Annie and Kevin talk about developments in the 2021 session of the Nevada Legislature.
(Annie Black) – Way back on November 18, 2020…what seems like an eternity ago…I made the decision not to join Republican Assembly Caucus. The truth is, I saw the writing on the wall.
Here’s part of what I wrote explaining my decision…
“At the caucus meeting on Friday, the leadership team gave us a set of ‘rules’ they wanted me to sign and agree to follow. But with all due respect, I don’t answer to them; I answer to the voters who elected me.
“The rules include a ‘Confidentiality’ clause prohibiting me from publicly criticizing other members ‘by name.’ I can’t agree to that. If a fellow GOP caucus member, say, votes to raise your taxes, they’ll need to be called out for it. By name.”
And with that in mind…
For what remains some unfathomable reason, GOP Minority Leader Robin Titus appointed the two most liberal Assembly Republicans to be her assistant minority leaders: Assemblywoman Jill Tolles (Reno) and Assemblyman Tom Roberts (Las Vegas).
It was crystal clear to me, even way back then, that no good could come of that and I wanted no part of it. Sadly, I was proven correct…including the final “sell-out” and slap in the face to Nevada Republicans on the last day of the session.
Being in the minority in the Assembly, the ONLY bills we had the numbers to stop were tax hike bills that required a 2/3 super-majority for passage. And one of the last bills to come up before the end of the session last night was AB495.
AB495 was a monster tax hike on Nevada’s mining industry despite the state swimming in cash thanks to the Blue State Bailout ($4.3 billion) and surplus tax revenue ($500 million) due to the state recovering from the Sisolak Shutdown faster than predicted.
Worse, revenue from the mining tax hike will be earmarked for the black hole known as our public school system.
Now, the ONLY way for this massive new tax hike to pass was if the Democrats were able to get two Republicans to sell out and vote for it in the Assembly. They did. And yes, I’m calling them out. By name…
Jill Tolles and Tom Roberts.
This session didn’t have to be anywhere near as bad as it was. Republicans could have fought harder and smarter. They didn’t. They rolled over. They went along to get along.
And while Ms. Tolles and Mr. Roberts were the ultimate sell-outs, this was an absolute failure by Minority Leader Titus who put the pair in top leadership positions over the objections of the conservative members of the caucus.
If we keep doing what we’ve always done, we’re gonna keep getting what we’ve always gotten…
Screwed.
And with that…
BattleGround ’22 Election Survey
Once again, I’m asking for your advice…
- Should Donald Trump run for president again in 2024?
- How confident are you that Republicans will nominate a candidate who can beat Gov. Steve Sisolak in the 2022 general election?
- Should conservatives recruit and support primary challenges to incumbent Republican legislators who vote with the Democrats too often?
- Should the Nevada Republican Party re-elect Chairman Michael McDonald this fall or is it time for someone new?
- What should I do in 2022?
Just click on this link to complete the survey: www.AnniePoll.com
WHERE’S ANNIE?
Wanna catch up with me live and in-person now that the session is over? Here’s where you can find my speaking schedule: electannieblack.com/wheresannie
QUICK HITS
* Remember, when it comes to Democrats, it’s never enough. Despite approving a half-billion dollars for the public school system in Nevada, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported this morning that Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson said “it’s just the start of the push to find money for public education in Nevada.”
* The behind-the-scenes shenanigans surrounding passage of the mining tax involved the teachers’ union. No surprise. And one of the lead lobbyists fighting for the tax hike was former RINO State Sen. Michael Roberson. Again, no surprise.
* The Democrats’ mining tax hike also needed at least two GOP votes in the State Senate. They got four: Heidi Gansert, Ben Kieckhefer, Keith Pickard and Scott Hammond.
* There was another 2/3 bill Republicans could have stopped on the final day of the session. AB492 was the $15 million Capital Improvement Projects bill. It passed with NINE Republican votes in the Assembly: Greg Hafen, Alexis Hansen, Melissa Hardy, Heidi Kasama, Lisa Krasner, Glen Leavitt, P.K. O’Neill and, of course, Tom Roberts and Jill Tolles.
