MINUTES OF THE

SENATE Committee on Government Affairs

 

Seventy-First Session

June 2, 2001

 

 

The Senate Committee on Government Affairswas called to order by Chairman Ann O'Connell, at 7:12 p.m., on Saturday, June 2, 2001, in Room 2149 of the Legislative Building, Carson City, Nevada.  Exhibit A is the Agenda.  Exhibit B is the Attendance Roster.  All exhibits are available and on file at the Research Library of the Legislative Counsel Bureau.

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

Senator Ann O'Connell, Chairman

Senator William J. Raggio, Vice Chairman

Senator William R. O’Donnell

Senator Jon C. Porter

Senator Joseph M. Neal, Jr.

Senator Dina Titus

Senator Terry Care

 

STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

Scott G. Wasserman, Committee Counsel

Kimberly Marsh Guinasso, Committee Counsel

Laura Hale, Committee Secretary

 

OTHERS PRESENT:

 

Robert E. Erickson, Research Director, Research Division, Legislative Counsel Bureau

Dr. John Gwaltney, District 1-B, State Board of Education and State Board for Occupational Education

Linda Howard, Board of Regents, University and Community College System of Nevada

 

Chairman O’Connell opened the hearing on Assembly Bill (A.B.) 664.

 

ASSEMBLY BILL 664:  Revises districts for state board of education and board of regents. (BDR 34-1541)

 

Robert E. Erickson, Research Director, Research Division, Legislative Counsel Bureau, reviewed the redistricting maps, pointing out the first version with 10 board of education members and 11 Board of Regents members, as approved by the Assembly.  An alternative map showed districts for 13 Board of Regents members, as proposed by the Board of Regents.

 

Chairman O’Connell explained each of the boards currently has 11 members and while the board of education had proposed to drop down to 10 members, the Board of Regents requested an increase to 13 members.

 

Senator Raggio said his understanding was that the Board of Regents had voted 7 to 4 in favor of 13 regents, and he asserted if the committee was going to honor the recommendation from the board of education, the regents’ recommendation should also be honored.

 

Dr. John Gwaltney, District 1-B, State Board of Education and State Board for Occupational Education, clarified for the committee that his board had voted 10 to 1 in favor of a 10-member board.  Linda Howard, Board of Regents, University and Community College System of Nevada, clarified her board had voted 7 to 4 for a 13-member board, and Regents Wiesner, Alden, Sisolak, and Kirkpatrick were the “no” votes.  She added she also preferred a lower number of members, but had voted with the majority to try to get consensus.

 

Senator Titus said she would be inclined to go with a lower number as she generally does not support any increase in government, whether for regents or legislators.  Mr. Erickson confirmed for Senator Porter the current plan for an 11-member Board of Regents would combine Regent Dondero’s district with another district.  However, he said, a separate district could be drawn for Regent Dondero without a major change to the plan.

 

Senator O’Donnell stated his inclination to vote for a smaller number of members, but expressed concern for Regent Dondero, saying she had served the community in an exemplary manner for a number of years and she deserves her own district.  Senator Care stated he also preferred the lower numbers of 10 board of education members and 11 regents.  Senator Neal said he also preferred the lower number plan but was concerned the community college had not been drawn into district 1, Regent Howard’s district, under the proposed plan.

 

            SENATOR PORTER MOVED TO AMEND AND DO PASS A.B. 664 TO             SUPPORT THE RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE TWO STATE             EDUCATION BOARDS.

 

            SENATOR RAGGIO SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

Chairman O’Connell clarified this motion would support 10 board of education members and 13 regents.  Mr. Erickson confirmed the 13-member plan would have an open seat in a 55 percent Hispanic majority district, and district 1 would have a 27 percent African-American concentration, which was the highest percentage that could be attained.  The current 13-member plan does not include the community college, but that is a mistake which can be easily corrected, he said.  Mr. Erickson confirmed for Senator O’Donnell that the map could be redrawn with 11 members to include a separate district for Regent Dondero.

 

Senator Neal asked that the community college be drawn back into district 1, rather than being put into a new district.  Senator Porter agreed to include this in his motion.

 

            THE MOTION CARRIED.  (SENATORS TITUS AND CARE VOTED NO.)

 

*****

 

Chairman O’Connell explained that Assemblywoman Giunchigliani had reported the Assembly committee would agree with this committee’s recommendations on A.B. 637.

 

ASSEMBLY BILL 637:  Makes various changes concerning elections.  (BDR 24-339)

 

Kimberly Marsh Guinasso, Committee Counsel, explained that a do not recede vote would be necessary to make the technical amendment requested by the county and city clerks.

 

            SENATOR O’DONNELL MOVED TO NOT RECEDE ON A.B. 637.

 

            SENATOR TITUS SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

            THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

*****

Chairman O’Connell asked Senator Titus to chair the conference committee which would include Senators Care and O’Connell, and opened discussion on A.B. 94.

 

ASSEMBLY BILL 94:  Makes various changes regarding fees charged and collected by certain officials of local governments. (BDR 20-419)

 

Senator Porter explained the amendment for this bill was not yet ready and the bill would need to go to a conference committee.

 

            SENATOR PORTER MOVED TO DO NOT RECEDE ON A.B. 94.

 

            SENATOR O’DONNELL SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

            THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

*****

 

Chairman O’Connell asked Senator Porter to chair this conference committee that would include Senators Neal and Care.

 

Mr. Erickson referred back to A.B. 664 and explained, currently, three of the regents are up for 6-year terms of office, three terms will expire at the next election, five terms will expire at the following election, and three more will expire at the election after that.  He proposed the new Hispanic district be given a 6-year term of office and the other new open district start with a 4-year term to get everything “back in synch.”  He assured Senator Raggio this would not impact any of the incumbent regents.

 

            SENATOR NEAL MOVED TO AMEND AND DO PASS A.B. 664 AS             PROPOSED.

 

            SENATOR PORTER SECONDED THE MOTION.

 

            THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

*****

 

 

Chairman O’Connell adjourned the meeting at 7:30 p.m.

 

 

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

 

 

 

Laura Hale,

Committee Secretary

 

 

APPROVED BY:

 

 

 

                       

Senator Ann O'Connell, Chairman

 

 

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