Nevada's gaming industry and the Culinary Union sparred last week over AJR5, an effort to change the state constitution to allow a lottery. The measure is backed by union and opposed by casinos.

By amending the constitution to allow for a lottery, we can use that new revenue to boost desperately needed funding for our youth mental health programs and fully invest in Nevadans.

There have been more than two dozen attempts going back to 1887 to legalize a state lottery in Nevada. All have failed. Will this year's effort through AJR5 be any different?

After the 2020 cycle saw cumulative contributions from the gaming industry to Nevada lawmakers nosedive to $769,000 amid plummeting gaming revenues during the COVID-19 pandemic, the industry bounced back in 2022, dishing out more than $1.2 million to 55 legislators. 

Lawmakers took a major step this session to expand and diversify the industry's disproportionately white and male ownership and also provide tourists with a place to legally consume marijuana by creating a new license type for cannabis consumption lounges.

Out of 249 bills and resolutions introduced by Republican legislators this year, 162 died at the deadline, including 121 bills that never received a committee hearing. Some of the top Republican-backed efforts that failed included election bills repealing expanded mail voting (AB134) and requiring proof of identity before voting (AB137, AB163) and attempts to curb the governor's emergency powers (AB93, AB373).

In this edition: Adding additional checks before an HOA can foreclose on a home, expanding jury discrimination rules, and tax credits for charter school facilities and construction. Plus, another Carson City Restaurant Spotlight.

The ability to shape the state's direction following a society-altering pandemic ultimately gave Assemblyman Cameron "C.H." Miller the impetus to run for office.

In total, the 42-seat state Assembly will have 27 female lawmakers and 14 male lawmakers, including 19 female Democrats and eight female Republicans. In the 21-member state Senate, men will hold 10 seats and females will hold 11 (two Republicans and nine Democrats). Women held 33 of the 63 seats in the 2019 Legislature, hitting the majority mark after two female Assembly members (Rochelle Nguyen and Bea Duran) were appointed to vacant positions by the Clark County Commission in December 2019.

Joe Biden maintains a narrow lead in Nevada over President Donald Trump, but the state's six electoral votes and the results of many other major congressional, statewide and local races remain up in the air after initial returns on Election Night.

Of the 42 seats in the state Assembly, almost a quarter will be decided in the primary election. Four races will actually be decided in the primary — including three incumbent Republicans fending off challengers — because no other candidates filed to run in those districts. Another five races will effectively be decided in the primary, given vast disparity in voter registration totals making it all but impossible for the opposing party to gain a foothold.