* For the record: What did Republicans get for selling out and voting for AB495 and AB492? Table scraps. The Democrats got the gold mine – including ballot harvesting, permanent mail-in balloting and CannizzaroCare. Republicans got the shaft.
FROM THE ANNIE-GRAM MAILBAG
“In order to avoid the passage of the 3 Constitutional Amendments increasing mining taxes 384%, the mines were blackmailed into accepting the poison of AB495. It earmarks the money from AB495 to go to support our failed and failing government schools in an attempt to harm those who voted against more money for our government indoctrination centers. With the votes from RINO’s in the Assembly and Senate it passed.” – Janine Hansen, Nevada Families
QUOTES OF THE DAY
“Taking advice on party building from (former GOP Congressman) Paul Ryan would be like taking advice on how to interact with your in-laws from Meghan Markle.” – Rep. Matt Gaetz
“We didn’t think any president could be as fiscally reckless as Obama, and then along came Biden…” – Committee to Unleash Prosperity
Annie Black is the Nevada State Assemblywoman representing District 19. You can get more information and subscribe to her AnnieGram newsletter by visiting www.AnnieBlack.net
(Annie Black) – I spoke at Americans for Prosperity’s “Stand for Freedom: Hands Off My Healthcare Rally” at the Nevada State Legislature last week on SB420, a bill sponsored by Democrat Sen. Nicole Cannizzaro to create a state-based version of ObamaCare.
Here’s a transcript of my remarks…
How many of you think the government-run public schools are doing a fantastic job educating our kids? (If you raised your hand, you can stop reading now)
So why would we think a government-run public health system would be different?
Actually, we don’t have to think. We know.
Despite all the false promises made about ObamaCare, the reality is the cost of premiums went up, the cost of deductibles went up and you lost your ability to choose your doctor.
The fact is, there is no problem in this country today that government CAN’T & WON’T make worse.
So instead of creating a Nevada mini-version of the of the ObamaCare failure with CannizzaroCare, here are 5 simple market-based reforms…
1.) Allow private insurance companies to sell across state lines, and licensed doctors and nurses to practice across state lines.
2.) Allow individuals, especially younger people, to buy catastrophic insurance policies that don’t cover simple doctor’s visits but protect people from major health problems.
3.) If there’s one silver lining behind the coronavirus cloud, it’s that more and more people were forced to learn how to do Zoom meetings and such. To the extent that certain medical services can be provided at a far cheaper cost via telemedicine without risking patient safety, we should be encouraging it.
4.) If we can provide food vouchers to let people choose their own grocery story, we should provide medical vouchers so people can choose their own health insurance policy rather than creating another new, expensive healthcare bureaucracy.
5.) Can you imagine going into a restaurant where there are no prices on the menu and you just have to hope you can afford it when the check comes? Well, that’s pretty much exactly what patients face when they go into a doctor’s office today. We need price transparency.
As Ronald Reagan famously said in his first inaugural address – which, by the way, was the same day I was born! – “Government is not the solution to our problem; government IS the problem.”
If you want to make the health insurance problem in Nevada worse, pass CannizzaroCare.
Me? I didn’t just vote no. I voted HELL NO! But the Democrats passed it anyway and it’s on its way to the Governor’s desk.
Click here to share YOUR thoughts with Gov. Sisolak on this or any other bill.
UPDATE: Maskerpiece Theater and “Blacklisting”
Yes, legal options are still being explored over the Democrats “Blacklisting” me and voting to strip my voting rights on the floor of the Assembly for refusing to wear a mask or produce a “vaccine passport.”
And in doing some further research in the “selective persecution” by Speaker Jason Frierson and the Legislative Counsel Bureau, we found this example from earlier in the session before the CDC changed its indoor mask recommendations.
