On Cards & Band-aids

Today is the day. Finally, those who have suffered due to complete lack of documentation can get something. So what is this something being offered?

Remember SB 303? It's now in effect. And driver's authorization cards are now available at the local DMV.



Long lines formed outside DMV offices in Southern and Northern Nevada this morning for the first day to obtain driver's authorization cards. Many are excited about the change happening here in Nevada. Yet even with today's big opening, there's an underscore of disappointment.

Why? While these cards are better than what we had before (nothing), they're still not an actual path to actual legal status. Keep in mind that Nevada and nine other states now offer these cards because Congress still hasn't passed comprehensive immigration reform (CIR).

Actually, that's not entirely accurate any more. The Senate passed S 744 last June. The House, however, passed nothing but an amendment aimed at deporting DREAMers. Even though a supermajority of US Senators and the American public want CIR, and even though the votes likely exist to pass CIR in the House, House G-O-TEA "leaders" have instead opted the "Duck & Cover Strategy" of trying to avoid the issue and deflect attention (& blame) onto their favored haute faux scandal of the day.

Even as this state and others must figure out how to adapt to the reality of the nation's broken immigration system, Nevada’s own Rep. Joe Heck (R-???) has done nothing but parrot the same old vacuous talking points provided to him by (House G-O-TEA) "leadership". And of course, that very "leadership" has only "led" in absurd spin while following the lead of Rep. Steve King (R-Crazy) and his army of 21st Century Know Nothings. Oh, yes. That's right. CIR has been stalled to death in the House because swing district backbenchers (like Heck) fear the consequences of sidestepping "leadership"... And "leadership" fears the consequences of angering the 21st Century Know Nothings (too much).

Yet ironically enough, the same 21st Century Know Nothings are expressing "OUTRAGE!!!" over Nevada taking steps to adapt to the reality brought on by Congress' failure to fix it's own problems. They're even angry at Nevada's Republican Governor for signing SB 303 into law, yet they want Reps. Joe Heck & Mark Amodei to keep blocking any progress on CIR (even the bill Senator Dean Heller supported). As long as there's no CIR, these kinds of ad hoc state/local level band-aids are all we can do.

And if any Republican politicians want to continue complaining about it, they know how to fix it for good.

Highlights of the Nevada Legislature (This Year)

So it's over. After 120 days of intrigue, drama, coaltion building, infighting, progress, backslides, cheers, tears, and so much more, we finally have a chance to reflect on what happened during the 77th session of the Nevada Legislature. So now that we have a chance to step back and reflect, let's take one more look at the 2013 Nevada Legislature.

Perhaps one of the greatest highlights of the session was the passage of SJR 13, the constitutional amendment to repeal the Question 2 marriage ban and enact marriage equality in Nevada. Here, the conventional wisdom of what had been considered "possible" in Carson City finally burst as we saw an outbreak of true courage. After the sharing of much heart-wrenching personal testimony, equality ultimately won the day... For now. We just have to do this all over again in two years... Unless federal courts deliver a big surprise in the coming weeks and months.



Another surprising moment was the second round of passage for SJR 15, the constitutional amendment to remove multinational mining corporations' sweetheart deal from the Nevada Constitution. While SJR 15 first passed in 2011, it looked to be on very shaky ground early this year as mining industry lobbyists doubled down to kill it. But then, a major twist of fate occurred as a prominent Republican (??!!) stepped forward to snatch a politically convenient way to kill IP 1 embrace mining tax reform. Yet even as his own mining tax scheme proposal died an ugly death, new life was quickly breathed into SJR 15. And after another shocking outbreak of courage in Carson City, SJR 15 ultimately sailed through the Legislature and onto our ballots next year.

And that wasn't all. The Nevada Legislature also surprised many by easily passing SB 303, the bill that creates driver's authorization cards for undocumented immigrants and other Nevadans with difficulties accessing personal documents (like domestic violence victims). The success was found in framing this as a critical driver safety issue... And in some Nevada Republicans' desire to fix their "Latin@ problem". So even as Nevada Republicans in Congress start succumbing to their toxic "TEA" and complicate efforts to pass comprehensive immigration reform this year, the Nevada Legislature found one way to work around their obstruction.

