The biggest takeaways from this year's legislative session.

We have a panel in studio to discuss that ahead.

But first to Carson City, where the legislature has passed a bill providing the Oakland A's up to $380 million in public funding for the construction of a new stadium on the Las Vegas Strip.

Nevada Independent reporter Sean Golonka joins us now.

And Shawn, this bill originally died during the regular session, but Governor Joe Lombardo called a special session for it.

Lawmakers scoffed when the A's brought back the very same bill that didn't make it out of the regular session and then proceeded to make their own changes to it.

So let's go through those changes, which were the most important, in your opinion.

Right.

So I think kind of top of mind with lawmakers concerns over the same bill being brought was the community benefits agreement.

We saw a similar thing with the Allegiant Stadium deal and the Raiders coming in where the team basically has to sign a community benefits agreement, agreeing to make certain investments in the community.

So the latest changes to the athletics bill were really all about putting some stricter requirements into that, some more teeth into it for oversight and making sure they're complying with those requirements.

Could you give us some examples of what those requirements are?

Right.

So one thing is diversity in workforce.

So making sure that the construction worker stadium workers represent a diverse group of people, making sure that they're being paid a livable wage is a part of that as well.

Also, certain cash investments.

So whenever the Oakland A's or then the Las Vegas A's are in southern Nevada, they'll have to make contributions of at least $2 million annually into the community, whether that's, you know, donations to charities or even some kind of in-kind services, you know, putting on things in the community and that sort of thing.

Now, in addition to those community benefits, putting some teeth into those requirements, as you had said, this also resurrect two bills that Governor Lombardo had vetoed.

What are those bills that are now part of this?

Right.

So those two bills had been vetoed earlier by Lombardo, one of them basically make sure that railroad and monorail projects comply with the state's prevailing wage laws.

So just kind of wage requirements on those types of projects.

We could see transportation like a monorail going to and from the A's stadium, even something like the Las Vegas boring company Loop is technically a monorail.

And then the other bill requires companies seeking tax abatements from the state to provide paid family and medical leave.

I think it's a rate of 55% of their regular wage for 12 weeks.

So the inclusion of these two bills, does it make Governor Lombardo signature on this bill any less likely?

I don't think so.

I think that kind of stems from the negotiations between the governor's office and Democratic leadership in the legislature.

You know, he called the special session.

He's expressed support for this aid deal.

So clearly, you know, he wants the team in southern Nevada.

And so I think Democratic leaders kind of understanding that he wanted that we're able to get some of their own concessions from him with these vetoed bills being brought back in.

Remind our viewers why Governor Lombardo wants this so bad.

I think it's you know, it can be a jobs bill.

It's an economic investment.

Whenever his chief of staff, Ben Keke, ever presented the original bill during the regular session now about a couple of weeks ago, he said he think he thought it would be really an investment for the state, that ultimately it would bring more revenue into the state's general fund than if this investment were not made.

And you also brought up negotiations that have been happening.

How have they been happening?

Because it hasn't quite been out in public.

Right.

It's all it's all behind the scenes.

The legislative process is not always the most transparent.

But, you know, something that we've seen just being on the ground in the capital, Senate Majority Leader Nicole Can zero Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager.

We've seen them walking over across the Capitol yard to the governor's office.

So they've been in there, you know, behind closed doors negotiating this, this through and that, you know, that goes back all the way to the regular legislative session through both of the special sessions.

We've now been through.

This is the way of business in Nevada.

Did you get any sense that this decision was made in haste because lawmakers have expressed frustration having to stay past the regular session deadline?

You know, I think that's a tough judgment to make.

They certainly grilled the A's officials.

I think they had lengthy meetings behind closed doors with folks like Ace President Dave Carville and team owner John Fisher, as well as the people who presented the bill.

Economic analyst Jeremy Aguero and the head of the stadium authority, Steve Phil, you know, these these people were in communication with lawmakers and they were sorting out these details of the community benefits agreement and of the amendments, you know, behind closed doors.

But those conversations were were happening.

All right.

And as you have reported, there is a lot of work left for the A's to actually relocate to Las Vegas.

What comes next for them?

Well, first, they need approval from Major League Baseball owners to actually relocate from the city of Oakland.

And that's really the key step from getting out of there and moving to Vegas.

There's also the question of whether they'll have the relocation fee waived.

That could be, I think the estimate was maybe $253 million, although MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has indicated that could or would be waived for the A's relocating to Las Vegas.

There are certain, I think, fees they have to pay to get out of that that lease at the Oakland Coliseum.

They need to find a temporary home during the time of the construction of the stadium.

There's been talk of them playing potentially even at the Las Vegas ballpark where the aviators currently play.

So there's still a lot to figure out and that's even putting aside the agreements that they have to reach with the stadium authority.

They have to come up with $1.1 billion in private financing for this project.

And that's from a team owner who's been reluctant to spend a lot on the team itself.

So we're waiting to see where that private capital comes from as well.

All right.

A lot of hurdles remain.

Shaun Golonka with the Nevada Independent, thank you for your time.