Opinion ID: 2460291
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: The Legislature's authority to enact laws binding upon political subdivisions is subject to constitutional limitations

Text: Although the Legislature's law-making authority is considerable, it is not unlimited. Galloway v. Truesdell, 83 Nev. 13, 20, 422 P.2d 237, 242 (1967). Under constitutional checks and balances principles, courts are obligated to enforce the limitations that the constitution imposes upon legislative acts, and in that regard, the district court erred by essentially concluding that A.B. 6, section 18 is insulated from judicial review based on the Legislature's overriding sovereign authority over political subdivisions. The Nevada Constitution is the supreme law of the state, which control[s] over any conflicting statutory provisions. Goldman v. Bryan, 106 Nev. 30, 37, 787 P.2d 372, 377 (1990). Thus, although the State argues that the CWC has no authority to disregard A.B. 6, section 18's mandate to transfer the $62 million to the State's general fund, the State admits that political subdivisions are not bound by a statute that violates a specific constitutional limitation. Article 4 of the Nevada Constitution both confers law-making authority on the Legislature, see Nev. Const, art. 4, § 1, and limits that authority in order to protect Nevada citizens from unequal treatment under the laws. See Nev. Const. art. 4, §§ 20, 21. In determining whether A.B. 6, section 18's mandate requiring the CWC to turn over $62 million to the State for its unrestricted general use is permissible under the Nevada Constitution's local and special law proscriptions, we first analyze whether section 18 is local or special legislation. In so doing, we examine the origin of the Nevada Constitution's proscriptions on local and special laws, as that history provides a framework for our analysis. Since, as explained below, we conclude that A.B. 6, section 18 is both a local and special law, we next analyze whether it violates Nevada Constitution Article 4, Section 20, which prohibits local or special laws that assess and collect taxes for state purposes, and Article 4, Section 21, which otherwise prohibits local or special laws in cases where a general law could apply. As discussed below, we determine that A.B. 6, section 18 violates both Article 4, Sections 20 and 21, and it therefore fails under the Nevada Constitution.