#184: Nevada Day Special 2025 - Inside the Battle Born Capitol feat. PK O'Neill

State government is a key aspect of our federalist system in the U.S. But what is it like to represent a state capital's constituents in a state capitol? For this year's inaugural Nevada Day Special, PK O'Neill shares what it is like serving as Assemblyman for District 40 that includes Carson City (the state capital), Storey County, and some parts of Washoe County. He discusses his public service story and the value of having quality representation in the State Capitol that best reflects the interests of all Nevadans.

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SPEAKER_00 0:00

Patriotism, faith, national unity, education, fiscal responsibility, stability, and the values that define America. Fascinating stories and talks from America-loving patriots dedicated to preserving freedom, opportunity, and justice. Welcome to the Friends and Fellow Citizens Pope. Hello, everybody. Welcome to Friends and Fellow Citizens. I'm your host, Sherman Tailowski. As always, thank you all so much for joining me for this first ever in-person interview here at Friends and Fellow Citizens Headquarters here in the conference room. I am very, very honored to have a special guest with me today. This is PK O'Neill. He is the Assemblyman for Assembly District 40 here in the great state of Nevada. And before we get started, make sure to subscribe to Friends and Fellow Citizens if you haven't already. Check out our Patreon page down in the show notes below if you'd like to contribute. We got great content coming up. Today is a special episode because we are releasing this episode, the week of Nevada Day. Yes, we will talk a bit about Nevada Day, why it's so special, because we are here in the state capital of Nevada, Carson City. Well, before I get into the exciting stuff, I'd just like to again welcome PK onto the program. PK, it is a pleasure to be uh here sitting with you and having this conversation with you on this podcast.

SPEAKER_01 1:36

It's an honor to be with you. It's the really thank you for inviting me, allowing me to be here, particularly as we talk about Nevada Day, the Nevada Day Parade, and how Nevada became a state in 1864 on October 31st. So thank you for having me. And I really it's a privilege to be with you and your listeners.

SPEAKER_00 2:01

Well, I I just want to thank you for all the service you've done for our state. I mean, you served in law enforcement for, we'll talk a little bit about that, but uh you are also serving a very important role. Um you're not just a uh member of the Nevada Assembly, but you're representing our state capital. And I think it's very important to have uh good representation here uh in this part of the state. Uh it's a small town here, as you'll know. Uh Vegas is, of course, the big city, Reno, not too far away. But I like to think that we have quite a bit of power here uh as the home of our legislators uh every two years since we are a biannual session uh-based legislature. Uh PK, before we get to the more about the legislature and about uh policies and and whatnot, politics here. Uh, can you just share a bit more about your your background?

SPEAKER_01 2:51

Well, as you said, I did 40 years in law enforcement. I started out back east with the city of Miami, Florida Police Department for eight and a half, just short of nine years. Came to Nevada on in um March of 1980, and then retired in um 20 in November of 2009. Um did some work, consultant work with the FBI and International Association Chiefs of Police on data sharing. And um the opportunity presented itself in 2014 when the uh assemblyman uh Pete Livermore of the district decided not to run again. And when I had been working for the state, I had uh been promoted up to uh assistant chief and division chief. So I had to present it several times to the legislature and uh were friends with both Democrats and Republicans there. Uh, they mentioned to me that I ought to run when the opportunity came up. They got back and um basically talked me into it. Although I had had it in the back of my mind, it wasn't a real hard talk. Um, it's an honor and it's a privilege just to be asked to do that, let alone to actually carry it forward and get elected and represent. At that time, it was about uh 60,000 people in the district. The district has grown, all of our districts in the state have grown, and it's about 75,000 uh people now that I represent in Carson City, Story County, and part of Washoe County. So, and as I say, it's a true privilege and honor uh for them to entrust in you. When I was a police officer, we used to say that you were entrusted with the power to enforce laws to actually take the liberty of people away from them and incarcerate them. Um but now in the legislature it's actually to deal with the laws, the policy of how this state will be administered and what we will do for this state to grow and proper and become profitable for businesses. Businesses mean jobs, jobs mean families are gonna be here, families means we're gonna have children, so we need schools, education, we need communities. And it basically uh it sounds maybe a little melodramatic, but it starts in the legislature. It starts there uh on what the policies we set for the state of Nevada, for the governor's office, for the um administration to follow through with for this state.

SPEAKER_00 5:55

Very well said. And I I also want to acknowledge, as you kind of alluded to, the the people who are working in local government as well, because uh we are physically a large state, but a lot of the state is federal land. So uh 80 f 80, 85 percent of Nevada's federal land. So uh we don't have a whole lot of people as much as say obviously California, our neighbors, and a lot of other states. In fact, uh where I'm going to school in Alabama, Alabama has two million more people than Nevada, even though it's smaller. So we're still kind of a small state in a sense, uh very vast. But uh I think I what I really appreciate is the fact that uh I've gotten to know people like yourself, PK, uh Jim and Clay and others from Story County. Um the fact that I'm even able to know and be able to just be able to email or text uh a uh someone who represents me is is really, really something. And uh I think that's really unique.

