After Two Years, Governor Sisolak Ends State of Emergency

Today, as expected from a prior announcement, Gov. Steve Sisolak has ended his emergency powers, two years and two months after his initial declaration.

“Today, we are turning the page on the State of Emergency caused by COVID-19 and are laser focused on ensuring our recovery from the public health, fiscal and [economic] crisis serves the needs of Nevada’s families,” Sisolak said in a press release. “COVID-19 is still with us, and we can all still take steps to protect ourselves from the virus, but now is the time to end this State of Emergency.”

As reported by the Nevada Independent:

On Wednesday, Sisolak signed an additional proclamation declaring a “limited” state of emergency as it relates to supplemental allotments for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, allowing the state to continue the additional benefits from the federal government until the national public health emergency ends.

“The sharp increase in food insecurity threatened by the loss of these additional federal emergency allotments constitutes an imminent danger or threat to the health, safety, and welfare of Nevada SNAP recipients and their families,” the proclamation said, noting that the supplemental benefits have become “essential” for addressing food insecurity.

During the State of Emergency, Sisolak imposed lockdowns. As a result, Nevada’s unemployment rate spiked to over 30 percent and still remains the third highest rate at above five percent–a contributing factor to food insecurity.

As reported by The Globe, during the pandemic, Sisolak shuttered small businesses and churches– deeming them “non essential,” overdose deaths have tripled among Nevadans and fatalities have more than doubled among the Hispanic community from 2019-2020, and due to mandated school closures and mismanagement, Nevada’s public schools rank at the bottom in the nation.

In an interview this week with The Globe, venture capitalist and candidate for Governor, Guy Nohra claimed, “Sisolak will be defined by his shutdowns and his over-reaction of hurting and harming a lot of people.”

Nohra’s claims do align with the trends and polling in Nevada. Every trend favors the GOP in November as Independents, Democrats and Latinos are leaving the Democratic Party in record numbers, causing the Cook Political Report to shift the Governor’s race from “Lean Democrat” to “Toss Up.”