The Committee on Government Affairs was called to order at 9:10 a.m., on Monday, March 8, 1999. Chairman Douglas Bache presided in Room 3143 of the Legislative Building, Carson City, Nevada. Exhibit A is the Agenda. Exhibit B is the Guest List. All Exhibits are available and on file at the Research Library of the Legislative Counsel Bureau.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:

Mr. Douglas Bache, Chairman

Mr. John Jay Lee, Vice Chairman

Ms. Merle Berman

Mrs. Vivian Freeman

Ms. Dawn Gibbons

Mr. David Humke

Mr. Harry Mortenson

Ms. Bonnie Parnell

Mr. Kelly Thomas

Ms. Sandra Tiffany

Ms. Kathy Von Tobel

Mr. Wendell Williams

COMMITTEE MEMBERS EXCUSED:

Mr. Roy Neighbors

Ms. Gene Segerblom

STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:

OTHERS PRESENT:

Chairman Bache stated he had a bill draft request from the County Fiscal Officers Association, which needed introduction and requested a motion.

• BDR 20-288 - Makes various changes concerning county recorders. (A.B. 414).

Assemblyman Thomas, Assembly District 16, indicated the intent was to notify school districts of master plan and zoning changes so districts could be more proactive in their approach to planning for growth. There were some amendments for which he was waiting and requested no action be taken until a work session could be held on the bill with amendments forthcoming.

Rob Joiner representing Carson City stated he wanted to comment the city was in support of the intent of the bill and had no problem with notifying school superintendents as well as affected property owners. Carson City had been doing both of those things although it was not required under statute. He added people were also notified of subdivision development, which was not required by Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS). Because of the size of Carson City, before construction began, people within 300 feet had to be notified. The bill would require 500 feet but would not differentiate between communities with populations of 400,000 and communities with less. The city would like to retain the current notice of 300 feet included in the amendment, and would then support the bill.

Vice-Chairman Lee stated, the legislation was requested by Chairman Bache who would be testifying on the bill.

Mr. Bache, Assembly District 11, Clark County said during the 1997 session a similar bill was introduced to change the colors on the state seal. Drafting came late in the session and because of extended discussions nothing happened with the bill. During the interim he had discussed the issue with Terry Sullivan, Sergeant at Arms for the Assembly, who did into a great deal of research and had a seal to present for consideration. He turned the microphone over to Mr. Sullivan.

Terry Sullivan stated although he was the Assembly Sergeant-at-arms, he was representing himself as someone who always had an interest in Nevada symbols. He had passed out a packet containing information and the seals he would be addressing (Exhibit C). Mr. Sullivan said in the late 1970’s Bob Goodman who was Chief of Economic Development approved a predominately yellow seal made by Joyce & Martin Advertising. In 1986 the U.S.S. Nevada was launched, but there was really no seal except the yellow one to use in promoting the event. At about the same time the Legislative Commission put together a brochure and because there was no official seal, the one done by Joyce & Martin was used. Since that time the seal had been cleaned up and the colors changed. After talking with Mr. Bache he did some work on the seal and came up with the xeroxed seal included in the packet on page 2. He felt the state seal needed to be specified in the law rather than people making seals to suit their needs. He also pointed out there were several interesting stories regarding the seal in past history and were included in the handout.

Chairman Bache interjected the colors on the outside of the seal reflected the state colors which were blue and silver. The gold lines were added representing the mining industry, and he thought it set off the seal.

Ms. Berman wanted to say, in her artistic expertise the new seal was far superior to the old one.

Mr. Humke noted there was steam and/or smoke coming from the smelter and train stacks. He had often seen the smoke going in different directions in earlier days and wondered how it got corrected.

Mr. Sullivan stated Samuel Clemens was the one who depicted the seal in that manner and it had never been determined if it was a joke. But as everyone in Nevada knew the wind blew up and down canyons and as indicated in the seal the mill was on the opposite side from the train, so he felt it could have been an accurate depiction. It was changed in the law in 1914, but the first time a new seal was actually designed was when former Secretary of State Bill Swackhammer changed it. Over the years since 1884, when the first seal was sent to Washington D.C., it changed considerably and was specified in the law in 1886.

Chairman Bache stated the bill had previously been heard with no opposition or controversy.

ASSEMBLYMAN HUMKE MOVED DO PASS ON A.B. 260.

ASSEMBLYWOMAN FREEMAN SECONDED THE MOTION.

Ms. Gibbons felt she was probably the only one against the bill, but without financial disclosure she could not support it.

Chairman Bache said the bill dealt with the Kingston Water district where it had been stated the water master was related to someone on the town board which indicated problems finding people to serve on boards in towns with less than 300 population.

ASSEMBLYMAN LEE MOVED DO PASS ON A.B. 226.

ASSEMBLYMAN MORTENSEN SECONDED THE MOTION.

Ms. Gibbons stated she had in her notes it would be open to a sunset provision and questioned if anyone wanted have a sunset provision of 10 years in the bill.

Chairman Bache questioned if she wanted to make it an amendment.

Chairman Bache felt it was not a bill that needed a sunset provision or any exceptions for a town of only 300 inhabitants.

Mr. Humke recalled there had been an agreement among those present at the last meeting. He had some minor concerns about the entire bill, but he would vote for the sunset because it might jog memories after a few years in seeing how it played out.

Chairman Bache asked for a vote on the amendment of a 10-year sunset.

Chairman Bache stated the main motion on which was voted was to do pass A.B. 226 with the amendment.

Chairman Bache said there would be a subcommittee on A. B. 62 scheduled for Friday at 8:00 a.m. There would be a work session at 9:00 a.m. or upon adjournment of the A.B. 62 subcommittee.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

Virginia Letts,

Committee Secretary

APPROVED BY:

Assemblyman Douglas Bache, Chairman

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