Nevada lawmakers tackling budget crisis

The Nevada Legislature began a special session Wednesday to address the state's historic $1.2 billion budget shortfall.

TRYING TO TACKLE NEVADA'SBUDGET CRISIS..AND MANY PEOPLE ARE WORRIEDABOUT CUTS..LETS GET TO.....13 INVESTIGATES REPORTER.....JOE BARTELS AT THE STATECAPITOL..... IN CARSON CITY....TONIGHT..THE CLOCK IS TICKING TO GETTHIS BUDGET CRISIS UNDERCONTROL..THE FISCAL YEAR..STARTED ON JULY FIRST..AND LAWMAKERS HAVE TO FIX THEBILLION DOLLAR BUDGET SHORTFALL..CREATED BY COVID-19... FAST.THE NEVADA ECONOMIC EMERGENCY..HAS GIVEN WAY..TO A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVESESSION..63 LAWMAKERS..HAVE A SHORT TIME..TO FIGURE OUT A BIG BUDGETPROBLEM.JOHN COOPER [12:05:35] "PUBLICEDUCATION FUNDING IS NOW MORETHAN EVER.ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL TO THEHEALTH, SAFETY AND FUTURE OFNEVADA.THAT FUNDING CUTS ARE EVENTHE PUBLIC HAS BEEN ABLE TOCALL..TO GIVE LAWMAKERS A PIECE OFTHEIR MINDS.OUTSIDE THE CAPITOL BUILDING..PROTESTORS SHOWED UP..TO HAVE THEIR VOICES HEARD..THE GROUP..MADE UP LARGELY OF TEACHERS ANDEDUCATION STAKEHOLDERS..DO NOT WANT ANY CUTS TOEDUCATION"WE FEEL IT'S IMPORTANT TO HAVEOUR VOICES HEARD THAT THELEGISLATURE SHOULDN'T BEDEFUNDING EDUCATION." BUTTHAT'S EXACTLY WHAT'S ON THETABLE..ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNOR..13 INVESTIGATES SPOKE ONE ONONE WITH HIM..."NO ONE WAS LEFT IMMUNE OREXEMPT FROM THAT EVERYBODY'SGOING TO FACE SOME DIFFICULTYAS A RESULT OF CUTTING A BUDGETBY 25%." LAWMAKERS HAVE BEENHEARING FROM AGENCY HEADS..ABOUT POTENTIAL CUTS..WHICH MAY NEED TO BE AS HIGH AS1 POINT 2 BILLION DOLLARS..AND THERE'S TALK ABOUT RAISINGTAXES..IN COMBINATION WITH CUTS..TO MAKE ENDS MEET.THIS SESSION IS FAR FROM OVER..THERE'S TALK HERE AT THECAPITOL..LAWMAKERS MAY NEED TO BE HERETHROUGH NEXT WEEK..SLIGHTLY.... IN NEVADA...