Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 41–Assemblymen Perkins, Buckley, Dini, Hettrick, Anderson, Angle, Arberry, Bache, Beers, Berman, Brower, Brown, Carpenter, Cegavske, Chowning, Claborn, Collins, de Braga, Freeman, Gibbons, Giunchigliani, Goldwater, Gustavson, Humke, Koivisto, Lee, Leslie, Manendo, Marvel, McClain, Mortenson, Neighbors, Nolan, Oceguera, Ohrenschall, Parks, Parnell, Price, Smith, Tiffany, Von Tobel and Williams

 

June 2, 2001

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Joint Sponsors: Senators Raggio, Titus, Amodei, Care, Carlton, Coffin, Jacobsen, James, Mathews, McGinness, Neal, O’Connell, O’Donnell, Porter, Rawson, Rhoads, Schneider, Shaffer, Townsend, Washington and Wiener

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Read and Adopted

 

SUMMARY—Commends staff of Legislative Counsel Bureau. (BDR R‑1538)

 

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EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

 

Assembly Concurrent RESOLUTION—Commending the staff of the Legislative Counsel Bureau.

 

   Whereas, As early as 1945, when the Legislative Counsel Bureau was created, the Nevada Legislature recognized the need for additional information, advice and assistance in securing sufficient details to act advisedly on legislative matters and accommodate increasingly complex legislative tasks that were impossible to complete without support; and

   Whereas, The functions assigned to the Legislative Counsel Bureau, which was composed of only three members in 1945, were restricted mainly to the appointment of a Legislative Counsel whose principal duties were to assist the Legislature by conducting a survey relating to the needs and functions of the existing entities of the state government and by providing advice for proposed legislation concerning those matters; and

   Whereas, Since those early days, the Legislative Counsel Bureau has evolved into an organization of more than 200 professional employees, and during legislative sessions, almost 300 public servants, who provide a full range of services for the “people’s branch” of government; and

   Whereas, The goal of the Legislative Counsel Bureau in the modern era is to continue to meet the ever-increasing challenges of providing nonpartisan, centralized services to members of both houses of the Legislature and their constituents in the most efficient, professional manner possible; and

1-1     Whereas, The 2001 legislative session, like the historic session of

1-2  1999, was limited to 120 calendar days, placing extra time constraints upon

1-3  the staff; and

1-4     Whereas, The ability to meet this time limitation is dependent upon the

1-5  coordination of staff assignments and, ultimately, the participation of each

1-6  staff member to accomplish in 120 days what had been completed in the

1-7  longer sessions of the past; and

1-8     Whereas, The staff of each division and unit of the Legislative

1-9  Counsel Bureau contributed to the success of the 2001 session and met the

1-10  various challenges with unparalleled skill, resourcefulness, diligence and,

1-11  when necessary, humor; and

1-12     Whereas, In the Administrative Division of the Legislative Counsel

1-13  Bureau, the staff of the Information Systems Unit and the Media Services

1-14  Unit continued to improve technology for the legislative process, the staff

1-15  of the Buildings Unit, the Grounds Unit and the Janitorial Unit prepared

1-16  and meticulously maintained the building and its grounds as a showplace in

1-17  Carson City, and the staff of the Accounting Unit, the General Services

1-18  Unit, the Legislative Police, the Las Vegas office and the Director’s office,

1-19  and the session staff in the message center, the public bill room, the bill

1-20  mail room, lobbyist registration and the lobbyist center kept the Legislature

1-21  functioning smoothly; and

1-22     Whereas, The staff of the Audit Division continued to provide the

1-23  Legislature with independent and reliable information about the operations

1-24  of state agencies, programs, activities and functions by presenting audit

1-25  reports and by testifying on legislation to promote accountability in state

1-26  government, and continued to produce their high-quality audits while

1-27  reviewing all legislation within the time limitations in a quick and efficient

1-28  manner; and

1-29     Whereas, The staff of the Fiscal Analysis Division reviewed the ever-

1-30  increasing budget, bills relating to the budget and budget amendments

1-31  within the condensed period, maintaining their usual accuracy and

1-32  efficiency, reviewed fiscal notes in half the time available in sessions

1-33  before 1999, provided staff support for the Committees on Taxation and

1-34  responded to Legislators’ requests for information concerning budgets and

1-35  taxation promptly and efficiently; and

1-36     Whereas, The staff of the Legal Division exceeded their high

1-37  standards by meeting all deadlines for the drafting of bills and

1-38  amendments, preparing an increasing quantity of work without sacrificing

1-39  quality or their meticulous attention to detail, while providing legal advice

1-40  on the usual wide range of issues to the Legislature and its staff, fully

1-41  aware that their dedication and long hours were essential to the success of

1-42  the 120-day session; and

1-43     Whereas, The staff of the Research Division, assisted by its Research

1-44  Library, provided research and analysis of current and proposed public

2-1  programs and policies, furnished thorough and prompt background

2-2  information for use in committees and on the floor of each legislative

2-3  house, aided committee chairmen by providing administrative and

2-4  technical assistance in the hearing and processing of bills to meet the

2-5  rigorous scheduling demands established as a result of the condensed

2-6  session, and responded to an increased number of Legislator and

2-7  constituent requests in a timely, efficient and thorough manner despite

2-8  strict time constraints; and

2-9     Whereas, Although the demands on legislative staff were even greater

2-10  this session because of the reapportionment and redistricting of both

2-11  legislative houses, the congressional districts and the districts of the State

2-12  Board of Education and the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada,

2-13  the duties pertaining thereto were provided in an efficient, impartial,

2-14  professional and coordinated manner by several different divisions and

2-15  units of the Legislative Counsel Bureau; now, therefore, be it

2-16     Resolved by the Assembly of the State of Nevada, the Senate

2-17  Concurring, That the members of the 71st session of the Nevada

2-18  Legislature do hereby express their sincere appreciation to the outstanding

2-19  staff of the Legislative Counsel Bureau and commend the dedication,

2-20  cooperation and exceptional work of each person on the staff; and be it

2-21  further

2-22     Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly prepare and transmit

2-23  a copy of this resolution to Lorne Malkiewich, Director of the Legislative

2-24  Counsel Bureau.

 

2-25  H