Supreme Court Justice James Hardesty addressed the Assembly Chamber on March 25, 2021. Before beginning his prepared remarks, he announced…
“With permission from your leadership, I was able to remove my mask.”
So an exception for he, but not for me.
What was the “science” behind the decision to allow Judge Hardesty to perform in the Assembly Chamber without a mask during the time period when the CDC was still mandating masks for everyone?
This, in addition to Speaker Frierson allowing Chief Clerk Susan Furlong to perform mask-free in the Assembly Chamber for almost three months until I raised a stink about it.
It’s never been about science. It’s always been about compliance. And politics.
NEW ON ANNIE-TV
If you haven’t seen our new video on “vaccine passports” produced by our friends at Harris Media, click here.
WHERE’S ANNIE?
We’ve been getting a lot of email and social media requests asking where I’ll be speaking and attending events so folks can come say hi. So I’ve added a new page to our campaign website: “Where’s Annie?”
Will try to keep it updated on a regular basis and look forward to seeing many of you IN PERSON over the coming weeks and months! We have a LOT to catch up on.
QUICK HITS
* And now…the end is near. The 2021 legislative session will mercifully come to an end at midnight tonight. A lot of damage has already been done by the Democrats. A lot more is yet to come before “sine die” is gaveled down tonight. The fight to retake the Nevada Legislature in 2022 begins tomorrow. We ride at dawn.
* The slam-and-jam process of introducing bills and amendments at the last minute is in full force. Not only don’t legislators have time to read and understand the bills before voting on them, but neither do you. This is no way to do the people’s business. Every bill should be posted online for at least 48 hours before being voted on.
I had a bill for that which was killed by the Democrats.
* There’s another “process” issue that’s as dry as it is important. In a nutshell: Let’s say the Assembly passes a bill on a recorded vote. The bill then goes over to the Senate where it’s changed and then passed on a recorded vote. But when the altered bill comes back to the Assembly, they often approve the amended bill on a “concur/do not concur” voice vote.
This is wrong and arguably unconstitutional. We’re looking into taking legal action on this, as well.
* We’ve gone from 880 followers on Twitter to over 3,000 in less than two weeks! Our message has now extended beyond Nevada’s borders and is reaching folks all over the country. Not sure boosting my name ID nationwide is what the Democrats intended when they “Blacklisted” me, but…thanks, guys!
* A teacher in Utah pulled out his concealed-carry weapon and stopped a kidnapper from abducting an 11-year-old student on school grounds. This is why Nevada needs a “campus carry” law. So-called “gun-free zones” disarm the good guys & only protect the bad guys.
BATTLEGROUND ’22 SURVEY COMING TO YOU MANANA
As noted above, we launch the 2022 campaign season first thing tomorrow morning even though we still won’t be allowed to fundraise for 30 days.
In the meantime, I want to “take the pulse” of Annie’s Army. So tomorrow I’m going to send you a link to a short, 5-question online survey I hope you’ll consider filling out.
It deals with the future of the GOP and President Trump, the 2022 governor’s race, what to do about Republican primaries, the leadership of the Nevada Republican Party and…
What political advice you would give ME for 2022?
Can’t wait to read everyone’s responses!
