NEVADA LEGISLATURE
Nineteenth Special Session,
2003
ASSEMBLY DAILY JOURNAL
THE TENTH DAY
Carson City (Thursday), June 12, 2003
Assembly called to order at 12:18 p.m.
Mr. Speaker presiding.
Roll called.
All present except Assemblymen Arberry, Atkinson, Collins, Gibbons, Goldwater, Hardy, Horne, Leslie, Mabey, McClain, Oceguera, and Williams.
Prayer by the Chaplain, Beverly Mobley.
Let us pray. Dear Lord, You’ve changed the seasons for us since
we first came into these chambers. Winter to spring, and soon spring to summer.
We’ve enjoyed the new environments you’ve given us. This body, too, is
contemplating a change and we ask that you give them the wisdom and courage to
make sound judgments. Your words in Exodus inspired a motion picture, “The Ten
Commandments.” Give us patience, Lord, as we wait for these creators of law to
proclaim the words from the silver screen,
“So let it be written, so let it be done!”
Amen.
Pledge of allegiance to the Flag.
Assemblywoman Buckley moved that further reading of the Journal be dispensed with, and the Speaker and Chief Clerk be authorized to make the necessary corrections and additions.
Motion carried.
COMMUNICATIONS
MESSAGES FROM THE GOVERNOR
State
of Nevada
Office
of the Governor
Executive Order
A PROCLAMATION BY THE GOVERNOR:
The Senate
Majority Leader and the Speaker of the Assembly due to the complex issues
involved, have requested I remove the time limitation that I have set for
concluding the 19th Special Session of the Nevada Legislature.
Therefore, I,
Kenny C. Guinn, Governor of the State of Nevada, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution of the State of Nevada, hereby amend my prior
proclamations regarding 19th Special Session of the Nevada Legislature, which
are dated June 3 and June 6, 2003, by removing the time limitation set forth in
those proclamations for the Special Session.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused
the Great Seal of the State of Nevada to be affixed at the State Capitol in
Carson City, this 8th day of June, in the year two thousand three.
Kenny C. Guinn
Governor
Dean Heller
Secretary
Of State
REMARKS FROM THE FLOOR
Assemblyman Knecht requested that the following remarks be entered in the Journal.
Assemblywoman Buckley:
Thank you,
Mr. Speaker. I certainly hope that the Boy’s State representatives have better
success than what we have had the past several days. Mr. Speaker, I’m going to
make a motion that we adjourn to the call of the Speaker. For the members’
interest, although I have spoken with the Minority Leader and most folks here,
I think all of us watched with great attention the efforts in the Senate
yesterday, to see if we would be sent a bill that possibly could gain our
support. Members of this body have worked diligently with members of the Senate
over the past several days to see if we could achieve some consensus, to see if
perhaps there was a bill that could achieve enough support in that body, as
well as this body. Unfortunately, that did not happen yesterday. There were
items amended into the bill that no one had ever seen before. Any attempt to
having a bill for this body to consider, that it could support, quickly
evaporated.
We thank all of our members, who have stayed, to continue to
work. However, it doesn’t seem to make sense to keep us here at the taxpayer’s
expense, while we aren’t making any progress. We have commitments from everyone
to fly back within an hour’s notice, to be up here to vote, whether it’s
tomorrow or whenever the Governor says it will be, if it comes to that. The
Senate had indicated that they are still working on a new compromise measure,
and if that happens, the Speaker will call us back to consider that, as soon as
it’s done. At this point, what I’m going to do is make a motion to adjourn at
the call of the Speaker. So, if any folks want to actually go home and see
their children for a day, they can do that. Then we would call everybody back
once we knew we had another proposal to consider or whether, in fact, we don’t
and that we may just be absolved sine die by virtue of no action. It is
my hope that we will see a bill that we can support. Our education
establishment is depending on us. If we are not able to reach resolution,
offers to teachers will not be made and schools could be forced to close. I
don’t think anyone wants to see that happen. So, we will wait for your call,
Mr. Speaker. Know that we will have many folks working on achieving a
compromise while we are waiting for progress.
Mr. Speaker requested the privilege of the Chair for the purpose of making the following remarks:
With the permission of the body, I would like to offer some encouraging comments, as well. I know this is a very difficult time for all of us as we try to do the people’s business and accomplish what it is we all came here to do. For most of us, this has been one of the hardest tasks we will ever face. Take notes that the work we have completed is substantial, but there is much more work required of us. In the span of the 130 or so days that we have been here, we have heard from virtually every constituent group in Nevada during the hours and hours of testimony. Sixty-three of us have come to appreciate the delicate balance that exists between whose taxes may go up, and whose services may go down. During this time, we have also come to appreciate the sheer magnitude, the great magnitude of this endeavor. No one person is to blame for the time it is taking for us to literally overhaul Nevada’s tax code. This is extremely important work and important work can’t be rushed. Instead, we need to continue to check with experts and individuals to review it so that we know beyond any doubt what we pass won’t need to be redone in the future. Over the next period of time, as we try to get this accomplished, I encourage each and every one of you to continue to communicate with your constituents and your colleagues, so that the time we spend in our respective communities is productive and essential to us finishing this huge undertaking. When we meet again, I fully expect us to complete the job the public has entrusted to us: do it correctly and with an appropriate level of caution.
Assemblywoman Buckley moved that the Assembly adjourn to the call of the Speaker.
Motion carried.
Assembly adjourned at 12:28 p.m.
Approved: Richard
D. Perkins
Attest: Jacqueline Sneddon
L