SPEAKER_01 6:55

I think that's the the beauty of of Nevada is landmass were 110,000 square miles, I think about uh seventh largest state land size in the country. Uh but we do know individuals. When I came here in 1980 from Miami, Dade County, there were more people living in that one county than there were in this entire state. Um and so you got to know your locals, the various officials, all the way up and down. We'd run in, at that time it was Governor Lis. I'd run into him at the grocery store here in Carson. Um and you just didn't do that back east. As a matter of fact, very few states can you do that in. Uh so yeah, and because of that, when I represent, I represent people that I know. They aren't just a number out there. People will email me and I will know who it is that's talking to me and what we're talking about, and they know how to get a hold of me. They'll come by my house now and knock on the door and want to talk about various bills or issues that are coming not only during the legislative session, but during the off-session too, about the future. Um, so it's we are truly, we call ourselves citizen legislators, and we truly are, I believe. And that's the part of the uniqueness of Nevada, and to me, part of why Nevada represents, when I say represents, we truly represent uh the citizens of Nevada in the businesses.

SPEAKER_00 8:42

Amen. Uh uh before we get to more about the legislature peak, I'd like to talk a bit more about your public service career before you enter politics. Uh you worked in law enforcement for many years, and uh I think this it's so important that we we stand for our law enforcement and understand the vast majority of them uh really do such a great service for our communities. Of course, there's always the bad apples out there, just like with any profession, but the fact that uh we and we have this obligation uh as a society to thank those who serve us and protect us every day. I mean, the Carton uh sheriff's office is not that far from here. And um the fact that I get to when we drive around and you you see them, you just know that they're present all around is is is really an important thing. So can you can you talk a bit more about your your time in law enforcement and what sort of lessons or um experiences you gained from that time that has contributed to what what you are doing nowadays?

SPEAKER_01 9:40

Well, you know, the one thing that I probably learned that protected me and sort of well truly protected me, I guess I'll say, is I remember being having a discussion or a presentation in Fleets Academy uh back in 1972, and the instructor said, one thing you should remember out there is that everybody you come in contact with, you have the power to take their liberty away via arrest, but remember every single one of them were somebody's brother, sister, father, mother, and how would you like your daughter, yourself to be treated, your father to be treated, your mother, uh, et cetera, to be treated in this situation. And remember that when you interact with people. And I worked a um a high crime uh district, and even in there dealing with individuals, I always approached people and would always start out saying, sir, ma'am, and let them set the tone of how the rest of the conversation would be, because that's how I feel that I would like someone to have approached me or my sister, my parents, etc., and whatever the situation may be, to show some respect to the individual. Um even in, I don't want to go into great depth on it, but uh I had an officer involved uh homicide. The officer was killed, the state trooper. The subject was an escape prisoner from back east. When we finally caught him a few days later, um I we were driving out, we uh had really narrowed him down out in uh several about 30, 40 square miles of land out in rural Nevada, and that's where we were searching. And when we found him, he hadn't had uh any sleep or anything to eat or a drink, and uh we arrested him, and we were driving out back to the uh station to do booking, and uh I gave him some water, and uh he leaned his head uh on my shoulder, and some of the other officers uh I took lips. How could you be nice to that gentleman or that person after he had murdered? And I knew the trooper, uh, but in the same token, by the time we got to the station and thereafter, he had told me about this homicide and several others that he had committed. Um just and he it I think it came from at least I showed him a little respect that he really hadn't had when we went into his life story at all, um, which didn't excuse what he did, but it helped because there were unsolved homicides that he had been involved in that would have stayed unsolved. And one of the biggest things I felt my responsibility in working violent crimes, homicides, was the family always wanted to know why. Why was our father, why was my aunt, why was my daughter, my brother murdered? Why? How did why? How did it happen? Why did it happen? And those unsolved had left that question. So yeah, he brought that closure to them through that way that we approached him. Um and it was very fairly successful for me in my career. I did uh fairly well in uh receiving confessions and stories from individuals on their crimes during my time, and then can convey that back to the families on why this happened. Uh some of them, some of the whys I will always say didn't make much sense to me, but it made sense to that subject, and at least the families had something to close right the final chapter in the book and close it up. Um so that that's one of and that carried forward into my legislative is why are we proposing this legislation? What is the issue we're trying to solve? Not as I've seen so many times, here's a bill or a policy, let me find the issue that it can solve. Uh no, let's is there a need for it? What are the issues out there? How can we address that and talk to people, even that I disagree with, um, have come into me when we're on opposing ends of an issue, at least let them talk and see if there's anything that we can common ground to at least agree. There's a few things, as you've always heard it, I guess we'll agree to disagree on this and be respectful to it. Uh and that's carry forward from, as I said, from my law enforcement time.

