson City is busy spitting out patties and brats.

The lawmakers advanced a Senate bill which prevents the governor from issuing arrest warrants for a medical provider who has provided “gender-affirming care” in other states.

I couldn’t find any statistics on how many warrants Gov. Joe Lombardo has issued for the arrest of across-state-lines, gender-affirming providers, and I don’t recall any reports of doctors and nurses being cuffed. fingerprinted and locked up for providing gender-affirming care. But the numbers must be staggering.

Why else would our elected representatives be spending their precious — and limited — time and energy on this issue if it weren’t a big deal?

For all we know, the governor may be so bogged down with issuing arrest warrants for gender affirming medical providers that he has little time or energy to do much else. This monopolization of our chief executive may be why we are stuck in traffic wondering if any water will flow from the tap if we ever make it home.

The legislative session lasts only 120 calendar days. There are serious issues in Nevada and, accordingly, our lawmakers must prioritize thoughtfully. This focus on the most pressing matters is further confirmed by another bill from the Health and Human Services Committee that would authorize a study group to look into the use of psilocybin — “magic mushrooms” — to improve the mental health of Nevadans.

Some may decry a psychedelic drug study group, but with the priorities coming out of this Legislature, we could all probably use some ’shrooms.