MINUTES OF THE
SENATE Committee on Finance
Seventy-second Session
May 30, 2003
The Senate Committee on Finance was called to order by Chairman William J. Raggio, at 9:15 a.m. on Friday, May 30, 2003, in Room 2134 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 William J. Raggio, Chairman
Senator Raymond D. Rawson, Vice Chairman
Senator Barbara K. Cegavske
Senator Sandra J. Tiffany
Senator Bob Coffin
Senator Bernice Mathews
COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Dean A. Rhoads (Excused)
STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:
Gary L. Ghiggeri, Senate Fiscal Analyst
Bob Guernsey, Principal Deputy Fiscal Analyst
Michael Archer, Committee Secretary
Senator Raggio:
We will look at Assembly Bill (A.B.) 550.
ASSEMBLY BILL 550: Increases certain fees collected by State Registrar. (BDR 40-1357)
Gary L. Ghiggeri, Fiscal Analyst:
This legislation will increase the cost of a birth certificate from $11 to $13 and the cost of a death certificate from $9 to $10. The increase in these fees will generate an estimated $300,000 on an annual basis. This legislation is effective October 1, 2003, in order to provide the agency sufficient time to accommodate programming changes in their computer system.
Senator Raggio:
Is this consistent with the closing of our budget for that agency?
Mr. Ghiggeri:
Yes.
SENATOR RAWSON MOVED TO DO PASS A.B. 550.
SENATOR TIFFANY SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION CARRIED (SENATORS RHOADS AND MATHEWS WERE ABSENT FOR THE VOTE.)
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Senator Rawson:
I have just received Amendment No. 957 to Senate Bill (S.B.) 235.
SENATE BILL 235: Revises provisions governing payment of hospitals for treating disproportionate share of Medicaid patients, indigent patients or other low-income patients. (BDR 38-746)
Senator Raggio:
The committee will recommend Amendment No. 957 to S.B. 235 without objection.
Please see the handout prepared by our staff (Exhibit C). We will now look at S.B. 498.
SENATE BILL 498 : Requires reversion to State General Fund of certain money in Revolving Account for Investigation, Enforcement and Education. (BDR 7‑1358)
This is the settlement from the Wall Street investment firms. There is a certain amount that will be held in an investigative fund. The Governor is concerned about funding for the State Emergency Operations Center. Settlement money can be directed for that. We need to amend this bill for that purpose, and then the Interim Finance Committee upon the request of the State Public Works Board, could transfer the money for that project. There is also an application for federal grant money for that purpose.
SENATOR RAWSON MOVED TO AMEND AND DO PASS AS AMENDED S.B. 498 AS AMENDED TO HAVE THE INTERIM FINANCE COMMITTEE TRANSFER SETTLEMENT FUNDS TO THE STATE BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE STATE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER.
SENATOR MATHEWS SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION CARRIED. (SENATOR RHOADS WAS ABSENT FOR THE VOTE.)
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Senator Raggio:
We need to process a measure with regard to the implementation of the Millennium Scholarship Program language in A.B. 179.
ASSEMBLY BILL 179 (2nd Reprint): Revises provisions governing education. (BDR 34-22)
There is an agreement to ratchet up the grade point requirements for the scholarship. We should utilize a new bill draft request (BDR) because the committee does not want to send out the bill with the current provisions for lessening the qualifications for the requirements on the high school proficiency examination.
Senator Coffin:
I am concerned about the fact the school districts are not notifying the students and parents in advance that students will have a test on subjects they did not cover in class. How do we address the problem of them being tested on subjects they were not taught?
Senator Raggio:
We could address it with a strong Letter of Intent to the school districts and the State Board of Education.
SENATOR COFFIN MOVED TO HAVE A LETTER OF INTENT SENT TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION URGING THEM NOT TO INCLUDE SUBJECTS ON THE PROFICIENCY TEST THAT WERE NOT TAUGHT IN THE CLASSROOM.
SENATOR RAWSON SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION CARRIED. (SENATOR RHOADS WAS ABSENT FOR THE VOTE.)
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Senator Raggio:
I need to add that the language in A.B. 311, which deals with home schooling, should be included in this BDR.
ASSEMBLY BILL 311 (1st Reprint): Revises provisions governing homeschooled children. (BDR 34-966)
SENATOR CEGAVSKE MOVED TO OBTAIN A NEW BILL DRAFT WITH THE MILLENNIUM SCHOLARSHIP LANGUAGE IN IT AND THE LANGUAGE FROM A.B. 311 REGARDING HOME SCHOOLED STUDENTS.
SENATOR RAWSON SECONDED THE MOTION.
Senator Cegavske:
I am concerned about the amount of money left in the Millennium Scholarship Program. I would like to see language in the bill making it a requirement that a student attend high school in Nevada for 4 years before being eligible for the Millennium Scholarship.
Senator Raggio:
What is the requirement now?
Senator Cegavske:
I believe it is 2 years. If we went to a 4-year requirement, we would stop those people who come here from other states just to be eligible for the scholarship.
Senator Rawson:
I understand the desire to conserve our resources, but Nevada has always encouraged people to come here. I think there would be a constitutional problem. Even now, an out-of-state student only pays nonresident fees for 1 year. It would be inconsistent to add a 4-year requirement.
Senator Raggio:
If we start adding things to the bill at this late date, it might not pass.
Senator Coffin:
I would be opposed to this change. The courts have already struck down the residency requirement.
Senator Raggio:
Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 396.930 currently requires a 2-year residency period for the Millennium Scholarship.
THE MOTION CARRIED. (SENATOR RHOADS WAS ABSENT FOR THE VOTE.)
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Senator Raggio:
The meeting is adjourned at 9:47 a.m.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:
Michael Archer,
Committee Secretary
APPROVED BY:
Senator William J. Raggio, Chairman
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