But wait, there's even more! SB 374, the bill to authorize medical marijuana dispensaries in Nevada, finally passed at the last minute. The state has been facing legal trouble over confusing current law, so there was an opening to act. Yet while another bill to fully legalize marijuana never saw the light of day, a surprisingly bipartisan coalition for medical marijuana emerged. And after a surprisingly bizarre last minute hiccup, the bill finally passed on the final day and headed to Governor Brian Sandoval's (R) desk (where he has yet to sign or veto).

And finally, we saw some encouraging environmental progress in the passage of SB 229. Like SJR 15, this bill had some troubling history behind it. In 2011, the Legislature agreed to SB 271, a bill meant to tear apart the regulatory framework protecting Lake Tahoe. And even worse, it was done simply because of juiced up power players' greed and disgusting backroom politics. That's why Governor Sandoval initially threatened to veto SB 229 (and keep 2011's SB 271 on the books). But after California stepped in and threatened to "go it alone" to protect Lake Tahoe, Governor Sandoval soon flip-flopped and embraced SB 229. And all of a sudden, Nevada then decided to keep Tahoe blue after all (yet it remains to be seen just how much blue and green will ultimately remain there).

And there's even more to discuss. But if I keep writing, I won't ever stop. So we'll leave it here for now, and we'll soon pick up where we left off in reliving the most memorable moments of the 77th session of the Nevada Legislature.

Wait... What's Happening to Immigration Reform?

Just before the Nevada Legislature adjourned sine die, Nevada lawmakers passed and Governor Brian Sandoval (R) quickly signed into law SB 303. The new Nevada law allows for undocumented immigrants and other individuals with difficulties accessing their personal documents (like domestic violence victims) to obtain driver's authorization cards. And as we've discussed before, the Nevada Legislature had to pass SB 303 and do something about this matter because we haven't seen action on comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) from "You-know-where".

Instead, we've been seeing plenty of this.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Even for [Senator Marco] Rubio [R-Florida], this is bizarre. The Florida Republican had concerns about provisions related to border security, which he worked out through the "Gang of Eight" negotiations -- his colleagues made the changes he wanted to see, which in turn led Rubio to endorse the bipartisan legislation.

But now the senator is moving the goalposts, saying the changes that have already been made aren't good enough, and unless he's able to move his bill even further to the right, Rubio is prepared to reject his own legislation. [...]

He is, in other words, apparently prepared to betray his allies.

And why would Rubio do this? Because the Republican Party's radicalized base opposes comprehensive reform, and Rubio's support for the bill will undermine his future career ambitions, including a likely run for national office in 2016. [Update: Adam Serwer notes this is ultimately pointless, since the right will still resent the fact that he helped write a bill they hate, and the left will resent the fact that he walked away from a deal reached in good faith.]

There is an important caveat to all of this: Rubio has waffled before. I don't recall him going as far as he did with Hugh Hewitt, but the Florida Republican occasionally waffles, only to be brought back into the fold. Reform proponents can hope that McCain and Graham will give him a call this morning, Rubio will walk back his comments from yesterday, and the process will move forward. Rubio isn't a policy guy, so it's possible he got rattled yesterday and said what he didn't entirely mean.

But if we take his words at face value, Rubio has put the future of immigration reform at great risk, basically because he's worried right-wing activists won't like him anymore.

Just as we've been warning for some time, the 21st Century Know Nothings are forcing Republican Congresscritters to abandon CIR. And these Republican Congresscritters are obliging because they're more afraid of losing their next primaries than doing the work the bulk of the American people demand. And now, they're hoping Scandal-mania will provide the perfect cover for killing CIR. Yet no matter how much G-O-TEA acolytes hype up Scandal-mania, that's no substitute for real governance.

As I’ve been saying here for some time, behind all the GOP noise and hoopla about Beltway scandal-palooza is a stark reality that can’t be obscured. House Republicans are confronting two major challenges – what to do about the debt limit and about immigration reform, both of which will require cooperation from House conservatives that they aren’t prepared to give — and they don’t have an answer to either one. [...]