FROM THE ANNIE-GRAM MAILBAG
“Loved ‘Faces of Furlong.’ There are few things more emotionally satisfying that seeing a Leftist slapped in the face with their own hypocrisy.” – Kevin Knapp
“Annie – your Maskerpiece Theater is better than anything on Netflix! You are inspiring so many of us to take stronger stands against all the injustices we see.” – Bev Stenehjem
“Showing a photo of your accuser not wearing a mask in EVERY session…. priceless. A great way to fight the hypocrisy, keep it up.” – Hank Garvin
“Assemblywoman Annie Black, thank you for your convictions, along with Assemblywoman Dickman. Unfortunately, you two are the only ones it appears, with none of your weak-kneed male colleagues willing to stand with you.” – Jim Shedd
“The Dems are upset because you dare to question their authority and make fun of their pompous attitudes. They will be after you as long as you keep putting this back in their faces. Keep it up, the tide will turn.” – Jim Gregory
“How I wish all elected officials had your ability to get the job done. I hope you run for Congress real soon. That’s where you need to be to help us. Love you, Annie.” – Robert Brown
“You keep standing up for what is right and your Army will have your back! If you do decide to take legal action we will be there to support you as soon as the 30-day fundraising restriction is over.” – Steve and Christina Balek
“You have a lot of support and when you are ready to start a defense fund, please contact me
Keep up the good fight, we don’t have enough Americans standing up.” – Ted Farace
“Stand fast, Annie, and hold your–no, OUR ground! We’re with you; don’t you dare let these immature, self-serving twits weaken your spirit. You are on the right side of history!” – John Budd, Mesquite, NV
“I wish you were our representative. You stand up for the right things, bring light to subjects others avoid. You’re doing great. Don’t stop.” – Mark Craven, Las Vegas, NV
“I have done my best to keep silent and diligently obey the rules up until this point. But after watching your statement on the Assembly floor yesterday regarding the hypocritical and unscientific mask policy, I nearly jumped out of my chair and cheered. Your continued fight against the left has been inspiring to watch this session. I applaud your logical and well-thought-out stances on the issues, your principled and unwavering ideals, and your unwillingness to bend on any of them despite the looming threats from opposition leadership. In short, you are my hero. I am one of your ‘adopted’ constituents and a proud member of Annie’s Army. I can only wish my representative had half the guts that you do.” – Name withheld
MEMORIAL DAY QUOTE OF THE DAY
“We sleep soundly in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence on those who would do us harm.” – Winston Churchill
Annie Black is the Nevada State Assemblywoman representing District 19. You can get more information and subscribe to her AnnieGram newsletter by visiting www.AnnieBlack.net
(Annie Black) – Here are my remarks delivered at Americans for Prosperity’s Stand for Freedom: Hands Off My Healthcare Rally at the Nevada State Legislature last week…
How many of you think the government-run public schools are doing a fantastic job educating our kids? (If you raised your hand, you can stop reading now)
So why would we think a government-run public health system would be different?
Actually, we don’t have to think. We know.
Despite all the false promises made about ObamaCare, the reality is the cost of premiums went up, the cost of deductibles went up and you lost your ability to choose your doctor.
The fact is, there is no problem in this country today that government CAN’T & WON’T make worse.
So instead of creating a NV mini-version of the of ObamaCare failure with CannizzaroCare, here are 5 simple market-based reforms…
1.) Allow private insurance companies to sell across state lines, and licensed doctors and nurses to practice across state lines.
2.) Allow individuals, especially younger people, to buy catastrophic insurance policies that don’t cover simple doctor’s visits but protect people from major health problems.
3.) If there’s one silver lining behind the coronavirus cloud, it’s that more and more people were forced to learn how to do Zoom meetings and such. To the extent that certain medical services can be provided at a far cheaper cost via telemedicine without risking patient safety, we should be encouraging it.
4.) If we can provide food vouchers to let people choose their own grocery story, we should provide medical vouchers so people can choose their own health insurance policy rather than creating another new, expensive healthcare bureaucracy.
5.) Can you imagine going into a restaurant where there are no prices on the menu and you just have to hope you can afford it when the check comes? Well, that’s pretty much exactly what patients face when they go into a doctor’s office today. We need price transparency.
As Ronald Reagan famously said in his first inaugural address – which, by the way, was the same day I was born! – “Government is not the solution to our problem, government IS the problem.”
If you want to make the health insurance problem in Nevada worse, pass CannizzaroCare.
Me? I’m not just voting no. I’m voting HELL NO!
The Democrats’ unofficial national slogan is, “Never let a crisis go to waste.”
And they wasted no time using the COVID crisis to assume dictatorial powers that would make the mullahs in Iran blush.
