A special session of the Nevada Legislature to fix a $1.2 billion budget shortfall has now entered its sixth day, with no clear indication of when the proceedings will wrap up.
While lawmakers have spent several days considering how they want to adjust Gov. Steve Sisolak’s budget recommendations in hearings and negotiations behind closed doors, demonstrators outside the building in Carson City are broadcasting a variety of messages, from support for President Donald Trump to anger over proposed education cuts, state worker furloughs and police misconduct.
Although COVID-19 prompted the Legislature to close its doors to all but lawmakers, essential staff and some journalists, Nevada Independent photographer David Calvert has been documenting some of the action that most of the public can only see on livestreams.
Here are some of the scenes he captured:
A member of the Legislature’s janitorial staff cleans a hand rail outside the building on the third day of the 31st Special Session of the Nevada Legislature in Carson City, Nev., on Friday, July 10, 2020. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)Nevada Assemblywoman Teresa Benitez-Thompson speaks with KOLO 8 Reno during a recess on the second day of the 31st Special Session of the Nevada Legislature in Carson City, Nev., on Thursday, July 9, 2020. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)From left, Nevada Assemblywoman Melissa Hardy and Assemblymen, Glen Leavitt and Gregory Hafen, II on the second day of the 31st Special Session of the Nevada Legislature in Carson City, Nev., on Thursday, July 9, 2020. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)Nevada Assembly Assistant Majority Floor Leader Daniele Monroe-Moreno, center, speaks with Speaker Jason Frierson, left, and Majority Floor Leader, Assemblywoman Teresa Benitez-Thompson, right on the third day of the 31st Special Session of the Nevada Legislature in Carson City, Nev., on Friday, July 10, 2020. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)Department of Health and Human Services director, Richard Whitley and administrator, Dena Schmidt testify over video during an Assembly Committee of the Whole on the second day of the 31st Special Session of the Nevada Legislature in Carson City, Nev., on Thursday, July 9, 2020. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)Nevada Assemblywoman Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod on the third day of the 31st Special Session of the Nevada Legislature in Carson City, Nev., on Friday, July 10, 2020. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)Nevada State Senator Scott Hammond leads the Senate in its opening prayer on the fourth day of the 31st Special Session of the Nevada Legislature in Carson City, Nev., on Saturday, July 11, 2020. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)Nevada Assemblyman Jim Wheeler meets with members of the Las Vegas Police Protective Association outside the Nevada Legislature on the fourth day of the 31st Special Session in Carson City, Nev., on Saturday, July 11, 2020. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)Nevada State Senator Yvanna Cancela and her dog, Louie arrive at Nevada Legislature on the third day of the 31st Special Session in Carson City, Nev., on Friday, July 10, 2020. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)A member of the Assembly legislative staff sits outside the Assembly on the third day of the 31st Special Session of the Nevada Legislature in Carson City, Nev., on Friday, July 10, 2020. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)A sign outside the Nevada Legislature in Carson City announcing temperature checks before the first day of the 31st Special Session of the Nevada Legislature in Carson City, Nev., on Wednesday, July 8, 2020. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)Tents set up outside the Nevada Legislature in Carson City where Nevada National Guard members are doing temperature checks before the first day of the 31st Special Session of the Nevada Legislature in Carson City, Nev., on Wednesday, July 8, 2020. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)Nevada Assemblyman, Gregory Hafen II gets his temperature checked before the first day of the 31st Special Session of the Nevada Legislature in Carson City, Nev., on Wednesday, July 8, 2020. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)Black Lives Matter protestor outside the Nevada Legislature on the fourth day of the 31st Special Session in Carson City, Nev., on Saturday, July 11, 2020. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)Supporters of President Donald Trump outside the Nevada Legislature on the fourth day of the 31st Special Session in Carson City, Nev., on Saturday, July 11, 2020. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)Black Lives Matter protestors block a truck driven by a supporter of Donald Trump that had been demonstrating nearby a few minutes earlier outside the Nevada Legislature on the fourth day of the 31st Special Session in Carson City, Nev., on Saturday, July 11, 2020. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)A group of Second Amendment supporters outside the Nevada Legislature on the fourth day of the 31st Special Session in Carson City, Nev., on Saturday, July 11, 2020. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)Protestors opposing Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak outside the Nevada Legislature on the fourth day of the 31st Special Session in Carson City, Nev., on Saturday, July 11, 2020. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)Senator Keith Pickard enters the Senate GOP caucus meeting room on the fourth day of the 31st Special Session of the Nevada Legislature in Carson City, Nev., on Saturday, July 11, 2020. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)The Nevada Senate chambers on the first day of the 31st Special Session of the Nevada Legislature in Carson City, Nev., on Wednesday, July 8, 2020. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)The Nevada Assembly Chambers before the start of the first day of the 31st Special Session of the Nevada Legislature in Carson City, Nev., on Wednesday, July 8, 2020. (David Calvert/The Nevada Independent)