For all the good cheer among Republicans over the ongoing scandals, they still don’t know how to persuade House conservatives to stop acting crazy. They don’t know how to get them to Yes on either the debt limit or on immigration reform. And so later this year the “narrative” could be not about the scandals, but about Republicans. Far right Republicans may well have deep-sixed immigration reform’s hopes — dealing a serious blow to efforts to repair relations with Latinos, which even some Republicans say is essential for the party to remain competitive in national elections. At the same time, the party could well be mired in deep discord over whether to stage another reckless, destructive debt limit crisis that is all about nothing more than giving conservatives the hostage standoff they must have — further underscoring the House GOP’s inability to engage in basic governing.

And what have these Republican Congresscritters accomplished so far? Oh, President Obama's approval rating remains stable (if not inching upward every so often). And Congressional Republicans are still nowhere near a unified message on CIR.

“I think at this point that would be highly unlikely,” Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) told reporters at a breakfast organized by the Christian Science Monitor.

“Because I don’t think there’s any trust in our conference in the administration to enforce the current laws that are on the books as they relate to immigration,” he explained. “And not just this administration — it’s been previous administrations as well. … The promises made in [the immigration reform effort of] 1986 have been broken.” [...]

The congressman’s comments, if accurate, suggest that it’ll be a tough slog for proponents of a pathway to citizenship to pass the policy in the House. It would require Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) to permit an immigration bill to come to the floor without the support of half his conference — an approach he has typically rejected and shown little appetite for.

Yet amidst all the G-O-TEA sturm und drang, Senator Dean Heller (R-"TEA" Curious) continues with his empty rhetoric and radio silence. Without Heller, the Senate CIR bill will likely fail. So for all Heller's "evolving" on immigration reform and supposed desire to pass sweeping legislation, why won't he speak up now? What will it take for him to step in and try to save this bill his party needs (yet so many in his own party want dead)?

SB 303 Signed into Law As Congress Drags Along on #cir

Earlier this week, the Assembly passed SB 303. The Senate had already passed the bill earlier this month. And now, it's becoming state law.

A bill allowing people in the country illegally to obtain driving privilege cards in Nevada has been signed into law by Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval.

When the cards become available Jan. 1, Nevada will join four other states providing a way for immigrants to legally drive on state roadways and obtain insurance.

Nevada’s first Hispanic governor signed SB303 on Friday. He was surrounded by legislative leaders and others who have championed the bill.

Sandoval called it an “historic day” in Nevada. Democratic Senate Majority Leader [Mo Denis (D-North Las Vegas)] fought back tears as the bill was signed.

As we've discussed before, this is a historic achievement. Finally, people who have been living here and otherwise abiding by the law won't just be stopped and arrested because of how much personal documentation they have. And Nevada is at least taking some action on providing documentation to undocumeted immigrants who are still waiting for Congress to act.

Oh, yes. That's right. We're still waiting on Congress... And particularly on US Senator Dean Heller (R-46%).

The left-leaning Center for American Progress did a state-by-state analysis of the estimated economic impact of passing the immigration reform legislation. In Nevada, the organization estimated there were 190,000 immigrants in the state without legal status. Over 10 years, the legalization of the population would generate $534 million in tax revenue and a $17.9 billion increase in gross state product.

Also, more than 100 economists signed on to a May 23 letter to the Senate and House leadership supporting immigration reform, arguing the net impact would be economic growth. The letter was spearheaded by the right-leaning American Action Forum, and the signatories are identified as "conservative" economists.

While [US Senate Majority Leader Harry] Reid [D-Searchlight, & Don't You Forget It] is a strong supporter of the legislation, Sen. Dean Heller recently penned an op-ed for the Las Vegas Review-Journal in which he called for bipartisan work to pass reform and lauded the course set in the Senate while stopping short of fully backing the bill as it stands. [...]

Some pro-reform advocates have hope Heller will endorse the bill well before any vote on the Senate floor, possibly swaying other Republicans on the fence. The Sun's Karoun Demirjian reported last week that Heller was not biting, for now.

The full Senate is expected to take up the immigration reform in early June after addressing the farm bill, while the House of Representatives has its own "gang" of bipartisan legislators working on a proposal. The House plan is expected to be unveiled next week.

