MINUTES OF THE
SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS
Sixty-seventh Session
April 16, 1993
The Senate Committee on Government Affairs was called to order by Chairman Ann O'Connell, at 11:00 a.m., on Friday, April 16, 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
GUEST LEGISLATORS PRESENT:
Senator Ernest E. Adler, Capital Senatorial Distrist
STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:
Caren Jenkins, Senior Research Analyst
Diana Gamble, Committee Secretary
OTHERS PRESENT:
Carol Villardo, Lobbyist, Nevada Taxpayers Association
Pam Miller, Lobbyist, American General Contractors
Tom Tatro, Acting Administrator, Purchasing Division, Department of General Services
Chairman O'Connell opened the work session with a discussion on Senate Bill (S.B.) 90.
SENATE BILL 90: Establishes policy and procedures for naming state property. (BDR 27-127)
Senator Ernest E. Adler, Capital Senatorial District, introduced himself to the committee. He explained the reason the Legislative Commission originally asked for S.B. 90 is because at the current time the legislature does not have a say in how a state building will be named. He said the Governor is the only elected official who can participate in the naming of state buildings at the present time.
Senator Adler said it is necessary for state buildings to be named after people more connected with state government. He suggested deleting the requirements in section 3 of S.B. 90 which would give more flexibility in naming state buildings. Senator Adler stressed he wants to have legislative input into the naming of state buildings by having a select committee which would include a senator and assemblyman to send a list of names to the Governor for final selection by him.
Senator Raggio stated he is in favor of including the legislature in the naming process, but as S.B. 90 read, the Governor would be able to choose who was on the committee and then the Governor would have the ultimate say in the naming of the building, thus he wants to add some other amendments to the bill before if left the committee.
Chairman O'Connell stated she and Caren Jenkins, Senior Research Analyst, Legislative Counsel Bureau, would review the proposed amendments to S.B. 90 and would report to the committee at the next work session. Chairman O'Connell asked if Senator Adler has a problem with the Legislative Commission being used as the board which would give the prospective building names to the Governor.
Senator Adler said he did not have a problem with the Legislative Commission choosing the names for the buildings, but he wanted to add someone from the library and state archives and the director of general services as advisory members because that would be where the commission would get their information for making the naming decision.
Chairman O'Connell closed the discussion on S.B. 90 and opened testimony on other bills pending in committee.
SENATE BILL (S.B.) 140:Creates advisory committee to study consolidation of Clark County and Las Vegas. (BDR S-633)
SENATOR HICKEY MOVED TO INDEFINITELY POSTPONE S.B. 140.
SENATOR LOWDEN SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION PASSED. (SENATORS CALLISTER AND NEVIN WERE ABSENT FOR THE VOTE.)
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SENATE BILL (S.B.) 158:Limits authority of department of transportation to enter into certain contracts without approval of state board of examiners. (BDR 23-636)
SENATOR HICKEY MOVED TO INDEFINITELY POSTPONE S.B. 158.
SENATOR LOWDEN SECONDED THE MOTION.
Senator Raggio opposed the motion stating the recommendation for S.B. 158 came out of the interim subcommittee on privatization. Senator Raggio strongly pointed out:
The language in section 8 is clear, this does not apply to the usual type of contract as to construction, reconstruction, maintenance and so forth. This would require that all other types of contracts which every other agency has to submit would be included. So, that was the unanimous feeling of the interim committee on privatization and I would oppose a motion.
Senator Hickey responded:
With all due respect, the testimony that we heard here, it interferes with the fluid operation of the Department of Transportation in it's entering in of contracts. That interference could cause delay and also an increase in expenses. With that testimony that we heard and under the present system it seems to be working well, I support my motion.
Senator Lowden added:
My opinion was that it was another layer of bureaucracy that I believe there are two or three members of the board of examiners that are already on the board of transportation and it did seem to me to be bureaucratic.
THE MOTION PASSED. (SENATORS RAGGIO AND O'CONNELL VOTED NO. SENATOR CALLISTER ABSTAINED FROM THE VOTE.)
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SENATE BILL (S.B.) 159:Requires state board of examiners to evaluate contracts it approves. (BDR 23-637)
SENATOR RAGGIO MOVED TO RE-REFER S.B. 159 TO THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE.
SENATOR HICKEY SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
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The chairman asked for any questions regarding Senate Bill (S.B.) 160.