SPEAKER_00 15:08

I think it's so important what you said there, because we oftentimes just look at people in politics as just like, well, that person's just gonna give me X and Y in my life, but but I don't think we we think about the fact that uh lawmakers need to be people too. And they need to know how to treat people with respect. They need to know how to interact with people, whether it be constituents or interest groups or other legislators uh or staff at the Capitol, whatever that looks like. Um it seems like in uh in our politics, we oftentimes don't have those um high expectations or high marks. Um but to to know that people like yourself um have val valued the opportunity to serve for uh for your constituents and for your state, I think it's worth it's worth so much.

SPEAKER_01 16:01

Well, as I always tell, and it was told to me as a rookie legislator and getting back as a rookie police officer, if you aren't humbled by the author with the power that the citizens of whatever community it may be have entrusted you with, don't be here. You should never be here for yourself. It's you've got to realize that you're here to serve and always remember, as the old saying is, you put your pants on one leg at a time, unless you're a fireman, and they jump into them. Yes. I like to joke for my law enforcement time. But it's serious. You are no different than anybody else. You have just been fortunate and blessed to be entrusted with that uh position authority to represent these individuals. So uh act accordingly. There's nothing special about you otherwise.

SPEAKER_00 17:06

Indeed. Uh I imagine there were quite a few uh interesting interactions between you and the the fire service, uh as as fellow first responders.

SPEAKER_01 17:17

There still is. We joke quite a bit, and you know it's really good too, because uh we all know it's joking with each other. They have endorsed me in my prior campaigns. I've worked with them on bills. Um we're all still in the family of service, and as you just said, first responders to services that are needed on a moment's notice. 24-7, 365. Um, and your children's graduation from kindergarten unfortunately take a second place at times because you've got to go respond. It's your shift that's up. Um but the jokes are still good. And yeah, I uh for everyone I tell them, they return me with one to two more. Uh and we all laugh and enjoy each other. Because we know what it is. We both know about being called out in the middle of the night, being called out when your daughter was gonna graduate from kindergarten and you can't be there when a dinner or a community uh neighborhood party was going on. Your family goes and your wife or your husband is explaining why their husband, their wife is not here, why my dad is not here. Um and the effort that's put forward by those first responders to be there. Um I mean, many times I drove all night to get back because I knew the next morning was an event for one of my children. Uh and I'd finish my work and then get in the car and sleep in the car maybe for half hour as I drove back from wherever I was. Uh because my jurisdiction here covered the entire state. Uh so which is also what I enjoy too, but but you make those sacrifices and balance it out. So we've shared the experiences. We can joke in the family, but somebody outside the family, no. We'll protect them, we'll stand up for them.

SPEAKER_00 19:39

You're you're putting out quite a few fires in in politics, perhaps. So maybe that's the that's you can cheer with uh with your fireman friends. Uh well well, PK, let's move on to uh about the legislature. And I like to kind of do like a Nevada legislature 101 question for you, because there's a lot of people who are like, wow, they see what what's going on in Congress. And I don't know if it's just because Congress is always on TV, maybe on TV too much, but I imagine that quite a few people might associate Congress with the state legislature because they just think, well, it's a legislature, maybe just on a smaller level. But I I I can certainly tell you that I'll take our legislature over our Congress on a lot of on a lot of days based on uh based on how the the priorities are set and whatnot, and the fact that this is now on a state level. So we are concerned about our our state uh instead of 50 states and a district and five territories. Uh what can you share about the Nevada legislature in terms of just the the basic functions and and and how you see the role of a state legislature like ours uh serving our uh state residents and constituents?