As we've discussed before, Nevada and other states have been trying to fill the void left by the federal government's past inability to implement comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). But now, Congress has a chance to finally change this. So will it happen?

That's what everyone is now asking. And that's why CIR advocates are demanding answers from Senator Heller. Will the passage of SB 303 in Carson City finally do the trick for Senator Heller?

SB 303 About to Become Law As Congress Wrestles With #cir

So it finally happened this week. In the closing days of the 77th session of the Nevada Legislature, the Assembly voted 30-9 to pass SB 303. This bill allows for undocumented immigrants and others who have difficulties accessing their personal documents to obtain driver's authorization cards.



And already, Governor Brian Sandoval (R) has signaled his willingness to sign SB 303 into law. So does this mean the matter is settled?

Perhaps not. Remember that this is just state policy on legal driving status. Ultimately, the federal government handles actual legal immigration status...

And US Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Searchlight) had something to say about this.

“I talked about this to a number of my senators today, and what he wanted to say is they haven’t done a whip count on this yet,” Reid said. “I think we have 60 votes. Remember, we start out at 55 Democrats. I think the most I’ll lose is two or three. Let’s say I wind up with 52 Democrats. I only need eight Republicans, and I already have four, so that should be pretty easy.

Funny enough, SB 303 enjoyed healthy margins in both houses of the Nevada Legislature. Yet in Congress, S 744 (the Senate comprehensive immigration reform [CIR] bill) has yet to reach 60 votes (out of 100) in the Senate. Oh, and it's still anyone's guess as to what US Senator Dean Heller (R-46%) will do to it.

And again, there's also the issue of the US House. Can any CIR bill pass there? Can anything get past the 21st Century Know Nothings there?

That's actually why Nevada is about to get SB 303. What else can the state do while the 21st Century Know Nothings continue to block comprehensive immigration reform in Congress? And will Republican Congresscritters notice what several Republican state legislators just voted to do?

Far from Finished

So this has been one hell of a Memorial Day weekend for many of us. It's especially been an awkwardly rough weekend for those citizen activists who worked tirelessly on AB 230 and improving teen safety. Last Friday, PLAN's Bob Fulkerson and Nevada Advocates for Planned Parenthood [NAPPA]'s Elisa Cafferata provided further perspective on what had just happened on "Ralston Reports".



Last Friday, we saw plenty of raw emotion explode all over the progressive blogosphere and social media. And yes, it even happened right here. I couldn't help it. I was so stunned, so verklempt.

Since then, we've had a chance to step back and notice the larger picture of what happened. For a "so angry one must laugh" take, check out Laura Martin's GIF loaded explanation. And if more catharsis is needed, check out Sin City Siren.



So now, let's take a moment and discuss the big picture some more. For so long, we've become accustomed to seeing the powers that be in Carson City as Kings and Queens of Pain who continually disappoint by agreeing to continue the failed status quo. That's actually a reason why We the People will be deciding on change at the ballot box next year.

Yet this session, we've also seen something we had not been accustomed to experiencing in Carson City: a slew of progressive victories. SJR 13 (marriage equality), SJR 15 (mining tax reform), SB 229 (saving Lake Tahoe), SB 303 (driver's authorization cards), and more progressive priorities have actually been advancing and winning in the Nevada Legislature. At times, activists have pinched each other to see if this is for real.

Yet while the bubble of happiness occasionally leaked with reminders of continuing fiscal madness, it didn't completely burst until Friday. The shocking demise of AB 230 reminded progressive activists of the continuing headwinds hindering further progress. How on earth could such common sense legislation aimed at protecting teens face such a ghastly demise?

It comes down to this: There's still a Republican Governor. And there are not enough votes in #NVLeg to override his veto(es). So it limits opportunities. Governor Sandoval had to be shamed into backing SB 229 and SB 303, and his action wasn't needed on SJR 13 and SJR 15. Yet on AB 230, he dug in his heels and refused to budge on his opposition... To educating kids on how to prevent teen pregnancies and spreading dangerous infections.

Could Senate Democrats have joined their Assembly colleagues in passing the bill anyway? Perhaps so. It would have been vetoed by the Governor, and perhaps it would have been fodder for the coming campaign cycle. (And it may still be anyway.)