They shut down your jobs.
They shut down your businesses.
They shut down your schools.
They shut down your playgrounds.
They shut down your churches.
They imposed travel bans and curfews.
They confined you to your homes.
They forced you to cancel weddings, birthday parties and even Thanksgiving dinner.
They banned play dates and sleep-overs.
And they forced you to wear a cloth mask over your face that many health experts compare to trying to stop mosquitoes with a chainlink fence.
All without due process.
All without equal protection.
And usually without legislative approval.
And if you spoke up in opposition, you were shouted down and accused of trying to kill you’re your grandmother.
The 15 days to flatten the curve has turned into 15 months of flattening your freedoms, your liberty and your constitutional rights.
And these power-hungry socialists aren’t finished yet.
Now they’re trying to coerce you into getting an experimental vaccine that’s only received emergency approval by the FDA or wear a mask until you do.
That’s not hype. That’s what Joe Biden himself flat out said.
“The rule is very simple,” he declared on May 13th. “Get vaccinated or wear a mask until you do.
This isn’t about the science.
This is about compliance.
Look, if you want to risk catching the coronavirus by not wearing a mask, that should be YOUR choice.
If you want to risk taking the coronavirus vaccine, that should be YOUR choice, as well.
And no politician, government bureaucrat or even private business should be allowed to force you to prove whether you’ve been vaxxed or not.
I’m Nevada State Assemblywoman Annie Black.
I’ve been fighting against these socialist bullies and tin-pot tyrants from Day One.
In retaliation, the Democrats voted to strip my right to vote or speak from the floor of the House Chamber unless I put on a mask or produce proof I’d received the vaccine.
I refused. Read my lips…
NO VACCINE PASSPORT.
That’s my story. But I want to hear yours.
Have you been harassed, bullied, threatened or discriminated against because you refuse to wear a mask or prove you got the COVID vaccine?
Click on this link to share your story.
Annie and Heidi talk about Democrat vote to strip her of ability to vote on bills or speak from the floor for refusing to produce a “vaccine passport” in order to appear in the Assembly Chamber without a mask…
(Annie Black) – There’s an old saying that it’s not “paranoia” when they’re really out to get ya.
And yes, Assembly Democrats – with aid and comfort from the Legislative Counsel Bureau (LCB) – certainly have had the long knives out for me. A recap…
On Wednesday, April 14, it was announced by LCB that the Legislature would be semi-re-opened to the public under relaxed COVID restrictions. So I pasted a tongue-in-cheek sign on my office door the next day reading…
“Come on In. We’re Open. Don’t Mask. Don’t Tell.”
Susan Furlong, Chief Clerk of the Assembly, had a cow and instructed the Sergeant at Arms to take the sign off my door, claiming “it violated Assembly Standing Rule 150.”
Alas, Ms. Furlong apparently never heard the age-old wisdom about people who live in glass houses.
So in my April 17 AnnieGram, I pointed out that Ms. Furlong herself had been in regular violation of LCB’s draconian mask requirement without penalty or sanction. (See “Faces of Furlong” at the end of this AnnieGram.)
Apparently, the rules apply to me but not to she.
In any event, two days later Ms. Furlong was suddenly sporting a mask in the Assembly Chamber at the start of the very next floor session. No wonder she’s so angry with me and wanted a pound of flesh!
Fast-forward to May 13. The CDC changed its mind (yet again) and announced that wearing masks indoors was no longer required under certain circumstances.
With that in mind, at the end of the session on Tuesday, May 18, I removed my mask during a floor statement and called on LCB to drop its mask requirement for individuals in the building. Which it did the very next day.
Then the spit hit the spam.
Two days later I was seated, mask-free, in the Assembly Chamber waiting for the day’s session to begin.
Immediately after the Pledge of Allegiance (“…with liberty and justice or all.”), Majority Leader Teresa Benitez-Thompson made a motion accusing me of being in violation of Standing Rule 150, allegedly for not proving I’d gotten the COVID vaccine.
