MINUTES OF THE meeting

of the

ASSEMBLY Committee on Government Affairs

 

Seventy-First Session

February 6, 2001

 

 

The Committee on Government Affairswas called to order at 8:15 a.m., on Tuesday, February 6, 2001.  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 J. Lee, Vice Chairman

Ms.                     Merle Berman

Mr.                     David Brown

Mrs.                     Vivian Freeman

Ms.                     Dawn Gibbons

Mr.                     David Humke

Mr.                     Harry Mortenson

Mr.                     Roy Neighbors

Ms.                     Bonnie Parnell

Mr.                     Bob Price

Ms.                     Debbie Smith

Ms.                     Kathy Von Tobel

Mr.                     Wendell Williams

 

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS EXCUSED:

 

            Mr.  Bob Price

 

STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

Eileen O’Grady, Committee Counsel

Dave Ziegler, Committee Policy Analyst

Virginia Letts, Committee Secretary

 

 

 

Chairman Bache introduced the committee members as well as the legislative staff members and secretarial staff.  He mentioned there would be a wide variety of issues coming before the committee for hearing.  Utility deregulation was bound to be one of the larger issues.  He felt one of the larger issues would be regional planning as it garnered a lot of attention during the last session.  Mr. Bache added there would also be some water issues relating to governmental entities rather than water resources. 

 

The chairman added that copies of the standing rules had been provided to each committee member (Exhibit C) and there were some changes from last session, provided by leadership, to bring all committees into conformance.

 

            ASSEMBLYMAN HUMKE MOVED TO ADOPT THE REVISED STANDING RULES OF THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS.

 

            ASSEMBLYMAN LEE SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

            THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

 

********

 

 

Dave Ziegler, Principal Research Analyst, Research Division of Legislative Counsel Bureau (LCB) passed out a committee brief (Exhibit D) covering measures considered in 1999.  He pointed out that Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) Chapter 357 was a new section, while Chapter 707 regarding telecommunications was now under the jurisdiction of the committee on Commerce and Labor. 

 

Mr. Bache interjected he had spoken with Speaker Perkins regarding Chapter 707, as well as Chapter 338, and both would stay with Government Affairs, although the ruling had not yet been rewritten. 

 

Mr. Ziegler then addressed selected legislation enacted in 1999 and addressed issues regarding:

 

• Planning, Zoning, and Redevelopment
• Public Utilities
• Public Employees
• Veterans, Military, and Emergency Management
• Water
• Two Vetoed Bills of the 1999 Session

 

He then addressed issues that may arise in the 2001 session.  He emphasized that major items to be considered would likely involve:

 

• Counties, cities, and towns
• Nevada Association of Counties (NACO)
• Las Vegas Metropolitan Police and Fire Departments
• Legislation affecting state employees, public works, public financial administration
• Electric restructuring.

 

Although there was a posted schedule for implementing the deadlines for the 120-day session Mr. Ziegler felt there were a few very important dates that should be noted: 

 

• February 12:  Final BDRs from legislators due.
• February 26:  Final committee introduction of BDRs.
• March 19:  Introduction of all bills requested by a standing committee.
• April 16:  If passed, all bills must be passed out of committee of reference in house of origin.
• April 27:  If passed, all bills must be out of house of origin.
• May 21:  If passed, all bills must be out of the committee of reference in the second house.
• May 28:  If passed, all bills must be passed out of the second house.

 

Mr. Ziegler commented when the 120-day session was implemented in 1999 there were 49 regularly-scheduled meetings with 121 measures heard during that session; if that holds true during this session, he predicted there would probably be three to four bills per meeting in order to process the bills in a timely manner.  He stressed that he was available for any committee member on any committee matter.

 

Chairman Bache commented he would like to also welcome the members in the audience as he saw many familiar faces and looked forward to hearing many of them testify on their various concerns. 

 

Mr. Bache pointed out that even though the committee was scheduled to meet at 7:30 a.m. daily, as long as possible he would convene the meetings at 8:00 a.m. except for Monday.  As there were several members traveling from Las Vegas, he set the meetings for 9:00 a.m. on Mondays until it was necessary to make it earlier as workloads increased.

 

Chairman Bache adjourned the meeting at 8:45 a.m.

 

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

 

 

 

Virginia Letts

Committee Secretary

APPROVED BY:

 

 

 

                       

Assemblyman Douglas Bache, Chairman

 

 

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