This is one in a series of profiles of legislative newcomers. 

ASSEMBLYWOMAN CONNIE MUNK

• Freshman Democrat who succeeds incumbent Republican Assemblyman Richard McArthur, who she defeated in the 2018 general election
• Represents District 4, which includes part of the northwest corner of Las Vegas
• District 4 is a swing district (36 percent Republican, 36 percent Democratic and 27 percent nonpartisan or other in the 2018 election).
• Munk defeated Tony Smith in the Democratic primary by 44 percentage points, or about 1,700 votes.
• She narrowly defeated McArthur in the general election by 0.4 points, or 120 votes.
• She will sit on the Education, Government Affairs and Health and Human Services committees.

FAMILY AND EDUCATION:

Munk was born in 1951 in Burke, North Dakota. She received her high school diploma in Oregon before working in finance and mortgage loan underwriting for nearly 30 years. Munk went on to receive her associate’s degree in human services from Saddleback Community College in Mission Viejo, California in 2002 and a bachelor’s in human services from Montana State University, Billings two years later. She is married to Richard Munk and in her free time enjoys hiking, camping, reading and volunteering for organizations like Three Square.

CAREER:

After working in finance, banking and mortgage loan underwriting, Munk became a licensed mental health professional and addiction counselor — a role in which she worked both with mentally ill adults and children and at a rape crisis clinic. For seven years of her career in finance, Munk also owned The Real Estate Mortgage group, which employed fifteen people. She is now retired.

ON NEVADA AND THE ISSUES:

What are your top three priorities for the 2019 legislative session?

Munk says she wants to address the lack of mental health and funds. She said education and diversifying the economy are also top priorities.

What programs/parts of the state government could be cut? What programs/areas need more funding in 2019?

We need more funding for mental health and education. On education, we need to fund our schools, and we need to be able to pay our teachers so they stay. But of course on mental health, I have worked in mental health for over 10 years in two different states, and we need to be able to not only have homes for these people, but we need to be able to stabilize them.

So we need more providers, maybe make the licensing for these providers a little easier if they're coming from out of state. And part of that, I think, is Medicaid reimbursement. We're going to have to take a look at that because two-thirds of our mentally ill in this state don't receive treatment, and that's not good. We're talking veterans, children, that type of thing.

As for cuts, I don't quite know yet because I haven't been able to look over the budget. And being a new legislator, I'm not sure what needs to be cut at this point without help from other elected officials.

What specifically should Nevada do to improve health care this session? How about education?

I would like to see more mental health bills and Sprinklecare (a proposal to allow Nevadans to buy into a Medicaid-like plan), so that all Nevada has access to health care and we take care of our mentally ill.

Should Nevada raise its Renewable Portfolio Standard to 100 percent by 2050? If not, what should the state's RPS compliance standard be?

Yes, definitely. It's kind of a no-brainer. Nevada used to be a leader in [renewable energy] and now we're so far behind other states. Nevada has tons of wind, and we need to be investing in that type of stuff.

Do you support modifying or eliminating current property tax caps in state law?

I’m not sure. I need to refer to more experienced electeds to help me understand that situation.

Are there any particular issues on which you see yourself working across party lines? If so, which ones? If not, why not?

Most issues. I believe we have the opportunity to pass some great legislation, and I want to work across party lines to help me do that.

Specifically, I think women's issues, and I do think mental health. I have talked to a couple of Republicans who are friends of mine in the Assembly, and they definitely agree with me that we've gotta have more funding, we've gotta figure this out. They're 100 percent with me on that.

My understanding from everyone that I've talked to is that we do work across party lines, we are very bipartisan when it comes to a lot of bills.

This interview was edited for length and clarity.