The problem is, at that time NO ONE had even bothered to ask me if I’d gotten the vax!
Nevertheless, Speaker Frierson then immediately asked the 42 members in the Chamber to vote on whether or not I was in violation of Standing Rule 150.
In was an unsubstantiated allegation followed by a partisan 26-16 “guilty” verdict with no evidence or even an opportunity to present a defense. They then stripped me of my right to vote on bills or speak on the Assembly floor unless I apologized.
To which I essentially said, “Pound sand!”
I would also note that after the vote no one attempted to remove me from the Assembly Chamber. They allowed me to sit in my seat, mask-free, but without the ability to vote or speak.
Indeed, if I really posed such imminent danger they should have escorted me out – just like they did to Assemblywoman Jill Dickman, who also took a principled stand in opposition to being forced to present a “vaccine passport” to be allowed on the floor.
They didn’t.
This whole thing was nothing more than a kangaroo court and political theater. It’s all about compliance, not science. It was payback and revenge for embarrassing Ms. Furlong for breaking her own mask rule, pure and simple.
And for the record, I was never told I had the option to vote virtually, as was offered to Assemblywoman Dickman.
So when Speaker Frierson claimed at the start of the Monday, May 24, floor session that “the option for remote participation was offered to Assemblywoman Black and rejected by her before this body found her guilty,” that’s simply not true.
Never happened.
Which is why the Assembly then voted 41-0 to allow me to vote remotely.
But let’s face it, that’s not the same as actually being on the floor.
Assemblywoman Dickman and I can neither see what’s going on when LCB’s cameras are turned off nor confer with colleagues as the Democrats slam-and-jam new bills and amendments down our throats.
We’ve been relegated to “second-class legislators” simply for refusing to produce a “vaccine passport.”
Now, I know many of you have suggested “suing their pants off.” And we’ve considered it.
But there simply isn’t enough time before the session ends this weekend, and the courts are notorious for avoiding getting involved in anything dealing with the internal workings of the legislative branch of government.
Plus, there’s still a fundraising “blackout” period in place preventing me from raising the money necessary for a legal defense fund until 30 days after the session. So we’re going to take our time and figure out if there’s a viable lawsuit option after the session ends.
Either way, I’m not going to let this go.
Businesses, employers and various government entities continue to push for vaccine passports in order for us to return to normal. And I will continue to fight them with every fiber of my being.
Black…out.
P.S. Because of this Maskerpiece Theater sideshow by the Democrats and LCB staffers, I’m delaying the release of our “BattleGround ’22 Election Survey” until after the session ends.
Look for it sometime next Tuesday.
FACES OF FURLONG
My communications director went back and reviewed every single Assembly floor session since the start of the 2021 Nevada Legislature.
And despite her own rule that EVERYONE in the building be masked unless alone in their office or actively eating or drinking something, Chief Clerk Susan Furlong performed in EVERY floor session maskless for extended periods of time.
The following are screen shots of Ms. Furlong, accompanied by a date/time stamp to the right, documenting her breaking the exact mask rule she’s imposed on me unless I present a vaccine passport.
Note: All of these floor sessions occurred BEFORE the CDC changed its mask guidelines, so she was in violation even if she’d been vaxxed.
