The Difference Between State Senate & State Assembly

Senate - Upper House

Assembly - Lower House

I have worked for both a State Senator and a State Assemblyman.  During the transition between the two, I was often asked:

 What is the difference between a Senator and Assemblyman?

                                   

	SENATE	ASSEMBLY
Presiding Officer	Lieutenant Governor	Speaker of the Assembly
Members	21	42
Terms	4 years	2 years
House Leaders	Majority  Floor Leader	Speaker of the Assembly

• There are two Assembly Districts in one Senate District.  (Senate District 1 has 2 Assemblyman/Assemblywoman. 
• Each house has the power to establish its own rules and select its own officers.
• At the Legislature blue is used for Senate and red is used for Assembly. 

Senate Bill 133 - Here You Go Teachers

I think my Nevada Teachers will like this bill.

Senate Bill 133 - Click for actual language of the bill

Authorizes the reimbursement of teachers for certain out-of-pocket expenses.

     

This bill will allow teachers to be reimbursed up to $100 per year on necessary school supplies. There was no debate in this Committee Hearing. It was pretty straight forward. 

Who can argue with paying teachers back $100 for what they spend to help students succeed.  As a Teachers Assistant for a few months, I definitely spent at least $100. 

Click here to follow SB133  all the way to the Senate and Assembly Floor. 

Fashion Friday - Conservative Hot Pink

Hot Pink & Nayy Polka Dot Sweater - The Limited
Navy Slacks - The Limited (old)
Vice Camuto Beige Heels 

 Pink is my favorite color and navy blue is classic and professional.

      Don't be afraid to wear vibrant colors in conservative environment. 

You can make bright colors professional. 

Bright colors enhance your mood.  

WCW - California (or Compton) Love

Instagram: Ajalbrown

After a much needed break from Carson City; instead of going to Las Vegas, I went "home", as in where I was born and raised. It’s such an amazing feeling when you drive out of LAX with the windows down, looking at those palm trees in 70 degree weather.  While cruising the streets of LA, I loved seeing all the political signs of my peers. It was quite refreshing. Perfect timing for Woman Crush Wednesday. Plus I needed to put a hold on posting Nevada Legislature stuff for a second.

Two years ago when I thought about Compton, I thought of N.W.A, Kendrick Lamar and gangs. Now when somebody says Compton; Aja Brown comes to mind.  History was made in June of 2013 when Aja Brown became the youngest mayor to be elected to the City of Compton, California. Even though I grew up in Inglewood, I have so much respect for this woman. At 31 years old, Aja won her  mayoral race by 63%. She is often quoted as wanting to make Compton the new Brooklyn. So far as Mayor; crime is down 25%, 1000 new jobs are coming to the city. This beautiful young woman is a true example of inspiration and girl power.

That's What She Said

I think there is room in this world for more than one fabulously dressed, powerful, smart, sophisticated, complicated woman at the table.

 - Kerry Washington/LA Times

Political Jargon - Part 1

Before I can get into the good stuff on who, what, when, where and why; I need to cover the basics. Not everyone understands political jargon. I don't want to assume everyone knows what I am talking about.  

It can be a turn off to a conversation or news story when you have no idea what these words mean.   Not everyone retains what they learned in grade school.  Trust me, I have learned a lot over the last four years. 

Let's start here with the basics:

Bill - A draft of a proposed law.  A bill does not become law until it is passed by the legislature. Once a bill has become a law, it is called an Act or a Statue. 

Bill Draft Request (BDR) - A bill draft request is submitted to the Legislative Counsel Bureau  by a legislator, an executive agency, a member of the judiciary, or a local government before it becomes a bill. 

Constituent - The people of an area or district who vote for their representative.  

Veto - Governor’s formal disapproval of a bill.

Sponsor - The legislator(s), legislative committee, or entity requesting that a bill.

Lobbyist- A representative of a special interest who attends sessions to oppose or support the  a particular legislation.

Who is My Senator and Assemblyman?

I have come across many people who have no idea who their local Legislators are. Many people are comfortable in just knowing who the President is. It is very important to know who your local leaders are and also how to contact them. Believe it or not; they do want to hear from you. If you live in Nevada it's simple. Follow the steps below. 

Click Here: Who is My Legislator?  

• Enter your address
• Click the blue pushpin

And that easy, you now know your District, Assemblyman, Senator and Congressman.

Click on their name for their contact information. If nothing else, at least check out their website. 

Legislative Session - First Week In Review

Today concludes week one of the 78th Session of the Nevada Legislature.

Week one is definitely not what anyone expected. This week included extremely long hours, high emotions, lots of closed doors and horrible eating. But, I will say week one has been very productive.

Opening Day started with the swearing in of 20 new Legislatures. 

(Three in Senate &  17 in Assembly) Right after the congratulations and photos the law makers immediately went to working hearing over 100 pre-filed Bills.

Out of exhaustion from the week, I only included the link to the actual bills. However, moving forward I will go into detail and break the bills down to everyday language. I am interested to see if anyone reads the actual bill. 

Hot Topic of the Week:

Senate Bill 119 - Prevailing Wage Exemption

The good stuff will come later in this blog. Trust me! Right now, I just need a good cup of tea and my temporary bed.

Suit:Ann Taylor Loft
Shoes: Vince Camouto