SENATE BILL 160: Clarifies authority of public bodies to advertise for bids on certain public works. (BDR 28-646)
Senator Hickey asked why the threshold for bidding was raised to $100,000 when the committee had been asked to lower the bidding threshold to $25,000.
Carol Villardo, Lobbyist, Nevada Taxpayers Association, answered the Nevada Taxpayers Association has requested the threshold be lowered to $25,000 in the 1987 and 1989 sessions. She said the lower threshold would put in an element of protection for taxpayer's money.
Senator Rhoads suggested an amendment which would lower the bid ceiling to $25,000 on S.B. 160.
SENATOR RHOADS MOVED TO AMEND AND DO PASS S.B. 160.
SENATOR HICKEY SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
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SENATE BILL (S.B.) 162:Requires consideration of certain previous criminal conduct in determining eligibility of potential contractor for certain state contracts. (BDR 18-646)
SENATOR NEVIN MOVED TO DO PASS S.B. 162.
SENATOR RHOADS SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
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SENATE BILL (S.B.) 163:Establishes requirements for awarding contract to private contractor for service provided by state agency. (BDR 18-639)
Senator Raggio said he had a problem with S.B. 163 because he did not see the benefit of requiring a 10 percent savings be necessary before a service could be contracted out. He said in many cases a 5 percent savings would be a substantial amount and therefore not allowing something to be contracted out just because it did not meet the 10 percent savings criteria would be a disservice to the taxpayer.
Senator Raggio suggested an amendment to S.B. 163 by omitting subsections 1 and 2 and retain subsection 3 changing the term "bid" to "bid or proposal."
SENATOR RAGGIO MOVED TO AMEND AND DO PASS S.B. 163.
SENATOR LOWDEN SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
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SENATE BILL (S.B.) 180:Increases number of members on city council of City of Las Vegas. (BDR S-456)
SENATOR HICKEY MOVED TO INDEFINITELY POSTPONE S.B. 180.
SENATOR NEVIN SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
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SENATE BILL (S.B.) 185:Exempts certain small municipalities from limitations on amount of tax revenue which may be paid to redevelopment agencies and tax increment areas. (BDR 22-281)
SENATOR RHOADS MOVED TO INDEFINITELY POSTPONE S.B. 185.
SENATOR CALLISTER SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
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SENATE BILL (S.B.) 233:Authorizes special assessments for cost of operating certain public improvements. (BDR 21-929)
Senator Nevin said he had a concern about the bill because after the initial assessment was done then for the following 4 years any assessment could be put on without a formal hearing as long as it was below that initial assessment amount.
SENATOR LOWDEN MOVED TO INDEFINITELY POSTPONE S.B. 233.
SENATOR NEVIN SECONDED THE MOTION.
Senator Hickey objected to the motion stating the bill was designed to meet additional funding for North Las Vegas.
THE MOTION PASSED. (SENATOR HICKEY VOTED NO.)
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SENATE BILL (S.B.) 282:Expands exemption from requirement that state public works board furnish engineering and architectural services for certain buildings. (BDR 28-265)
SENATOR RAGGIO MOVED TO DO PASS S.B. 282.
SENATOR HICKEY SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION PASSED. (SENATOR NEVIN VOTED NO.)
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ASSEMBLY BILL (A.B.) 40: Abolishes certain duties of county treasurer. (BDR 20-309)
SENATOR RAGGIO MOVED TO DO PASS A.B. 40.
SENATOR CALLISTER SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
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ASSEMBLY BILL (A.B.) 70: Makes various changes regarding investment of estates by public administrator or public guardian. (BDR 20-218)
SENATOR NEVIN MOVED TO INDEFINITELY POSTPONE A.B. 70.
SENATOR HICKEY SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION PASSED. (SENATOR LOWDEN VOTED NO.)
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BILL DRAFT REQUEST (BDR) 31-1956: Requires county to establish procedures for collecting accounts receivable owed to county and removing uncollectible accounts receivable from records of county. (BDR 31-1956)
SENATOR NEVIN MOVED FOR COMMITTEE INTRODUCTION ON BDR 31-1956.
SENATOR RAGGIO SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
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There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 12:40 p.m.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:
Diana Gamble,
Committee Secretary
APPROVED BY:
Senator Ann O'Connell, Chairman
DATE:
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Senate Committee on Government Affairs
April 16, 1993
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