Our April 17 AnnieGram pointed out that Ms. Furlong had not been wearing a mask in the Assembly Chamber since Day One. And lo and behold the very next floor session…
FROM ANNIE-GRAM MAILBAG
“PUT ON A MASK YOU DWARVISH (expletive deleted)ING INBRED (c-word deleted)!!” – Jason Willaims
“Honey, With a face like yours, I’d recommend you wear a mask for the rest of your wretched life.” – Kevin Williams
“Congrats for being an inconsiderate moron. You are just one dumb trump trash wanna be. Put a mask on, get the vaccine and act like a (expletive deleted)ing adult with adult like responsibilities.” – Dawn Mitchell
* * *
“I have been a convention worker the entire time I’ve lived in Nevada and am very worried that I will not be able to work and provide for my family if vaccine passports or non-vaccinated discrimination is allowed in businesses such as convention centers in Nevada. Never in my lifetime have I seen my rights in such jeopardy. Please please please help!” – Name withheld
“Hi, Annie: you’re doing the absolute right thing. While the hate mail doesn’t shock me, it is surprising in its nasty, dangerous tone.” – Bruce Jackson
“You are truly an inspiration to all of us. Do you realize that YOU are the only one that is truly standing up for Nevadans, and you are doing it alone? Not really alone, because you have your ARMY behind you!” – Barney Wadley
“I look forward to reading your AnnieGrams when they come out. I am not in your district; I am in Washoe County, but I feel like you are still fighting for us up here. I am so proud of you for standing your ground and not backing down. If they can treat you this way, then we are their next victims.” – Holly Downing
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“The flawed reasoning that one must vote for Republicans or else allow a Democrat to win is no longer acceptable. If we are to win an ideological battle, we need individuals who have the courage and conviction to fight it. We need Constitutional Conservatives to defeat progressive socialists.” – Texas GOP Chairman Allen West
Annie Black is the Nevada State Assemblywoman representing District 19. You can get more information and subscribe to her AnnieGram newsletter by visiting www.AnnieBlack.net
(Bill Dentzer & Steve Sebelius | Las Vegas Review-Journal) – When we last updated you on the saga of Assemblywoman Annie Black, R-Mesquite, she was in legislative limbo, having been stripped of her right to vote and speak on the Assembly floor because of her refusal to either wear a mask or disclose whether she’d received the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Assembly voted along party lines to punish her for allegedly violating a standing rule requiring masks, a rule later relaxed for those who have been vaccinated against the coronavirus.
Although Black was initially threatened with being banned from voting and speaking on the floor except to apologize for breaking the rule, she was ultimately allowed to vote virtually, similar to her Assembly colleague Jill Dickman, R-Sparks, who also declined to reveal her vaccination status. Black’s disembodied voice responded “no” to most of the roll call votes taken in the chamber.
Black has vowed she would not apologize, and said that she was in compliance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.
(Colton Lochhead | Las Vegas Review-Journal) – Nevada’s cannabis consumption lounge legislation cleared a major hurdle Thursday, a move that comes a little over a month before a moratorium on social use venues is set to expire.
Assembly Bill 341 passed out of the Assembly on a 29-12 vote, with Republicans Tom Roberts, R-Las Vegas, Andy Matthews, R-Las Vegas, Annie Black, R-Mesquite, and Jill Dickman, R-Sparks, voting with Democrats to push the bill over the required two-thirds threshold.
(Bert Johnson / CapRadio) – Nevada’s Legislature updated its rules on May 19 to allow fully vaccinated people to enter the building without masks in accordance with current guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The next day Democrats, who hold a majority in the Assembly, voted to censure Assemblywoman Annie Black (R–Mesquite) for refusing to wear a mask in the chamber or confirm whether she had been vaccinated. As a result, Black was not allowed to vote or speak on the Assembly floor for four days.
“We were informed that there were persons who had not confirmed they were vaccinated, they were not wearing masks and so we complied with our rules,” Assembly Speaker Jason Frierson (D–Las Vegas) told reporters. …
Black claimed neither Democrats nor legislative staff gave her the chance to defend herself before the vote.
“They never confirmed if I was or was not vaccinated and then took action to strip my ability to do my job for the people that I represent,” she told CapRadio. “So I don’t know what I would apologize for. Not that I would.” …
While Black’s ability to vote and speak during floor sessions has been restored, albeit virtually, she continued to strike a defiant tone in a blog post about the reversal.
“It’s not about health. It’s about control,” she wrote to supporters, while insisting she had not disclosed to her colleagues whether or not she’d been vaccinated.