The day after the election, Lisa was ordered to the hospital on a month-long bed rest to forestall the delivery. Facing pre-eclampsia, our boys were delivered Thanksgiving weekend, eight weeks before their due date.

December and January were a volatile cocktail of celebration for our beautiful babies, as well as a constant vigil of dread and terror as we weathered false-positive chromosome disease test results, a range of frightening preemie medical conditions, infections, and progress and setbacks in their respiratory development.

Our celebration of Luca’s release after six weeks in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) was tempered with the reality that Finn remained behind, struggling to breathe on his own. On the opening day of the 75th session of the Nevada Legislature, the boys’ original projected due date, Finnegan was released from the hospital tethered to an oxygen tank that would remain by his side for many more weeks.

“Oh man, you’re probably not getting much sleep are you?!” was a common question I received during the 2009 session. And while the nights home from Carson City were indeed tough in the midst of one of the most difficult budget sessions in Nevada history, the joy and optimism of having our precious babies home kept me going.

In the months since that tough session, both the experience of the pregnancy and the NICU seem light years behind. Our babies have blossomed into vibrant little 15-month old boys, complete with distinct personalities, curiosity and joy.

As I’ve stated before on this blog, the decision to run is never a decision I take lightly. In the wake of the difficult choices we had to make last session to keep our state moving forward, and the new-found perspective on life I’ve gained from a fatherhood that came precariously close to never existing, there’s no getting around that this year’s decision to run for re-election was not easy.

The recent special session in which we had to make tough decisions in order to address a $900 million budget shortfall churned my stomach many times over. The anxiety my family and friends feel in this economy, many of whom have been out of work for months or live one layoff round away from not being able to provide for their families, is real. While I was able to fight and reduce some of Governor Gibbons’ most severe cuts, I know there are many difficult days to come next session.

But similar to the blossoming life I’m privileged to witness everyday in my two sons born to adversity, I’m confident that the only choice I can realistically make is to keep on moving forward.

Today, I’m filing for re-election to serve the residents of Assembly District 24.

Nevada’s budget challenges are enormous. Our challenge is not only to survive the immediate economic disaster, but to plan, now, for a brighter future for our state and our children. Making this next session even more daunting is the effect of term limits in which we’ll see a massive turn over in leadership in our citizen legislature. Over the past two sessions, I’m proud of the experience I’ve gained to become an effective advocate for my district and this state. I’m ready to boost my service to new heights in light of these changes as we pursue new solutions to Nevada’s problems.

I can take it. I’ve been through a lot. We will weather this storm. We will see a better tomorrow. With your help, we will get there, together.

Please join me on the campaign trail. Fan me on Facebook and/or join my Heckuva Lotta Friends Facebook Group. Also be sure to sign up for email updates from the campaign so you can stay involved.

And… check out my new campaign video! “Keep Moving Forward.”

For more detail on the revenue projections, please refer to this handout (”General Fund Revenue Forecasts” pdf) that was distributed at today’s meeting in both Carson City and Las Vegas. Adding to the problem is our increased Medicaid caseload, putting the number closer to $900 million.

In the coming weeks, I look forward to hearing from you your ideas for what we can do to address this current shortfall in such a manner that both deals with the immediate crisis and sets us as Nevadans on a course to full economic recovery. There are no easy answers to this crisis, and legislators and the Governor need to hear from you on how to more forward.

Our twins are just nine months old, so I have not had the opportunity yet to participate as a parent in our schools—something I am looking forward to in another six years or so. I have, however, spent time in our schools, making presentations to classes and talking individually with students about civic participation and the legislative process. In talking with teachers about the challenges they face in today’s classrooms, parental involvement is often mentioned as a critical factor, and I hear from parents that they would like to get more involved but are just not sure how to do so.

Below are some links with tips on how you can get involved and help your child or grandchild succeed in school. Here are a few tips I think are particularly helpful:

Getting Involved in Washoe County Schools

Washoe County School District—You can get information about how to get involved in your child’s or grandchild’s school, get information on the curriculum and school policies and get tips for helping with homework by visiting www.washoe.k12.nv.us/parents.

School Superintendent Heath Morrison will be hosting a series of “Brown Bag” lunches with parents, business leaders and others interested in participating in our schools. The current schedule for these meetings is:

• Noon to 1 p.m. Sept. 8, Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation, 948 Incline Way, Incline Village.
• Noon to 1 p.m., Nov. 18, National Automobile Museum, 10 S. Lake St.
• Noon to 1 p.m., Jan. 6, Boys and Girls Club of Truckee Meadows, 2680 E. 9^th Street
• Noon to 1 p.m. Feb. 3, Neil Road Recreation Center, 3925 Neil Road
• Noon to 1 p.m., March 3, McKinley Arts & Culture Center, 925 Riverside Drive
• Noon to 1 p.m. April 7, Sun Valley Neighborhood Center, 115 W. 6th St., next to the Sun Valley Pool.

You can get more information on these events by calling the WCSD Parent Involvement Office at 775-353-5533 or by e-mailing parentinvolvement@washoe.k12.nv.us.

Education Alliance of Washoe County, Inc. is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to foster partnerships between schools, parents, businesses and community leaders. Their website, www.ed-alliance.org has news of events and links to useful publications.

Other Resources

Nevada State Parent Information and Resource Center (PIRC)—PIRC’s website has a wide variety of suggestions of activities parents and grandparents can do with their children. Their website is www.nevadapirc.org.

Parent Teacher Association—the National PTA has tips on helping students with homework, instilling a love for reading, and working with teachers to help your student succeed. Visit www.pta.org/topic_student_success.asp.

US Department of Education—For a series of online brochures on topics ranging from helping your students with science and math to getting prepared for college, visit www.ed.gov/parents.

New Legislation to Help You Participate in School

The 2009 Legislature enacted a new law requiring businesses with 50 or more employers to provide their employees up to four hours of unpaid leave a year to attend school activities or to volunteer in their children’s school. For more information on how this law works, visit www.leg.state.nv.us or call or email me and I will send you a copy of the legislation.

School Safety—Protecting Kids on the Way to School

Making sure our kids are safe as they go to and from school is critical. The Legislature enacted a law in 2007 that gives school police the authority to issue traffic citations around schools for speeding, double parking and parking in “No Parking” zones.

If your child walks to school, be sure you have chosen the safest route. Make sure your child does not deviate from this route.

“I heard concerns about illegal dumping from a number of residents while walking door-to-door last year,” Bobzien said. “It’s time we send a message that this sort of behavior won’t be tolerated while at the same time making sure we have methods to clean up the dumps.” Bobzien represents northwest and northeast Reno, parts of Stead and the North Valleys.

Bobzien wrote the bill with the Illegal Dumping Task Force. The task force consists of Washoe County, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Department and Keep Truckee Meadows Beautiful. “Illegal dumps can be very dangerous,” Sonya Hem, the task force’s president, said. “It’s a fire hazard, you can find dangerous materials out there; meth labs, chemicals, things that can harm you if you stumble across them.”

Bobzien’s bill is supported by a wide array of public interest groups, including the Nevada Conservation League, a non-profit group representing the state’s conservation community.  ”This bill will help to keep Nevada’s open space clean,” Kyle Davis, the Policy Director for the League, said.

Assemblywoman Debbie Smith, D-Reno, a co-sponsor of the bill, said simply, “Illegal dumping is just that, illegal, and we need to make it clear.”

The Senate Government Affairs committee will be meeting in Room 2144 of the Legislative Building Friday afternoon upon adjournment of Senate Floor Session, April 24, 2009.