Nevada Legislature

Wear business attire. Business attire is recommended at the legislature, such as dress slacks and button-down shirts. Business suits and jackets are optional.

Wear lapel pins. Lapel pins representing your University affiliation are a great touch.

There is public parking available in two areas:

• In the garage located on the northwest corner of S Stewart St. and E 5th St.
• Next to the Sedway Office Building (SOB) on the southwest corner of E 5th St. and S Plaza St.

The front entrance to the Legislative building faces Carson St. All visitors are welcome, but be aware you must go through a metal detector before entering. Do not bring weapons into the building. If you are bringing a bag it will also be put through security.

Arrive early. Do your best to arrive before the session starts to ensure you get a seat. 

Remain in your seat. Once you enter the Assembly or Senate Chambers for the session, you must remain in your seat as moving around the chamber is not permitted.

Exit, if necessary, between testimonies. During hearings, which occur in hearing rooms rather than chambers, while it would be preferable to stay in your seat, you may enter and exit the hearing rooms if necessary. It is best to do so between testimonies and not when an a legislator is speaking.

Be respectful and silence devices. Be quiet and courteous throughout the building. Silence your devices. Do not talk when sitting.

If you need help at any time, please contact us at government@unr.edu and we are happy to assist!

In-person. During each committee hearing, you can give public comment in person at the Nevada Legislature.

Via phone. You can give public comment over the phone by dialing into the committee phone line which can be found on each agenda.

Limited to two minutes. You will have two minutes to make your statement. You do not have to use the entire time; however, it is good to keep an eye on how long you are taking.

Use respectful language. Be sure that the language you are using is appropriate and that you are not verbally attacking any person as this may result in you being asked to leave. Speaking passionately is encouraged, but ensure you are still being respectful.

Using the microphone. When you give public comment, there will be a microphone in front of you that you will need to speak into for the broadcast. When you go to speak, hit the button on the panel in front of you to turn the microphone on, and be sure to turn the microphone off when you are done speaking.

Personal introduction for public record. Introduce yourself by saying and spelling your name for the public record. Along with your name, say who you are representing. For example, “My name is John Doe, J-O-H-N D-O-E for the record, and I am an administrative faculty member at the University of Nevada, Reno.” Other examples include the following:

• As a citizen of Nevada, I think…”
• As a UNR student, I think…”
• “As a college student who struggles with finances, I think...”

Tell your story and reason for comment. After you introduce yourself, focus your public comment on your personal story and why you wanted to leave public comment. This is the time to be personal and passionate!

Make your ask. End your public comment with a final thought as to what you want from the legislators. For example, “As you continue to meet through the session, I encourage you to keep in mind the people like me who struggle with…" or “I encourage you to support this measure..."

Before testifying, know who is sponsoring the bill, as well as who supports or opposes the bill and why. Be familiar with the committee chair, committee members, and legislative staff. Let the sponsor of the bill or key legislators know if you plan to testify.

Identify why you are testifying. Is your purpose to persuade, dissuade, provide expertise, or delay action on the bill? Prepare your testimony beforehand, and highlight important information early in your remarks.

Check the legislative website and with legislative staff to know when the bill is scheduled for a hearing. If you represent a state agency, also contact your legislative liaison. Be advised: schedules can change quickly, especially at the end of a legislative session.

AB: Assembly Bill

This acronym stands for Assembly Bill which is a bill that is introduced by the Assembly. It is followed by a number that represents which is the order of introduction to the house (ex: A.B. 50 would be the 50th bill introduced to the Assembly).

SB: Senate Bill

This acronym stands for Senate Bill which is a bill that is introduced by the Senate. It is followed by a number that represents which is the order of introduction to the house (ex: S.B. 50 would be the 50th bill introduced to the Senate).

BDR: Bill Draft Request

A BDR is a written request submitted to the Legislative Counsel by a legislator, an executive agency, a member of the judiciary, or a local government proposing a new or modified law for enactment.

NELIS: Nevada Electronic Legislative Information System

NELIS is used to post all agendas publicly, it is also where you can find all the information you need for public meetings.

Joint committee

Joint Committees include membership from both houses (Assembly and Senate).

Subcommittee

A subcommittee a subdivision of a committee that is assigned a portion of the committee's jurisdiction, holds hearings, amends legislation, and reports to the committee.