MINUTES OF THE

      SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS

 

      Sixty-seventh Session

      January 20, 1993

 

 

 

The Senate Committee on Government Affairs was called to order by Chairman Ann O'Connell, at 1:30 p.m., on Wednesday, January 20, 1993, in Room 227 of the Legislative Building, Carson City, Nevada.  Exhibit A is the Meeting Agenda.  Exhibit B is the Attendance Roster.

 

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

Senator Ann O'Connell, Chairman

Senator Sue Lowden, Vice Chairman

Senator William J. Raggio

Senator Dean A. Rhoads

Senator Thomas J. Hickey

Senator Leonard V. Nevin

Senator Matthew Q. Callister

 

STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

Robert E. Erickson, Research Director

Caren Jenkins, Senior Research Analyst

Diane Gamble, Committee Secretary

Ricka Benum, Committee Secretary

 

OTHERS PRESENT:

 

Cheryl Lau, Secretary of State

 

Chairman O'Connell called the meeting to order and informed the committee Cheryl Lau, Secretary of State, would outline upcoming legislation proposed by her office.  As a courtesy, Chairman O'Connell enabled Ms. Lau to address the committee at the beginning of the meeting.

 

Ms. Lau began with the topic of election reform and briefly outlined what the committee could expect in the coming weeks.  According to Ms. Lau, approximately 40 bill draft requests (BDRs)

aimed to address election reform were in process the opening day of the 1993 Session.  She explained the proposed legislative package submitted by her office had resulted in a total of six BDRs. 

 

 

 

 

Ms. Lau provided the committee with copies of a Summary of Election Reform Proposals referenced in her testimony.  (See Exhibit C.)  She concluded by saying her office would be available to assist the committee at any time.

 

 

Chairman O'Connell listed the tentative meeting dates scheduled for Las Vegas, during the 2-week adjournment.  These included afternoon meetings on February 9, 11 and 15.  At the request of Chairman O'Connell, Ms. Lau indicated she would be available for at least one of the Las Vegas meetings. 

 

Proceeding with the next order of business, Chairman O'Connell asked the secretary to call the roll, then requested the committee members to introduce themselves for the benefit of persons in the audience.

 

Caren Jenkins, Senior Research Analyst, Research Division, Legis-lative Counsel Bureau, presented the Government Affairs issue brief for the 1993 session.  Outlining the types of measures that fall under the jurisdiction of the committee, Ms. Jenkins referred to the Senate Standing Rule No. 40 (Exhibit D).

 

Ms. Jenkins reviewed the legislation from the 1991 Session that was processed by the Senate Committee on Government Affairs.  She categorized the measures into specific sections; these included:

 

1.    State Employees,

2.    Local Governments,

3.    Clark County,

4.    Washoe County, and

5.    Rural Nevada.

 

It was pointed out by Ms. Jenkins, the committee will hear measures that relate to specific local governments.  She explained that due to the urban natures of Clark and Washoe counties, the need for specific legislation would often arise.

 

Continuing, Ms. Jenkins outlined a few of the issues the committee may expect to see this session.   She informed the members that five of the interim studies resulted in proposed legislation that would be heard by this committee.  (Exhibit E is a copy of Ms. Jenkins Issue Brief.)

 

Mr. Erickson, Research Director, Research Division, Legislative Counsel Bureau, summarized the topics of elections, campaign reform and ethics in government that were heard during the 1991 Session. 

 

(Exhibit F is a copy of Mr. Erickson's Issue Brief and background information.)  He noted that Assembly Bill (A.B.) 190 of the Sixty-sixth Session served as the primary vehicle for the changes in Nevada's ethics in government law.

 

Assembly Bill 190 of the    

Sixty-sixth Session:               Makes various changes regarding                                     ethics in government.

 

 

 

Mr. Erickson also touched on topics the committee could expect to be hearing this session, listed on pages 10 and 11 of the Issue Brief (Exhibit F).

 

Chairman O'Connell referred the committee to the Senate Committee on Government Affairs Standing Rules, (Exhibit G) a copy of which was included in their meeting packets.  The chairman indicated she would accept a motion for approval of the standing rules.

 

      SENATOR NEVIN MOVED FOR ADOPTION OF THE COMMITTEE RULES.

 

      SENATOR RAGGIO SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

      THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

      * * * * *

 

Chairman O'Connell requested a motion for committee introduction of Bill Draft Request (BDR) 19-865.

 

BDR 19-865:Makes changes concerning retention of minutes of public meetings.

 

Senator Raggio appealed to the chair for disclosure of the requestor of any future bill draft that is to be considered for committee introduction.  Chairman O'Connell indicated every effort would be made to accommodate Senator Raggio's request.

 

      SENATOR HICKEY MOVED FOR COMMITTEE INTRODUCTION OF

      BDR 19-865.

 

      THE MOTION WAS SECONDED BY SENATOR RAGGIO.

 

      THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

      * * * * *

 

 

 

Chairman O'Connell asked for consideration for committee introduction of BDR 31-496, which had been requested by the State Treasurer's office.

 

BDR 31-496:Authorizes state agencies to deposit money directly in approved financial institution without notifying state treasurer by telephone.

 

      SENATOR RHOADS MOVED FOR COMMITTEE INTRODUCTION OF

      BDR 31-496.

 

      SENATOR NEVIN SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

      THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

      * * * * *

 

Chairman O'Connell asked for a motion for committee introduction of BDR S-1364.

 

BDR S-1364:Increases compensation of members of  board of trustees of Airport Authority of Washoe County.

 

      SENATOR HICKEY MOVED FOR COMMITTEE INTRODUCTION OF

      BDR S-1364.

 

      SENATOR RHOADS SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

      THE MOTION CARRIED.  (SENATOR RAGGIO ABSTAINED FROM THE VOTE.)

 

Chairman O'Connell produced BDR 20-1047 also to be considered for committee introduction.  She informed the committee she was not advised who had requested the BDR.

 

BDR 20-1047:      Provide exemption for reasonable agricultural activity from certain air pollution statutes.

 

After brief discussion it was agreed by the committee to withhold committee introduction of BDR 20-1047 until more information was available and the requestor could be identified.   Senator Rhoads offered to obtain information on the BDR and report his findings at the next committee meeting.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.

     

                  RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

 

 

 

                                          

                  Ricka Benum,

                  Committee Secretary

 

 

 

APPROVED BY:

 

 

 

 

                                

Senator Ann O'Connell, Chairman

 

 

DATE:                           

??

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senate Committee on Government Affairs

January 20, 1993

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