It is keeping the lights on.
From the pews and ballot boxes, we turn our focus to the halls of the Legislature.
On February 1, Nevada begins its 120-day legislative marathon. The coming session brings new opportunities to advance policies that affect everyday Nevadans. The election sent a clear message about the desire for change, particularly as families struggle to afford to live here.
But opportunities also come with constraints.
Democrats secured a two-thirds supermajority in the Assembly but remain one seat short in the Senate. Governor-elect Aaron Ford has promised not to raise taxes. Nevada’s Economic Forum meets November 16 to approve the revenue forecast that will help shape the budget he presents in January.
Nevada requires a two-thirds vote in both chambers to pass legislation that raises public revenue, including taxes and certain fees. That means proposals requiring that threshold will need bipartisan support in the Senate.
These realities will shape the session. So must the needs of our neighbors.
Throughout the session, LEAN will help break down the budget and explain what its choices mean for our communities. One question we will keep asking is whether Nevadans can afford the energy they need to stay safe and healthy, through extreme summer heat and cold winter nights.
For many, the struggle is simply to keep the lights on.
It is the parent calculating how much gas they need to get to work until payday. The senior deciding whether to turn up the heat. The family opening a utility bill and wondering what else they can cut.
The election is over. Those bills are still coming.
Reporting shared by the Nevada Current highlights a difficult reality: bringing down energy prices takes more than campaign promises. Global oil markets, war, and supply disruptions limit how quickly elected officials can deliver relief.
But acknowledging those limits does not relieve our leaders of their responsibility to act.
As we prepare for the session, our advocacy must keep our neighbors’ basic needs at the center:
- Help households afford essential energy costs.
- Invest in weatherization and energy efficiency so families can keep their homes comfortable for less.
- Strengthen protections for people at risk of losing essential utility service.
- Demand transparent utility decisions and meaningful opportunities for communities to be heard.
- Ask who pays for new energy infrastructure, and ensure households are protected when large industries seek more power.
These are choices about our budgets, our priorities, and how we care for one another.
As Lutherans, we understand that loving our neighbor includes caring about whether they have a warm home and enough money left for food and medicine.
There may be no magic wand for lowering energy prices. There is still a responsibility to pursue meaningful relief.
