MINUTES OF THE
SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
Sixty-seventh Session
April 19, 1993
The Senate Committee on Finance was called to order by Chairman William J. Raggio, at 8:10 a.m., on Monday, April 19, 1993, in Room 223 of the Legislative Building, Carson City, Nevada. Exhibit A is the Meeting Agenda. Exhibit B is the Attendance Roster.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:
Senator William J. Raggio, Chairman
Senator Raymond D. Rawson, Vice Chairman
Senator Lawrence E. Jacobsen
Senator Bob Coffin
Senator Diana M. Glomb
Senator William R. O'Donnell
COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Matthew Q. Callister (Excused)
STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:
Daniel G. Miles, Fiscal Analyst
Joan McConnell, Committee Secretary
OTHERS PRESENT:
Judy Matteucci, Director, Department of Administration
Senator Raggio stated Senate Bill (S.B.) 329 will be scheduled for a vote next Wednesday, April 21, 1993, which is the next meeting of the entire committee.
SENATE BILL 329: Makes supplemental appropriation to state distributive school account.
Manufactured Housing Education/Recovery - Page 426
Daniel G. Miles, Fiscal Analyst, stated the agency requested a return to the interim finance committee in about a year to set up the education program and requested a letter of intent to that effect. There is a provision that once the agency gets to a fund balance of $500,000 they can start spending money on education programs, which is anticipated in the first year of the biennium.
SENATOR RAWSON MOVED THE BUDGET BE CLOSED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION, AND A LETTER OF INTENT BE PREPARED BY STAFF ALLOWING THE AGENCY TO COME BACK IN THE EVENT THEY NEED FURTHER AUTHORITY BASED UPON APPROPRIATE COURT ORDERS.
SENATOR O'DONNELL SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION CARRIED. (SENATOR CALLISTER WAS ABSENT FOR THE VOTE.)
* * * * *
Senator Raggio requested the staff to prepare the letter of intent.
Housing - Page 441
Mr. Miles stated there are a couple of deletions within the budget. The deputy administrator is deleted and one-half of the deputy administrator of the Department of Commerce position is eliminated.
Senator Coffin pointed out there are no General Fund savings if the positions are abolished.
Judy Matteucci, Director, Department of Administration, commented when departments or separate divisions become either divisions or bureaus the budget office feels the "administrative hierarchy" previously established is no longer necessary. She added although there is no General Fund in this budget, the budget office applied reorganization savings across the board, not just to General Fund budgets.
Senator Coffin suggested restoring the positions since there is no General Fund savings.
Mr. Miles explained the deputy administrator position within Housing is 100 percent Housing Division funded. The other position is funded half from the Housing Division and half is currently in the Department of Commerce director's office, which is General Fund.
SENATOR COFFIN MOVED TO RESTORE THE POSITIONS.
Ms. Matteucci addressed Senator Coffin:
I'm not sure you really need the former department director, the deputy director position. Under the old funding scheme there would have been a General Fund cost for that other half. Essentially, you are now creating a director of the Department of Business and Industry, and there is no deputy director of the department.
Senator Coffin withdrew his motion pending further investigation.
Low Income Housing Trust Fund - Page 447
Senator Raggio held, for future discussion, Housing, page 441 and Low Income Housing Trust Fund, page 447 of the Executive Budget.
Because of Senator Callister's absence, Senator Raggio also held the budgets referring to the museums, libraries and arts.
Motor Pool - Page 228
Senator Raggio held this budget for later review.
Unclaimed Property - Page 252
Mr. Miles said this budget, under the reorganization, is proposed to be under the Department of Administration.
Ms. Matteucci stated the budget office has no problem with this budget staying with the Department of Business and Industry due to the close working relationship it has with the Financial Institu-tions Division.
SENATOR O'DONNELL MOVED TO CLOSE THE BUDGET SUBJECT TO DETERMINATION AS TO THE APPROPRIATE DEPARTMENT IN WHICH THIS AGENCY WILL BE LOCATED, OTHERWISE RECOMMENDED BY THE GOVERNOR.
SENATOR RAWSON SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION CARRIED. (SENATOR CALLISTER WAS ABSENT FOR THE VOTE.)
* * * * *
Victims of Crime - Page 315
Mr. Miles commented this budget is currently assigned to the Hearings Division, and whatever happens under SIIS (State Industrial Insurance System) might affect this budget.
SENATOR RAWSON MOVED TO CLOSE THE BUDGET, SUBJECT TO ANY FINAL CHANGES WHICH MAY AFFECT THE HEARING OFFICERS AND, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION.
SENATOR GLOMB SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION CARRIED. (SENATOR CALLISTER WAS ABSENT FOR THE VOTE.)
* * * * *
Senator Raggio held the following four budgets, which are being combined, for future discussion.
Board of Cosmetology - Page 525
To be combined with barbers.
Board of Architecture - Page 517
To be combined with landscape architecture.
Board of Hearing Specialists - Page 535
To be combined with audiology and speech pathology.
Board of Physical/Occupational Therapy Examiners - Page 557
Ms. Matteucci said there is a proposal all the boards would "liaison" with the Department of Business and Industry and would submit their budgets through that department. There would be another assessment to them to pay for a management assistant position that would attempt to coordinate and facilitate communication in and amongst all of the various boards (budget pages 515 through 567), which is the only change being proposed.
Senator Raggio asked the committee whether or not they favored the new management assistant position for contact with the various boards, which will require an appropriate assessment.
Senator Rawson felt the position would help the boards administra-tively. He felt a few of the boards perhaps should be eliminated, and possibly be under consumer affairs.
Senator O'Donnell expressed support for the position.
Senator Glomb was inclined to support the position.
Senator Coffin stated he was 90 percent in favor of the position.
Senator Jacobsen thought the new position had merit, although he expressed concern about current vacancies on the boards and commissions.
Senator Raggio did not feel a compelling case had been made to justify adding a new position and did not feel an assessment to cover such a position would be agreeable to the various licensing boards.
Senator Raggio held budget pages 515 through 567 until there is a full committee on Wednesday, April 21, 1993, to determine whether or not to approve the new management assistant position for the various boards.
State Climatologist - Page 1703
Senator Raggio commented that under the Governor's reorganization this agency is eliminated, and the proposal was made that the Division of Water Resources could assume this responsibility.
Mr. Miles stated the current state climatologist could operate on a budget of $25,611 each year, which was the agency request.
SENATOR COFFIN MOVED AGENCY REQUEST.
SENATOR JACOBSEN SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION CARRIED. (SENATOR CALLISTER WAS ABSENT FOR THE VOTE.)
* * * * *
There being no further business before the committee, Senator Raggio adjourned the meeting at 9:16 a.m.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:
Joan McConnell,
Committee Secretary
APPROVED BY:
Senator William J. Raggio, Chairman
DATE:
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Senate Committee on Finance
April 19, 1993
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