Ratti is the third Reno-area lawmaker to leave Legislature since October
James DeHaven Reno Gazette Journal November 20, 2021
State Sen. Julia Ratti, D-Sparks, is stepping down from the Nevada Legislature, further blurring an already murky picture of how Northern Nevada’s legislative delegation could look in 2023.
Ratti, the statehouse’s second-ranking Democrat, announced her departure in a Friday letter to Gov. Steve Sisolak.
The two-term state senator, who previously spent eight years on the Sparks City Council, said she was looking forward to refocusing on her job at the Washoe County Health District.
“It has been an absolute privilege to have the opportunity to strive to improve the lives of Nevadans during my time in the State Senate,” she wrote. “It is my sincere hope that my efforts, alongside the efforts of many others, have made at least a modest difference.
“I wish you, my colleagues in the Legislature, and the talented staff in the Legislative and Executive branches much success as you continue the important work before you.”
Ratti rose quickly through the legislative ranks in Carson City, where she spent five years building a reputation as the Legislature’s unofficial dean of affordable housing policy.
She elaborated on her resignation in a Friday tweet that said she and her family planned to move outside the boundaries of Senate District 13, making her ineligible to serve.
Ratti went on to say that her life and professional efforts “could benefit from (a) greater level of simplicity.”
State Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro praised Ratti’s legislative tenure in a statement released Friday.
“Julia is a true public servant who always puts the people of Nevada first, and her thoughtfulness, dedication, and perseverance will be truly missed,” Cannizzaro said. “I am honored to call Julia a friend and look forward to seeing what her next chapters hold.”
Ratti went on to say that her life and professional efforts “could benefit from (a) greater level of simplicity.”
State Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro praised Ratti’s legislative tenure in a statement released Friday.
“Julia is a true public servant who always puts the people of Nevada first, and her thoughtfulness, dedication, and perseverance will be truly missed,” Cannizzaro said. “I am honored to call Julia a friend and look forward to seeing what her next chapters hold.”
Assemblyman John Ellison, R-Elko, is also legally prohibited from seeking re-election to the Legislature, as is State Senate Minority Leader James Settelmeyer, R-Minden.
Fellow Republicans Glen Leavitt, Jim Wheeler, Andy Matthews and Tom Roberts have all announced their intent to run for a non-Assembly seat next year.
Assemblywoman Robin Titus, the minority caucus’ leader in the Legislature’s lower chamber, is joining Wheeler in the race for Settelmeyer’s seat, while Mesquite Republican Annie Black mulls a bid for outgoing Senator Joe Hardy’s spot in Senate District 12.