Should Senate Democratic leaders have done this? It's often been recommended to "do what's right and let the consequences follow". I can't help but wonder why they couldn't have at least laid the blame directly on Governor Sandoval and shown everyone why comprehensive sex education couldn't become law in Nevada. Instead, there's no more bill... And these very Democratic leaders are being blamed for the bill's demise. Was it really good politics to treat good policy so badly?

Yet with that being said, it still would have resulted in AB 230's death. So what then? As NAPPA's Elisa Cafferata explained on Friday, there's still the possibility of parts of AB 230 being resurrected and amended into other bills. Perhaps this way, it will be harder for Governor Sandoval to veto it all way.

But whatever happens to the remains of AB 230 in the final days of the 77th session of the Nevada Legislature, progressive organizers and activists will again have to figure out how to regroup and move forward on this and other issues left by the wayside in Carson City. As we've learned the hard way on the above mentioned victories, they were all long and hard fought. They didn't come overnight, and they all met plenty of resistance along the way.



So what made the difference? You did. We did. The grassroots did. It took relentless advocacy to get us to the point where we are now. And clearly, we're still far from finished.

All too often, leaders in Carson City need for the grassroots to lead the way. That's clearly the case now. Regardless of what happens in the coming days, we're far from finished. One election can't change everything. Not even one legislative session can. It will take longer to achieve victories on issues like sex education and public education funding, but activists shouldn't throw in the towel just because of screwy politics in Carson City... Far from it.

We're far from finished.

SB 303 Continues to Advance

Oh, yes. That's right. We have even more big news emanating from Carson City today as the Nevada Legislature races toward the finish line.

The Assembly Transportation Committee held a hearing on SB 303, the bill authorizing driver's authorization cards for immigrant drivers. Senators Mo Denis (D-North Las Vegas) and Ruben Kihuen (D-Las Vegas) stepped over to the other side of the Legislature Building to testify on "The Nevada Highway Safety Act". And yes, that's what was discussed at the hearing.

NV SB 303: bill not about immigration, but about public safety. - @RubenKihuen #nvleg driving permits

SB303 is a Public safety issue NOT an immigration issue so we urge the NV Assembly to pass this bill. #NVLeg #TimeIsNow

There was plenty of discussion on how more insured and documented drivers means safer roads. Oh, and of course, there was discussion of the $22 annual fee (as opposed to $22 for a standard driver's license for 5 years). This also delivers more revenue for the state budget right when the state needs more.

There was plenty of testimony in Carson City, as well as in Las Vegas. Several community activists told their own personal stories in Las Vegas. And a representative from the Washoe County Sheriff's Department testified in favor of SB 303 in Carson City. And for the record, no one (!!!) testified against the bill.

Oh, and we even heard this from the Nevada DMV representative offering neutral testimony.

"@BlancaSprkls: Don't hate! The #dmv is officially the happiest place on earth! #nvleg #SB303" #DriverAuthorization (don't tell Disney)

No vote was taken today. But considering the lopsided 20-1 vote (!!!) in favor of SB 303 in the Senate, its passage in the Assembly is all but assured. And so far, it looks likely that Governor Brian Sandoval (R) will sign the bill into law.

While SB 303 advocates tried to focus everyone's attention on the public safety matters addressed by this bill, the issue of immigration reform continued to linger in the background. After all, Nevada is now in this position because Congress has yet to pass any kind of comprehensive immigration reform (CIR). Senator Dean Heller (R-46%) has yet to say what he will do with the US Senate CIR bill, Reps. Joe Heck (R-Henderson) & Mark Amodei (R-Carson City) have yet to say what they will do with the emerging US House CIR bill, and they're all facing increasing pressure from the 21st Century Know Nothings to kill any & all attempts at CIR.

So against this complicated backdrop, SB 303 continues to advance. We don't know yet what Congress will ultimately do on CIR, but that isn't stopping the Nevada Legislature from taking action on this (in the limited capacity that it can).

Which Way, Senator?

This spring, we've been monitoring the progress of SB 303 in the Nevada Legislature. As of late, the fate of comprehensive immigration reform (CIR) in Congress has been looking increasingly cloudy. Yet despite all the "TEA" tinged angst in Washington, we hardly noticed any of that yesterday in Carson City.