SPEAKER_01 20:53

Well, the first thing is as I said earlier, we are citizen legislators. Because to be citizen legislators, we're not full-time. As you said, we're a biennial legislature, we meet once every two years for 120 days, and that's set in the Constitution. 120 days. We'll start on the first Monday in the month of February, an odd number of years, and 120 days later, we will end at midnight. That's set. Anything that happens at midnight, oh one, oh two did not occur. Um, it's non-binding. So that's the first thing that sets us up different. Congress is full time, and a lot of people don't understand, they'll come from other states, and I'll pick on California since we have a large influx of uh Californians. They're a full time legislature, and so they expect us. I get emails now as of yesterday, even, uh From people asking me to pass certain legislation that uh pass put this bill forward and pass this legislation immediately. And I respond back to them. I'll talk about whatever they're proposing, but I'll also say that the legislature, we can't do anything. I will keep it in mind when we convene again in February of 2027 now. Um and they don't realize that. That's what to me, one of the things that makes local uh city supervisors, county commissioners, whatever it may be, so important because they really have the day-to-day operations. And why it's important when we are in session, that we look at bills that are inter-county, that deal with the state as a whole, with good policy, because we're only going to be here for these days, and we cannot adjust, change anything for two years. Uh now, a lot of the bills are overarching or set of guidelines, and then there's regulations, but even those regulations have to come before the legislative commission uh for approval. And the LEGCOM, it takes over a year to do regulations, because you're required to have various public hearings uh and input and then refine and then come back to LEGCOM for approval. And LEGCOM may not always approve, and it starts all over again. So uh you that is the major difference, is we have to address it within that timeline, and really it cannot be readdressed or modified, changed until two more years later. Uh where Congress, California, the majority of other states are basically meeting every year or in session all year long, except for even Congress takes their own uh a break right now, vacation uh right now. So um that's the biggest thing. And as I said, we're a lot of the legislators have jobs. They're attorneys, they're doctors, they're teachers. Uh they they work in the mines, uh, they work in gaming, they work in a variety of industries of Nevada. And so we have a mixed amount of personal knowledge about issues, too, when we do come back together to discuss policies on this bill. Well, I work in the mines, and that requirement that we all have to wear or do something at 30 feet underground is really necessary because we've had this happen, and it is necessary to protect the workers in there that that or it isn't necessary. We get that personal insight and knowledge on uh bills when we discuss them. And that's for the teachers, that's for the fire, police, uh the attorneys and for court proceedings or legal proceedings as a whole. Uh that's what makes us unique too, is that we can bring in that personal knowledge where if you were a full-time legislature, that's your job. That you were a an attorney, you were a doctor, you were something else, uh, but you aren't any longer. Uh even now, I've been out of law enforcement, I've been retired for uh going on 16, 17 years, um and things have changed. I mean, that's why I still go over and interact with highway patrol investigations, with sheriff's offices, story county sheriffs, um, to try to find out what's the latest and greatest. What what are what is it like today? And it is even in those few years the difference, let alone what law enforcement was like back in the 70s when I came on. So that's the big thing to me that makes us different and uh better legislators, is that we uh aren't there full time and lose track of where we where we really came from and what our responsibilities are.

SPEAKER_00 26:46

I really appreciate what you discussed there because there's all in politics, there's always this tension between how distant or how close our legislators are to the people. And when you're working in a job and you have duties and responsibilities that you are seeing yourself on the ground, the hope is that as a citizen legislator, I'm sure, is that uh you can, as you had said, relate those experiences and to be able to literally tell people saying, I've seen that before because I'm not a full-time legislator. Uh so PI like to now uh ask a bit more about this district here, it's only district 40.

SPEAKER_01 27:23

The best district the hardest working best district.

SPEAKER_00 27:28

And I think I'd say we have a very big responsibility as in this district because we are ever every two years welcoming legislators from other parts of the state, from the uh legislators who represent Elko County to legislators from Clark County, where Las Vegas is. And they come here, they probably are wondering where the best place is to get a sandwich or get a haircut or something. Um you talk a bit more about uh the district and and what makes it unique. And I guess as as the legislator represents the the legislators, I guess maybe they are in some ways your constituents for 120 days.

SPEAKER_01 28:04

And that's how I welcome them. Actually, uh we all have a little get together before session starts and give a background about ourselves, et cetera. Uh and I that's exactly one of the first things I say is welcome to Assembly District 40. I am, and I want you to know that for the next 120 days, you are my constituent. And just as any constituent in Assembly District 40, I am here to help you. I am here to help you on your issues, any challenges you may have. So feel free. And it is the truth. They have come to me about haircuts, you're absolutely right, uh, but also mechanical issues on where to get their car service that needs something, where to stay, uh, because they all haven't, especially the freshmen particularly, haven't thought about that or knew that they'd be elected for sure, and made arrangements for housing uh from January to the beginning, early June. And now they're in a rush. Can you help me find something do well? What would you like? And I can direct them both for apartments. We have some very nice uh long-term motels here in town that will make uh arrangements for them. And they're like I said, vehicles, but eating. Um even where the movie theater is in town for that time period on during their off time. Um so yeah, and also hiking, biking trails. Uh so yeah, it it's really funny. Uh that's exactly what I tell them. Welcome, you're my constituents, you're mine. And it breaks the ice. The Republicans usually laugh because we're already know each other pretty much. But the Democrats, those freshman Democrats uh who have never met me or interacted with me, it breaks the ice with them. And I um I will always ask them, have you got everything you need? I go around to them because we're not that large. You know, if you look at both sides, Senate and Assembly is the gang of 63, I call them. We have uh 21 uh senators, and each senator has two districts, two assembly districts. So we have 42 uh assemblymen. And you break that down, and then you break down how many returning to freshmen. You know, usually there'll be five, six maybe uh freshmen. So it's real easy to at least approach them and um and make sure that I am here for you if I can help you with anything. And actually uh this last session. Uh two of them had some uh they came to me about uh bills, policies that they were trying to get passed and wanted a Republican viewpoint on it. And um we worked, I I gave them what their what my thoughts were on their initial bills, and they made amendments, and actually by the end of the time, by they refined it down, both of their bills passed with Republican support. Uh, we were able to give it to them because they got, Dan, what is the core issues that you're really trying to address? One of them was a very I even joked with them, are you sure you're not a Republican? Because you're trying to get jobs, you're trying to promote business and jobs. Um and and we laughed and he laughed. Uh and uh, but that all came out of that initial uh can I help you at all with anything on stuff, that conversation that we had. So yeah.

