Former Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager reflects on a decade in Carson City and offers advice to Nevada's 12 new Assembly members

What happened

Former Nevada Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager says he has no regrets about skipping a run for a sixth and final term this year, KTNV Channel 13 reported. He spent 10 years in Carson City, including the last two sessions as speaker, and told the station it was time to move on to other pursuits.

KTNV noted that Yeager stepped aside in what turned out to be the best year for Democrats in a long time. In an interview with the station, he shared advice for the lawmakers about to take his place.

A Legislature with many new faces

According to KTNV, Democrats flipped five Assembly seats, and 12 new members are headed to the capital, nearly a third of the chamber. The station reported that 12-year term limits, resignations and members leaving to seek other offices keep turnover constant in Carson City.

This year alone, the 63-member Legislature will lose 87 years of experience, KTNV reported. That includes Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, who was elected attorney general. Readers following the results can find more coverage in our elections section.

New leaders in both chambers

Both chambers will have new leaders, KTNV reported. The incoming state Senate majority leader is state Sen. Edgar Flores, D-Clark County, who has served in both the Assembly and the Senate.

In the Assembly, Assemblywoman Elaine Marzola, D-Clark County, is expected to become speaker, according to the station. Marzola was first elected in 2020, has served three terms and has chaired the Commerce and Labor Committee. Gov-elect Aaron Ford is a former state senator who served as minority and majority leader, KTNV noted. Ford has also named leaders for his transition team.

Yeager's advice for incoming lawmakers

Ask questions and build relationships

Yeager told Channel 13 that his first tip for new members is to "ask a lot of questions." He said admitting you do not know an answer or an issue is never wrong, and he encouraged new members to build relationships with fellow lawmakers, lobbyists and staff.

He also said new lawmakers need to learn the legislative process, which KTNV described as complex. Yeager said getting a bill through and signed by the governor takes a lot of work, even when members arrive with big plans.

Stay grounded and keep talking

Yeager said the most important advice may be "just to stay off social media." He described it as "a medium and a platform for the loudest voices" and said new members can mistake what they read there for what everyone thinks.

He told KTNV that communication within the Assembly, between the two chambers and with the governor is essential. Without it, he said, misunderstandings can arise. For Marzola, his advice was to "just be comfortable with the chaos and the unpredictability of being the speaker."

Looking back on his record

Bills he was proud of

Yeager said he was proud of bills to expand voting opportunities, raise the minimum wage and promote outdoor recreation, KTNV reported. He also pointed to the diversity of the Legislature, noting Nevada was the first state to have a female-majority statehouse.

The veto that disappointed him

Yeager said he was disappointed that a bill failed that would have let nonpartisan voters choose to take part in either the closed Republican or Democratic primary. The bill passed but was vetoed by Gov. Joe Lombardo. Yeager told the station that "with all the nonpartisans we have in the state, that's the right thing to do."

As for what comes next, Yeager said he is exploring options working with legislative leaders in Nevada and elsewhere. "I love being around elected leaders," he told KTNV.

What to watch next

• Whether Assemblywoman Elaine Marzola takes over as Assembly speaker, as KTNV reported is expected.
• State Sen. Edgar Flores stepping in as the incoming Senate majority leader.
• The arrival of 12 new Assembly members as the Legislature loses 87 years of experience.
• Where Yeager lands as he explores work with legislative leaders in Nevada and elsewhere.