Immigrants who came to the country illegally would be able to obtain a driver’s privilege card under a bill approved Monday by the Senate, whose supporters said it would make roads safer and contribute to the economy.

Senate Majority Leader Mo Denis, D-Las Vegas, estimated 60,000 individuals would apply for this authorization to drive legally. That could mean additional money for the state highway fund that is used to build roads, he said.

Sen. Ruben Kihuen, D-Las Vegas, said these authorization cards would result in vehicle and insurance purchases. He said statistics show that unlicensed drivers are the most dangerous.

Sen. Joe Hardy, R-Boulder City, said this was a protection-of-jobs issue.

“They can drive without fear of being deported on their way to work,” he said.

We've discussed this before. The policy makes sense. What makes no sense is forcing people to hide in the shadows, face exploitation, and drive dangerously.

What's tough here is the politics of immigration. The 21st Century Know Nothings are dead set against reform. And now, they're (again) forcing the rest of the Republican Party down the xenophobic path to irrelevancy...

Except here in Nevada? The State Senate vote on SB 303 was 20-1. Only Senator Don Gustavson (R-Sparks) voted against the bill.

So did US Senator Dean Heller (R-46%) notice? Perhaps he did. Yet while this has been occurring in in Carson City, Washington has been embroiled in endless drama. Heller's Senate G-O-TEA colleagues have been feigning ignorance of racial profiling. They've also been trying to spin away the economic benefits of CIR. Oh, and they've even been taking marching orders from racist assholes these creatures.

On Monday, two Department of Homeland Security unions comprising of 20,000 individuals from the National Immigration and Customs Enforcement Council (NICEC) and the National Citizenship and Immigration Services Council (NCISC) publicly released a statement indicating their opposition to the Senate immigration bill. This letter by Chris Crane, who heads the Homeland Secretary union that represents deportation agents is only one extension of his opposition to immigration legislation. Despite the two million undocumented immigrants that have already been deported, he has been a vocal opponent of any kind of reform. [...]

Crane wrote, “U.S taxpayers are currently tasked with absorbing…the strain put on our Social Security system that has been depleted by an onslaught of refugees receiving SSI benefits as soon as their feet touch U.S. soil.” Mainstream economists have disparaged the characterization that immigrants are moochers, and instead have noted that immigrants are keeping the Social Security Trust Fund solvent.

He also wrote, “Currently, USCIS reports a 99.5 percent approval rating for all illegal alien applications for legal status filed under the Obama Administration’s new Deferred Action For Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policies.” However, as of the latest April statistics, DACA approval rating operated at 57 percent.

Crane has worked with or appeared alongside nativist groups and immigration restrictionists, including Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach and the Heritage Foundation, which is embroiled in a racism scandal. At a mid-May Tea Party sponsored tele-town hall conference with Heritage VP Derrick Morgan, Crane called the immigration reform bill “blanket amnesty” which would “provide a path to citizenship for the most criminal street gang…. all they have to do is make a claim that they’re going to renounce their gang affiliation. We know that all of these members are going to renounce their affiliation and continue their gang activity.”

Take note: This is the only way the 21st Century Know Nothings will ever show approval for a union. The Homeland Security union leaders have broken from the AFL-CIO to oppose any and all kinds of CIR... Because they fear change. Oh, and they probably fear a real solution to this longstanding problem.

So will Senator Heller get caught up in the latest xenophobic craze on the radical right? Or will he take a queue from his fellow Nevada Republicans in Carson City? We're all still waiting for the answer.

Evolving Is Awfully Hard to Do.

OK, so Monday night was a very emotional one for many of us. SJR 13 passed the State Senate, and Nevada is the first state to begin repealing a constitutional amendment banning marriage equality. We saw many profiles in courage emerge this week, including Senator Ben Kieckhefer (R-Reno). He provided compelling testimony for SJR 13 and marriage equality at the first hearing last month, but he didn't speak on the floor Monday before casting the sole Senate Republican vote for equality.

On Tuesday, Kieckhefer broke his temporary silence when he spoke to the Reno Gazette Journal's Ray Hagar about this week's big civil rights moment in Carson City. Check it out below.