SPEAKER_00 32:05

That that's so important, and and I'm I'm glad that this uh this small place does have quite a few minutes. I mean, we have a Costco here, I'm just not to brag here, but for a small city of 60,000 or so, I think that's pretty good since we also serve for uh for for residents in Garnerville, from near uh Glenbrook, near around like Tahoe State Line, um all the way to Dayton and uh and beyond. That's right. So we're we're kind of an epicenter here of activity. Uh PK, let's go in a bit more into the the day-to-day life of legislators. So imagine imagines day one. I I'm sure I'm either bringing good memories or not so good memories here. But uh imagines day one and and walking in the legislature and and you have some new members as you mentioned, but uh you might be seeing some people uh maybe for the first time in some time. What is it like on a day-to-day basis to for the 120 days? It seems like it's a a bit of a sprint/slash marathon that goes on where a lot of things need to happen in such a short period of time.

SPEAKER_01 33:12

Yeah. I have PTSD, they say, from law enforcement. Now I've got you asked me to bring up my PTSD from legislature. But yeah, I've got a I compare it a lot to college. I actually call the building and the grounds campus. I my uh assistant, my attache, I well, if I'm going, I'll tell her I'm going off campus to a meeting or to a luncheon, or I'm just going off campus to walk around some. Um, and that's what I call, like I said, the building in the area, the immediate grounds. And it's just like college also, you come back from summer break into that fall semester, and you see people that you haven't seen again, your friends from last session, whether they're D or R, and you'll say, Hi, I haven't seen you. How was your how did things? And then you have those freshmen and Republican freshmen, and I'll just say from my point, I I can't talk about the Democrat side, but the Republican freshmen, usually we know pretty much because we helped work with them on their elections, and we made joke with them about, well, you made it now, what are you gonna do? Uh, how are things? But um we also have, as I said, the gatherings where we all get together and uh speak with one another. But as you said, it's a hurry up and wait, which is a lot like college, also, is those first few weeks were even as a returning legislator, it's are my bills in line, my uh BDRs bill draft requests, have they come out? Are they ready to come out? I've got to get them situated in the various whatever committee they were assigned to, and you feel pressure to get that done. Let's get this done quickly and get things ready and set up. And then there's, yeah, they're all set up, they're scheduled, and then it's like it calms down, and then come late April, particularly May, as May turns closer and closer to June every day, the rush is on. I got to get my bill out, I got to get over to the Senate side, or if it's already over in the Senate, I gotta have them have a vote on it. So, and it's that push again. So uh, which I compare to when I was in college was those first few days, my classes, get my books, get to know where is the where is everything, and get in that habit of getting up, getting there. Um, and then you get in that routine and it mellows out. And then as it comes towards term papers and exams, it's the pressure again in the late nights. My day starts, usually I was in the office, I'm gonna say six. I always shot for 6.30 uh or till 645. I accepted that as being on time because I'd very often want to have about a half hour to myself to go over emails and what had been processed uh the day before, and then I would have start having meetings with lobbyists, depending on their schedule, too. It's 7 o'clock, 7.15, because my first committee meeting was always at 8 a.m. And that's I sit on ways and means, and that was at 8 a.m. And um don't be late. Uh so I'd have meetings ahead of time, and I would go through the day. Um, the day would vary. Sometimes we'd have caucus, then floor sessions, and then I'd have an afternoon committee. Uh, and in between I'd be meeting with um lobbyists or citizens would come in and talk to me about bills. Uh and I would usually get out. Oh, I had a late committee meeting that didn't start till four, and that usually went till six. Um, but my wife knew never to expect me home. If I was home before seven, she was had a smile on her face. Uh, you know, because it usually I'd go till 6:37, be home by 7. I really shot for 7 o'clock. If I was going to be home close to 7, I'd always let her know to go ahead and eat and I'd have a cold meal or heat it up when I got home. Um so the day was pretty much 12 hours, uh, Monday through Friday. Fridays were a little easier at the beginning because a lot of the legislators, we um wouldn't have floor and have afternoon committees because the Las Vegans were trying to get home to their jobs and or family uh for the weekend. Um and so I'd usually do catch-up on bills, on reading of new bills, andor meetings with legisl with um either other legislators or lobbyists. Um so Fridays were both, you know, I say they were easier days, but they were busy in the sense of they were occupied doing something. Um and then the weekends, usually I'd always try to take Saturday off to be with the family. And then Sunday I would write and write andor read, then write again. Uh go to church in the morning, and then the afternoons until dinner time were uh write, read, read, write.

