Too bad every day isn’t my daughter’s birthday when it comes to the Nevada Legislature. On Thursday, as legislators feel the tick-tock of the session clock run down, a string of progressive bills were approved by their second house (Assembly or Senate) today!

Most notably:

• A big step for marriage equality: Senate Joint Resolution 13 (SJR13) passed out of the Assembly today with a vote 27-14. The resolution would repeal the existing law in the Nevada Constitution that states that marriage is only between a man and a woman. This is the first step of a three-part process to repeal that amendment and allow marriage equality. The next step will be getting the resolution ratified again through the Legislature in 2015, and then by a vote of the people in 2016.
• Stripping the mining tax cap: The Assembly has voted 26-15 to approve Senate Joint Resolution 15 (SJR15), which will remove a constitutionally protected cap on taxing Nevada’s second biggest industry. (Currently, they pay only a percentage tax on royalties, or a pittance compared to the taxes on Nevada’s biggest industry or pretty much anyone else.) This is a huge win for several progressive organizations who have been working tirelessly on this issue for years! This being the second passage by the Legislature, the matter will now go to the people for a vote next year.

What a day for Nevada!

Hopefully, by the time you read this, AB230, the comprehensive sex education bill will be passed in the Senate!