Nevada Legislature
Encyclopedia
The Nevada Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state
of Nevada
. The Legislature is a bicameral body, consisting of the lower house
Nevada Assembly
, with 42 members, and the upper house
Nevada Senate
, with 21 members. All 63 members of the Legislature are elected from an equal amount of constituent districts across the state. The Legislature is the third smallest bicameral state legislature in the United States
(the Alaska Legislature
is the smallest bicameral, with only 60 members, and the Delaware General Assembly
has 62 members).
The Legislature meets at the Nevada Legislature Building in Carson City.
of six terms (12 years). Members of the Senate are elected to a four-year term and similarly face term limits of three terms (12 years). Term limits were amended to the Nevada Constitution following a voter referendum in 1996.
For seven years after Nevada's admission as a U.S. state
in 1864, the Nevada Legislature did not have a proper meeting place. In 1869, the Legislature passed the State Capitol Act, signed into law by Governor Henry G. Blasdel
, providing $100,000 for the construction of a capitol building. Under the supervision of designer Joseph Gosling, construction began on the Italianate
building in 1870. The Legislature first convened in the unfinished state capitol building the following year, with construction completed by the middle of the year. The Legislature continued to meet in the state capitol until 1971, when both chambers moved to the Legislative Building constructed just south of the original capitol. Today, the old state capitol continues to hold the office to the governor and other executive branch officials. The former Assembly and Senate chambers are now museums and open for meetings.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
. The Legislature is a bicameral body, consisting of the lower house
Lower house
A lower house is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house.Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide the lower house has come to wield more power...
Nevada Assembly
Nevada Assembly
The Nevada Assembly is the lower house of the Nevada Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Nevada. The body consists of 42 members, elected to two-year terms from single-member districts. Each Assembly district contained approximately 47,400 people as of the 2000 census, although...
, with 42 members, and the upper house
Upper house
An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
Nevada Senate
Nevada Senate
The Nevada Senate is the upper house of the Nevada Legislature, the state legislature of U.S. state of Nevada. The Senate consists of 21 members from 19 districts, two of which are multimember. Each senator represented approximately 94,700 people as of the 2000 census, although 2006 Census Bureau...
, with 21 members. All 63 members of the Legislature are elected from an equal amount of constituent districts across the state. The Legislature is the third smallest bicameral state legislature in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(the Alaska Legislature
Alaska Legislature
The Alaska Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is a bicameral institution, consisting of the lower Alaska House of Representatives, with 40 members, and the upper house Alaska Senate, with 20 members...
is the smallest bicameral, with only 60 members, and the Delaware General Assembly
Delaware General Assembly
The Delaware General Assembly is the legislature of the U.S. state of Delaware. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Delaware Senate with 21 Senators and the Delaware House of Representatives with 41 Representatives...
has 62 members).
The Legislature meets at the Nevada Legislature Building in Carson City.
Terms of members
Members of the Assembly are elected to a two-year term with term limitsTerm limits in the United States
Term limits in the United States apply to many offices at both the federal and state level, and date back to the American Revolution.-Pre-constitution:...
of six terms (12 years). Members of the Senate are elected to a four-year term and similarly face term limits of three terms (12 years). Term limits were amended to the Nevada Constitution following a voter referendum in 1996.
Legislature defined by law
The Nevada Constitution sets the maximum size of the Legislature at 75 members (Article 15, Section 6), and provides that the Senate may not be less than one-third nor more than one-half the size of the Assembly. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the number of members for both houses is 63, twelve members below the maximum size as stated in the state constitution.Sessions and qualifications
The Legislature's first official working day is the first Monday of February following the election. Sessions of the Legislature are biennial, occurring during odd number years. The Nevada Legislature is one of the only six states that have biennial sessions. The Legislature must adjourn sine die each regular session not later than midnight Pacific standard time 120 calendar days following its commencement. Any legislative action taken after midnight Pacific standard time on the 120th calendar day is void, unless the legislative action is conducted during a special session convened by the Governor of Nevada. The governor is obligated to submit the proposed executive budget to the Legislature not later than 14 calendar days before the commencement of each regular session. In order to elected as a member in either chamber of the Legislature, a person must be a U.S. citizen, at least 21 years of age, a Nevada resident for one year, and a qualified voter in their residing district.Meeting places
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
in 1864, the Nevada Legislature did not have a proper meeting place. In 1869, the Legislature passed the State Capitol Act, signed into law by Governor Henry G. Blasdel
Henry G. Blasdel
Henry Goode Blasdel was an American politician. He was the 1st Governor of Nevada, serving during the American Civil War and the first years of the Reconstruction era. He was a member of the Republican Party.-Biography:...
, providing $100,000 for the construction of a capitol building. Under the supervision of designer Joseph Gosling, construction began on the Italianate
Italianate architecture
The Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. In the Italianate style, the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture, which had served as inspiration for both Palladianism and...
building in 1870. The Legislature first convened in the unfinished state capitol building the following year, with construction completed by the middle of the year. The Legislature continued to meet in the state capitol until 1971, when both chambers moved to the Legislative Building constructed just south of the original capitol. Today, the old state capitol continues to hold the office to the governor and other executive branch officials. The former Assembly and Senate chambers are now museums and open for meetings.
See also
- Nevada State CapitolNevada State CapitolThe Nevada State Capitol is the capitol building of the U.S. state of Nevada. It is located in the state capital of Carson City at 101 North Carson Street. The building was constructed in the Neoclassical Italianate style between 1869 and 1871. It is listed in the National Register of Historic...
- Nevada AssemblyNevada AssemblyThe Nevada Assembly is the lower house of the Nevada Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Nevada. The body consists of 42 members, elected to two-year terms from single-member districts. Each Assembly district contained approximately 47,400 people as of the 2000 census, although...
- Nevada SenateNevada SenateThe Nevada Senate is the upper house of the Nevada Legislature, the state legislature of U.S. state of Nevada. The Senate consists of 21 members from 19 districts, two of which are multimember. Each senator represented approximately 94,700 people as of the 2000 census, although 2006 Census Bureau...