SPEAKER_00 39:10

Ah, but well, I mean, it's such a busy schedule, just knowing that again, the 120 days, I mean, that already and of itself is such a uh time pressure element um to get everything done. As you said, anything goes past midnight on the 120th day, it's like, well, didn't didn't happen in your in your dreams. Uh well well, VK, I'd like to now go a bit more into I mean, this within this busy life, but hopefully this has been more therapeutic than more PTSD at this point. Um uh obviously with every legislator, you know, you were talking about experiences of each legislator, but also just of the connections you can make and the fact that uh every district is unique in some sense. And from that, you you you of course get a lot of different um ideas and requests for bills and for for that process. Uh what can you share just about the the process of uh putting out of these bills and trying to uh advocate for them, particularly as uh as it's it's certainly I think a different dynamic with between the majority and minority. So I'm wondering, you know, you were talking a bit about bipartisanship and whatnot, and how how do all those things kind of come together in this bill introduction drafting process?

SPEAKER_01 40:26

Aaron Powell Oh, they come together in a variety of ways. Uh but the bill, let's start with actually uh the idea. Um and that will usually come from my own experience. And I try not when I say my own experiences, uh not uh something for me personally that I want, because if I had the ability, I would uh shorten up the number of commercials on TV. Uh there are things like that that I do. But um when I say my own experiences from people that I spoke with at uh the Elks Club Rotary at church, and their experiences and things that I see uh are happening and what they bring to light to me. Um and then also what the industries come forward with. We had a workers' comp bill this session that came forward that uh was one of my bills. Um I always have some uh bills. There is a group, the veterans have the United Veterans Legislative Council, which I'm an active participant in, and they put together every year a list of priorities of issues slash bills that they would like uh to address things. And um I would they'd always give me their list, Wush list as we call it, and uh I would take a bill or two out of that for myself, and then I'd spread the list itself around to all the other uh legislators, the Republicans, uh particularly the freshmen, because a lot of the veterans they'll strongly support the bills. They'll come in, testify in mass, uh, and go around to the the uh various legislators to get support for their bills. I mean, they really work hard. And uh their bills are legitimate issues so much. Um we had one year was just dealing with grass at the cemeteries, the veterans, our state veteran cemeteries. Um that we have put grass out on them instead of just letting them dirt and uh it's just respect. Respect for our veterans and what sacrifices they've made. Uh so that's like I said, the industries will come forward with things and sit down and talk. And usually what uh I have is as a I say senior, uh you know, I get back to that collegiate attitude of the legislature, but returning or veteran legislator, and the assembly side, I can I have 10 bills that I can introduce. A freshman has six bills they can introduce. A freshman senator has ten bills, a returning senator has I think it's 20 or 21 bills that they can introduce, which we always have a bill every year that we put in to reduce the number of bills that can be introduced. Because I gotta be last session, uh the 25, we had over a thousand bills introduced. Um not all of them got hearings. Um and I can attest to a couple of mine did not even get a hearing. Um but I mean when you have over a thousand bills, you know in 120 days and what the process is there's just no time to deal with all of those. So uh like I said, right off the bat, some of them are dropped just because they're either too too something. I say either too red or too blue, whatever you want to say, or however you want to put it. Uh but from those, oh excuse me, I'll usually have about 20 that I consider. And I'll have discussions back with the various individuals. I'll also talk if it deals with um, well, I had one that dealt with uh the um contractors board. And I went and talked to the contractors board, and they said, well, we really could just handle that by a regulation right now. So, okay, you'll do that. Yeah, we'll I'll do that. So I don't need to introduce, I don't need to use one of my 10 BDRs, bill draft requests for that issue. It's taken care of. Um, so I'll narrow them down and and then I'll look at these 10, talk with the supporters, talk with the various industries edit stakeholders, and um if there aren't any major issues, and if there are, I try to deal with those ahead of time. I'll submit the request to uh our legal division to write up the bill draft to write the bill. Uh then it'll be presented. Uh it comes on the and assigned comes on during a floor session, it's assigned to a committee. And then you've got to work with that committee chair to get it scheduled for a hearing. Uh then once the hearing is held, you've or during the hearing, you've got to make sure you have all your supporters there to testify in favor and answer questions on why that bill is a good bill, why it's important, why it's necessary, why that policy is good for Nevada and good for the citizens. Then after that, you got to work on the chair and getting the votes to get it out of committee, which means both Republicans and the Democrats. You need a couple of Democrats to be in support, and the chair. The chair will never bring a bill forward that he or she is not supportive of. So you got to work with the chair first of all, and at the same time, simultaneously, work with some of his her fellow legislators, the D's, because they're in the um they're all the chairs. Because one of the things the chair will ask is, How many votes do you have from my fellow Democrats on this bill? And I love to say I've got all of them, or at least I have the majority of them, three out of the five, four out of the six, something like that. And so they'll look at that and get their support to bring it out for a vote. It gets voted out of committee, gets sent to the floor, and then you got to work on the floor votes to get it out of there. So you need a majority. Uh, and once again, being in that minority number, you need several Democrats to support it. And it's funny, if you look at a lot of the bills, a lot of them are unanimous, Republican Democrats. And there may be a few that there's just one short, too short, but there's a large number of support. And then there will naturally be party-line votes. Um, and then you repeat it. So it gets sent over to the Senate side and it's all over again. Go to the committee, have the hearing, get it out of committee, go to the floor, get it out of the floor, and then send to the governor. Yes. And usually they be prepared to answer any questions with the governor for or against it. But um, the governor voted or vetoed 87 bills this last session. And you look at those, a lot of them were uh party line votes, uh, which was the nice thing on why the Democrats had to come over to the Republicans and try to get some votes to help their bills be uh a little better reception over on the governor's side. Uh, but even that didn't guarantee the governor still stood ground on if it was a poor policy for the state of Nevada, then the bill was vetoed. And I commend them for that. That's not good government, I believe, to have that many bills vetoed, but it sets a standard of we're gonna have just good policy, not just because it's Republican bill or that there's some Republicans. I will veto bad legislation, bad policy, no matter who's on it. Um and I commend them for that action. And uh I would like to say that we should, we Democrats, Republicans, we legislators should always keep that in mind, that it's good policy that wins out, not just party line that wins.

