Screenshot from live video

Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak holds his address for the state on Tuesday, January 19, 2021.

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Governor Steve Sisolak on Tuesday outlined plans to boost employment growth and attract new industries to Nevada as the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect the state’s tourism-driven economy.

In his taped speech on the state of the state, the first-time Democrat suggested investing heavily in vocational training, infrastructure and renewable energy to help boost Nevada’s economy both during and after the pandemic. Describing the virus as “challenging,” “excruciating,” and “unprecedented” for families and businesses, he acknowledged the battle is far from over.

“It is not enough just to aim for a full reopening of our current economy,” said Sisolak. “We must look forward to the kind of economy that will allow our state to thrive in the future and create opportunities for all Nevadans.”

Economic diversification was an issue throughout the speech. The state’s trust in the hospitality industry is one of the main reasons it has been hit so badly by the pandemic.

Sisolak announced four priorities: vaccinating Nevadans, getting students back to the classroom, revitalizing the economy, and finding ways to drive growth, including green energy jobs and infrastructure investments.

At the start of the speech, Sisolak called for lawmakers to allocate an additional $ 50 million to the Pandemic Emergency Technical Support Program, a government program that grants small business grants of up to $ 10,000. The state has already spent $ 50 million on the program.

He also announced that Lt. Gov. Kate Marshall will lead a Small Business Advocacy Center designed to help small businesses “cut red tape” and access resources to weather the pandemic.

Sisolak also said he will work with lawmakers to pass an energy bill that establishes a commitment to “increased transmission, storage and distribution of all forms of clean energy” that would create “well-paying construction jobs” for the new industries starting this year Win state.

The governor proposed the creation of “innovation zones” designed to allow start-ups, research and new technologies to flourish. He did not provide details of the legislation for this proposal, but said it would not include any tax funding or tax breaks, such as the roughly $ 1.25 billion rebates offered by Governor Brian Sandoval’s administration to Tesla to lure to northern Nevada.

Sisolak said a company, Blockchains LLC, has pledged to invest in Nevada after the law is passed and “create a small town in northern Nevada entirely powered by blockchain technology,” which will bring in high-paying jobs and tax revenues .

Blockchain is a digital ledger that records transactions in cyber currencies like bitcoin.

To prepare Nevada’s workforce, Sisolak will create a program called Nevada Job Force, in which companies finance, design, and execute professional training programs. With many workers expected to continue working from home after the pandemic, he also plans to set up a resource center connecting Nevadans to remote workplaces around the world and in emerging industries.

“Many of the jobs lost during the pandemic will not return as companies move towards automation,” Sisolak said. “Vocational training – and retraining our displaced persons – and connecting Nevada workers to remote work opportunities and emerging industries will be key to the state’s economic future.”

The governor also urges lawmakers to work with the Nevada System of Higher Education to transfer control of community colleges to a new “independent agency.”

“Community colleges, along with union apprenticeship programs, are important elements in building the workforce and Nevada’s economic future,” said Sisolak.

The governor also recognized the state’s severely disabled and retarded unemployment insurance system, which kept the unemployed waiting months for relief. Sisolak said the backlog has been reduced by 95%, but the Ministry of Employment, Education and Rehabilitation needs a better system, including updated computers, that lawmakers will address.

“While public workers at all levels of government worked around the clock to cope with the effects of the pandemic, we found that many of our government systems were out of date and overwhelmed. We need to fix them,” Sisolak said.

He emphasized that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

“Nevadans are born of battle,” Sisolak said. “We face our challenges directly. And we will survive this difficult time together because the state of our state is determined, resilient and strong. “

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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