In my experience, during my many years working with the Nevada Legislature, every time a legislative session ends there is a period during which it is very difficult to think about politics or public policy issues.
Nevada’s 120 day sessions are so packed with meetings, committee hearings and just general vigilance and watchfulness most legislators, lobbyists and members of the Executive branch who also spend a great part of their time working on legislative activity dial it back enough to not be extremely busy during the three prime summer months. I have tried to take a little time off through the years but as they say- the best laid plans.
I will discuss some of the concerns I have identified and give an example of a measure relating to unintended consequences which is always a danger in the short sessions we have in Nevada.
During the 2025 recent legislature, many readers will remember the bill known as the Agricultural Workers’ Bill of Rights, SB 172. This legislation would have required overtime pay for farm workers, a mandatory meal time five hours after beginning work and a pathway to unionization for agricultural workers among other things. The bill was vigorously opposed by agriculture interests and other pro-business organizations.
It was amended three times but did not pass in the final days of the legislature. The reason I mention it in this writing is I fully expect it to come back and be introduced in the 2027 Legislature. Therefore, even though I would like a little break from government affairs activities the need to be vigilant and counter the arguments in favor of this worker’s bill of rights is ever-present. You producers out there might take a look at this bill on the legislative web site [leg.state.nv.us] and come up with your own arguments why this idea would not work in a ranch context even though it might work for a hardware store.
Another example of legislation that slipped under the radar and did not come to the attention of most employers was SB 305 which became law in 2023. The effective date was not until July 1st of this year. Employers are now required to establish a Nevada Employee Savings Trust Program (NEST). I found out about this law just recently. The bill passed with only fifteen votes against it.
Some of the requirements in this measure that concern me include the creation of a Board authorized to establish a Program whereby a covered employer (with more than five employees for more than 120 days) must enroll all covered employees and then contribute out of the covered employee’s wages an amount set by the Board to an Individual Retirement account. The employee can opt out of the program and elect not to participate but they must be offered enrollment first by the employer.
Now don’t get me wrong. I am a firm believer in planning for retirement and setting aside contingency funds to the full extent that we can. However, should the state be involved in making an effort to help workers to this degree; and why is the onus for establishing and reporting to the state on the employer?
We have all dealt with bureaucracies when a government overreaches with good intentions but which ends up making our lives and businesses more complicated and complex. I question whether the state should be involved in a worker’s private business to this extent. I wonder if this consequence was the actual intent of the legislature in 2023.
Other things keep me up all night and interrupt my goal to do less after a legislative session for a month or so.
If you are a rancher in northern California and Nevada and you are close to Oregon or Idaho you might be worrying as I am about wolves. The Sierra Valley in California is less than an hour from Reno. It is a prime ranching valley with a proud agricultural history. There have been multiple wolf attacks on cattle recently in Sierra Valley. I am concerned about that.
While writing this, there is a Tuscarora vicinity wildfire which has grown to over 70,000 acres. I have friends threatened by that fire and I’m very concerned for their safety and that of their cattle.
We are all benefiting from the current calf market. The prices being paid are historic high. However, I worry how long this will last and whether demand for the product at retail will continue. Friends of mine, not in the business of agriculture, ask me about these high prices all the while saying they are devoted fans of the product. What impact to the other markets if the futures market gets soft and does not hold up as it has lately.
We still do not know the impact the tariffs will have on agriculture in general and the beef sector in particular. For the short term the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement should continue to have a stabilizing effect for our beef industry. We can only hope the stabilizer factors stay in place. What about weather, drought, labor, bio- terrorism and etc? I guess a column for another day.
I’ll see you soon.