SPEAKER_00 49:48

I'm 100% PK. I I'm really glad you shared all that information. I wish you taught my Nevada Constitution class or something. If I was if I grew up here, uh it's okay. I'm learning it right now, so I guess I I uh I don't hopefully I don't owe you too much tuition money on this.

SPEAKER_01 50:07

Like everything else I do, it's gratitude.

SPEAKER_00 50:09

Yeah. I I appreciate it. I'm I'm glad you brought up uh I mean the the the dynamics between the governor and the legislature because in 2022 we had an election and we elected a um and of course the assembly and it was in the Senate, uh, but also, of course, the leading to the executive branch too, and the executive officers. And of course, it's in Nevada, and so of course we end up with three Democrats and three Republicans somehow on the same exact ballot in 2022. And of course, 2024 we had an election where um again we had uh we voted for uh the uh Democrat legislature, but of course voted Republican for the president um ticket, as of course. Uh well PK, uh let's uh as we uh wrap up a conversation today, I'd like to uh ask you to look at uh not just the the state politics, but I think politics as a whole in terms of how you see our environment nowadays. Because of course, as many people I think are uh in in and understandably so in a lot of ways, um always scared of the other party or they're uh they've they can't have political conversations with uh family members or friends who have different opinions. You you've got quite a bit of a landscape here where uh there's a lot of people looking for uh legislators and people who are uh doing great things in politics. And I'd like to ask if you can talk a little bit about uh the the important values that you hold as you uh serve in your legislative role and what sort of what what sort of things people uh should look for in their leaders.

SPEAKER_01 51:46

Well, as and I'm friends with several Democrats. The speaker and I are uh good friends, and we always say, look at policy, not personality on bills. Uh election time period, we say a lot of things about each other, but that's election um action. Uh, but keep it on policy. What are the policies that I represent, you represent, uh, not the personality necessary about. And I'll attack, I'm a Republican, and I'd like to say I'm a strong Republican in the sense of I believe in what I call the three stools of the Republican Party, is uh small government and only necessary taxation. And to me, the biggest one is self-responsibility. The individuals are responsible for themselves. They should not look to government to solve all their issues and for government to be their parents, they are control of themselves. And I will follow that. That was Reagan's cry. And as I've said several times, um it's a little off your question, but if you gave me 22 Republican legislators, assembly people, I don't care what kind of how extreme Republicans are not extreme, because we like to shoot ourselves or eat our own. But at 22, we're in the majority. At 22, we're the ones that are chair of ways and means. We're the ones that are chair of commerce and labor. We set what will be heard and what won't be heard. What is the overarching policy of that legislative session? Um so that's why I say don't look at the personality of individuals. Look at the policy that they represent and that they carry forward uh with them in their legislative actions. And what are they professing to do? What how would they like to see? What are their goals in the state of Nevada? Um, we all talk about a great having a great state, whether you're D or R. To me, to have a I look at it from a Republican perspective, my road may be different than a Democrat road. And my perspective of a great state of Nevada on my road will get us to individual freedoms, where we have a thriving uh industries. Industries want to come here. I'm very disappointed that the young lady from In N Out went to Tennessee. She just lives over the hill. She should have come to Nevada. She didn't have to move that far. She could have done a U-Haul very in one day and have moved. Um but to have good businesses, we've got to have good schools. We've got to have good education. Now that isn't just K through 12. That is also higher education, too. But in that K through 12, we have great blue-collar jobs, as I still call them, uh, and train people. Not everybody has to be a nuclear physicist. We have plumbers that are in high demand with not enough, electricians, carpenters, etc. Those are all education skills that can be taught or learned in those lower grades. So we have to provide that. The industries will be here, the families will be here, we'll have houses. People will want to live here and enjoy and thrive and feel secure in their neighborhood with uh the proper facilities there to in support of them, not telling them how to live. Um, you know, this is really where, and I don't want to get extremely political with you, because it is easy enough to do. Uh you get caught up in personalities about individuals. Let's talk about the policy of the their parties in the individuals that they're trying to promote. I feel that some of the Democrat policies are a little too extreme. And as I said earlier, they're looking, they have the solution, not have the problem yet. But here's a solution, and let us put that in there. Um the big thing that Democrats like to tease me on now is uh free uh meals for all students, K through 12, uh, whether they can afford it or not. And then they turn around, and I voted against that along with most Republicans. Then they'll turn around, they want free meals, spend money there, but we also need more money for education. And when I say, well, use some of that money that my children can afford to buy their meals with, use that money we're saving and put it towards something else that we need in education. Oh, well, that isn't that much money, it really doesn't make any difference. Yes, it does. You can get to a dollar with a hundred pennies. It isn't always four quarters. You can get there, so if you save some of those pennies, it will add up and we can use it for something else. And that to me is where some of our differences, our philosophical, political differences come into play on what we believe is a good policy, what we believe is that thriving Nevada. Uh and it's the nice balance of naturally, I would like to have a Republican assembly, a Republican Senate, and Republican governor, all up and down, and good policy. But at least having balance. Historically, the Senate has normally been Republican, the Assembly been Democrat, and we've had probably a majority of Republican governors. Um, and we have done well in this state. Uh, but we need that balance because when we've had strict, I believe, all Democrats up and down the line, that's how we ended up with things that I don't agree with, such as the mail and ballast, everybody, whether the address is good or not, um, counting ballots for four or five days after election day. Uh, you know, the polls close at seven o'clock, but they can be postmarked up until midnight. So you almost know what some of the returns are to get the bill ballots in up to midnight. Uh that just shouldn't be. Uh so that's where we get into our philosophical differences between the parties. Uh, but I will say we have the best of intentions. I just believe not everybody has the right intentions.

