The Callback: Financial devastation fosters a sense of community within Nevada’s arts industry

Three counties have signaled to the state their intent to open to 100 percent capacity as soon as possible after assuming responsibility for pandemic health and safety decision making at the beginning of May.

“These families may still have lingering effects in finding work this summer because of the COVID-19 pandemic and have in many cases drained that savings and investments, as a result of the economic downturn last summer,” said Jeffrey Frischmann, acting administrator of the Employment Security Division.

This year, members of Nevada’s new employee misclassification task force began meeting to address a problem that costs the state — and Nevada workers — millions of dollars each year. They have met four times this year, including a week ago.

Gov. Steve Sisolak is lifting a statewide social distancing requirement on May 1 that he says will enable every county in Nevada to reopen to 100 percent by the beginning of June.

Nevada tourism officials said Tuesday that their industry needed more help from Congress to recover from the plunge in business triggered by the pandemic, testifying at the first hearing convened by a new panel led by Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV).

This week’s Indy Environment newsletter looks at what natural resources legislation died and what bills are still alive after a major deadline in the Legislature last week.

The bill faces a more uncertain climate in the Senate, where Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro (D-Las Vegas), who is a prosecutor, would not commit on Tuesday to giving the bill a hearing.

Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-NV), who won’t face voters again until 2024, raised over $340,000 in the first quarter of the year and has $1.8 million cash on hand, according to her campaign’s filing with the Federal Election Commission.

The main feature of the resolution is doing away with the two-level system in the state Constitution and creating a single minimum wage, even for employers that offer health insurance. Some employers who otherwise would be paying a minimum rate of $11 per hour by 2024 under the current plan in state law would have to pay $12 if the resolution passes.