CARSON CITY — With just one hour to go before midnight, and two until the session automatically ends by constitutional mandate, the process is stalled. Neither house is working, and Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio is unbelievably chairing a Finance Committee meeting and still passing bills, literally at the 11th hour.

In short, it’s the usual mess that occasions the end of a legislative session, as good intentions dissolve into delays.

It seems to us that some simple rules changes might improve things, like a prohibition on introducing any bills after a certain date, say mid-May, and a prohibition on amendments in the final week. These rules could be waived only by mutual agreement of the majority leader and Assembly speaker. But we’re not holding our breath for any reforms of this process. Ending a legislative session is like landing a 747 — it doesn’t exactly stop on a dime.

Our hopes for an early adjournment are gone; now we’re just wondering if they’ll finish before the clock strikes the fatal hour.

THIS JUST IN — A capital insider just told us that things are going to get moving soon. And Speaker Barbara Buckley just brought down the gavel. And we’ve heard the bell calling the Senate into session. But that clock is still ticking…