SPEAKER_00 59:01

Yeah, and kind of to paraphrase to Reagan, you know he was asked, you know, how how did you make can you yourself make America kind of realize itself? And he said, I don't I don't think he himself was the one who made people believe in itself. He made people believe in themselves, not in government. And I think this is the same with our state. I think our state to to thrive, I think our state needs to believe in itself. We need to believe in ourselves that we can do so much more, we can do so much better. And of course, there's always gonna be growing pains. Um, but uh I like to wrap it up real quick. Uh but PK before we go, um, is Nevada Day the greatest holiday, state holiday?

SPEAKER_01 59:41

I think so. Fourth of July, though, I really enjoy. My kids are gonna kick me in the uh because it's Christmas, but yeah, Nevada Carson has truly a homegrown parade, citizens parade, lasts for hours on end, and we're all involved in it. We have, and it's a weekend event, it's just not uh hours or a couple, it is the whole weekend uh of events that we will have to celebrate Nevada joining the greatest country this world has ever seen, and I believe ever will be in the future, too. For the history of this world, they will always be a United States of America and will be where people will want to emulate themselves, what governments want to emulate, um, where people really can thrive and make them make something if they want to.

SPEAKER_00 1:00:43

Indeed. And and thanks to Abraham Lincoln as well for make helping to make that happen. Yes. Well, PK, I I just like to thank you again for uh such a wonderful interview and thank you for all the insight that you've shared with our audience today. Thank you for your service to our assembly and to our state, and we need more people like you. And uh I I really hope that this episode illuminates a bit more about our state and about how we we do things here. We we like to do things in a unique way here in Nevada, and uh it's I do think it's the people here who make the Silver State such a great place.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:22

It is. It's always the people, even in any business, it's your employees that make the business and can ruin the business. Nevada, the people, the citizens, make Nevada the great part that it is by their vote, by by every day their activities and uh just how they interact with tourists. How uh I mean it it's just a great state. I joke about, and you may joke about it too, Sherman, at times, even Reno. You know, I call Carson City truly the biggest little city. Because we we are, as you said. The only thing we're missing is an international airport. But otherwise, what do you go to Reno for? We got it here in Carson, and we've got the parade here in Carson. We've got everything you need here in Carson to me. Uh, but we've got everything we need here in Nevada as a whole, too, whether it's Las Vegas. Look at the difference in the state, the geography of the state. Um, from the heat in the deserts of Las Vegas to Elko in the Ruby Mountains, uh, and everything in between. Nevada has it and has the opportunity. If you're interested in a business, but being the best you can be, Nevada is where you want to be.

SPEAKER_00 1:02:50

Yes, sir. Happy Nevada Day, everybody. And uh, PK, thank you again.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:56

Thank you very much for having me. I do appreciate it, sir. I mean, you take care.

SPEAKER_00 1:03:00

Thank you all so much for listening to this episode. I hope you enjoyed it. Make sure to check out the links down in the show notes below. Have a great rest of your day and rest of your week. And remember, a day in America is always better when we are with our friends and fellows.