And what does the vote say about Kieckhefer? Rival Democratic Sen. Debbie Smith of Sparks, the north's most influential senator, called his vote “courageous.” It also shows Kieckhefer cares about marriage equality, not just what subject is and isn’t covered in the constitution.

It was a smart move for a young man who may have a career in state politics beyond the Legislature. Indeed, Kieckhefer represents a conservative district.

But he’s smart enough to see a shift in the way people think about marriage equality. Let people marry who they want, many now say. Besides, Nevada is losing millions by not catering to marriage equality in our tourism industry in general and the wedding sector in particular. Live and let live. That’s the new thinking. Kieckhefer has that figured out.

In the final days before SJR 13 reached the Senate floor, other Republican Senators who claimed to support the bill backed out and ultimately declared their opposition. Why? They're claiming they always wanted to remove the Question 2 marriage ban from the Nevada Constitution, but they just can't vote to allow marriage equality a place in the Nevada Constitution. So on Monday, the other 9 Republicans voted to keep marriage discrimination in the Nevada Constitution. How does any of this make sense?

What seems more likely is that there was some sort of backroom politicking happening behind the scenes. We do know Senate Minority Leader Michael Roberson (R-Henderson) ultimately whipped against SJR 13. Yet despite all this political drama, Senator Kieckhefer stood by his principles and supported marriage equality. Going forward, I suspect his position will be remembered as the courageous one... And it may ultimately provide a bit of redemption for the Nevada Republican Party.

This is the problem for Nevada Republicans... And really, for Republicans nationwide. They're increasingly seen by the general electorate as anachronistic, narrow minded, and just a bit too fond of wrongful discrimination. Something must change if Republicans want to be competitive in future election cycles. Republican political mastermind Frank Luntz gets it...



But unfortunately for him and for other high-level establishment Republicans, the "TEA" powered base would rather stick with Rush Limbaugh than change their ways.

We're also seeing this tug-of-war dynamic at work on immigration reform. In Carson City, several Republican legislators were falling over each other in a rush to attach their names to SB 303. This is the bill to establish driver's privilege cards for undocumented immigrants. And after many years of railing against this very policy, several prominent Nevada Republicans are now embracing it. Oh, and of course, they're desperately trying to improve their numbers among Latin@ voters.

But again, establishment Republicans have a growing problem in their midst here. It's called their base. Even after initially jumping to embrace comprehensive immigration reform, US Senator Dean Heller (R-46%) has been refusing to commit to anything as of late. Why? The "tea party" has been (mis)using the Boston Marathon Attack to fuel opposition to the Gang of 8 CIR bill now active in Congress.

Not too long ago, "TEA" devotees across America had great hopes for Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) and saw him as their conservative fantasy. But now, they're turning on him. Why? He's showing willingness to back the Gang of 8 CIR bill.

On Tuesday, Breitbart reporter Joel Pollak grilled Ryan about why he appeared with [Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Illinois)], “who has some very radical views on immigration,” [because he's been demanding CIR] and about a variety of conservative concerns about the Senate bill.

In one notable exchange, Ryan argued that the Boston marathon attack — currently a source of conflict for the Senate’s immigration efforts — was further evidence that Congress needed to pass reform.

“If anything, it shows that we need to modernize our immigration laws,” he said. “We don’t know who is overstaying their visa, we don’t know who is coming into the country, we don’t have firm control of our borders, and we need to modernize our laws.”

That answer prompted condemnation from radio host Mark Levin, who has also been on the offensive against Rubio’s bill despite the Florida Senator’s best efforts to court his support.

“Paul Ryan is an extremely likable guy,” Levin said. “He’s been on this show many times. I like the man. But he’s creating a record here for himself that makes it very, very hard, in my view, if he chooses to run for president, to vote for him.

That is, Paul Ryan's national political future is at risk because he's flirting with moderation on immigration reform. No really, that's what Mark Levin is saying. Is this what now has Senator Heller wavering and waffling on CIR?

Last week, Senator Dean Heller ran as fast he could from a policy that 86% of his constituents support. And he effectively played a major role in killing gun safety reform that has broad support among Nevadans and Americans overall. Why? After flirting with moderation, he looks to be drinking the "TEA" again.

This is the problem. Many Republicans still don't know how to please their base while simultaneously making an appeal to everyone else. It's not easy to do when most Americans are trending one way while the "tea party" is stubbornly going in the other direction. Many high-level establishment Republicans here in Nevada seem to be expressing interest in "modernizing" (as in evolving and moderating)... But can they ever get that past Sharron Angle?

One Small Card, One BIG Policy Change

Yesterday was another action packed day at the Nevada Legislature. This time, the Senate Transportation Committee heard testimony on SB 303. This bill provides for a driver's privilege card (or limited driver's license) for undocumented immigrants, and it's sponsored by Senate leadership from both parties. In addition to its hearing in Carson City, SB 303 also had satellite testimony from Las Vegas.



And while immigrant rights activists packed the hearing rooms in Carson City and Las Vegas, SB 303 also received some surprising support. For one, the bill is inspired by a program that's already happening next door. And no, I'm not talking about California (though the California Legislature is now considering its own bill).

“Denying driving privilege to the undocumented population jeopardizes safety and raises insurance rates for everyone,” [Senator Ruben] Kihuen [D-Las Vegas] told the committee. [...]

The driver’s privilege card will be available to people who cannot produce all of the documentation needed for a Nevada driver’s license. It would allow the holder to legally drive in the state but could not be used as an official identification or to apply for federal or state benefits. The application fee would be $22, the same as for a driver’s license, but the driver’s privilege card would have to be renewed annually instead of every four years like a traditional license.

“SB 303 will bring in new revenue at a time when we desperately need it,” Kihuen said. “There are over 100,000 undocumented people in Nevada who could benefit form this proposed bill. It could mean millions of dollars in stimulus to our economy. They will purchase cars, they will purchase insurance and they will drive to stores, take trips and more easily find a job.” [...]

The Nevada bill is modeled after similar legislation in Utah, and two Utah state senators also testified. Sen. Curt Bramble, R-Provo, said the law had contributed to Utah’s low rate of uninsured drivers and had improved road safety as more drivers are tested and insured.

“The angst from right (when we passed the bill) was that Utah would be a magnet, a mecca, a gateway for a subsequent influx of undocumented individuals because we provided this privilege. The data doesn’t support that,” Bramble said, pointing out that after peaking around 43,000 driver’s privilege cards, the number in Utah has since dropped below 40,000.

Bramble said there was concern in Utah of criminals applying for the card. Of 40,000 applicants in Utah, two were found to have criminal records, he said. Utah eventually added a fingerprinting and background check provision to its law, something Denis has resisted under the argument that it would discourage participation and the undermine the intent of the law.

“You must concede that they have violated immigration laws,” Bramble said of some of the potential applicants. “Beyond that though, it appears from our experience in Utah that folks who come forward to apply for this are not the criminal element, they are not the folks law enforcement is seeking out. … Pass it or not, they are on our roads.”

Indeed, Utah has been running this program since 2005. And despite a "tea party" fueled campaign to repeal the law last year (which failed), the program is working there. And in fact, the number of driver's privilege cards issues actually dropped last year.

It's also helped make roads safer there. And earlier this year, a California DMV report stated its roads will likely be safer Keith more insured drivers, which is what will happen once California starts issuing driver's licenses to undocumented immigrants. Behind all the controversy over immigration reform, this is really a simple matter of public safety.

So does this mean SB 303 will sail through Carson City? We'll see. As mentioned earlier, Senate leaders in both parties are backing the bill. However in the Assembly, Minority Leader Pat Hickey (R-Reno) has been playing nefarious political games with the bill by trying to tie it to the otherwise unrelated SB 63 electronic poll book bill that Secretary of State Ross Miller (D) is pushing. There are probably still more than enough Democratic votes to pass SB 303 in the Assembly regardless, but we don't know yet what exactly Governor Brian Sandoval (R) plans to do with it (though he's seemingly been warming up to it).

It's been a long journey here, but Nevada may finally soon begin issuing driver's privilege cards alongside Utah, New Mexico, and Washington (State). Undocumented immigrants can finally be treated a little less "second class". And Nevada raids can be safer with fewer unlicensed and uninsured drivers.