MINUTES OF THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION Sixty-eighth Session March 6, 1995 The Committee on Education was called to order at 3:30 p.m., on Monday, March 6, 1995, Chairman William Z. Harrington presiding in Room 330 of the Legislative Building, Carson City, Nevada. Exhibit A is the Agenda. Exhibit B is the Attendance Roster. COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Mr. William Z. (Bill) Harrington, Chairman Mrs. Gene Wines Segerblom, Vice Chairman Mrs. Patricia A. Tripple, Vice Chairman Mr. Thomas Batten Mr. Max Bennett Mrs. Deanna Braunlin Mrs. Vonne Chowning Mrs. Marcia de Braga Mr. Mark Manendo Mr. P.M. Roy Neighbors Mrs. Jeannine Stroth COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT: Mr. Wendell P. Williams, Chairman GUEST LEGISLATORS PRESENT: Assemblyman Bob Price, District 17 Assemblyman Douglas Bache, District 11 STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Mr. H. Pepper Sturm, Chief Principal Research Analyst OTHERS PRESENT: Denise Holderman Dianne Tobey Pat Welden Nancy Price Sherry Loncar, Nevada Parent Teacher's Association Lucille Lusk, Nevada Concerned Citizens Jan Gilbert Janine Hansen, Nevada Eagle Forum Bobbie Gang, Nevada Women's Lobby The hearing was opened on Assembly Joint Resolution 18. ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTION 18- Urges Congress to reconsider exemptions for certain states from federal prohibition against gambling on college sporting events. Assemblyman Bob Price, Assembly District 17, explained A.J.R. 18 which seeks to eliminate betting on college sporting events. He noted Nevada sports books are not allowed to take bets on Nevada teams and how conflict arose when University Nevada-Las Vegas was going to the Final Four basketball tournaments in the past. Ethical problems were discussed. Ms. Nancy Price, Regent of the University and Community College of Nevada, spoke concerning A.J.R. 18. Ms. Price explained she does not speak for the board in this matter. Ms. Price spoke from prepared remarks on A.J.R. 18 (Exhibit C) on her concerns with college sports betting. A letter requesting a ban on college sports gambling in Nevada was submitted for the record (Exhibit D). Assemblyman Batten asked if it was currently illegal to bet on Nevada teams. Ms. Price replied affirmatively. Assemblyman Batten asked if it was legal to bet on other college teams. Ms. Price again replied affirmatively. Assemblyman Batten inquired if this practice has been occurring for years. Ms. Price replied affirmatively explaining two years ago a change occurred. A "housekeeping" bill was passed allowing for pari-mutuel betting on sports. She noted an increase in income over the past two years in this area. Assemblyman Batten discussed the integrity of sports and the effect betting has on students, sports and family. He questioned if the same situation would exist even if betting were made illegal. Ms. Price replied negatively. She stated what is being said is sports is for gambling. Anytime you have the hundreds of billions of dollars in the "sports media gambling cartel" enormous pressure is put on teams to win. She discussed the insidiousness of the gaming industry in taking over government through sports arenas, with tax money being spent on team preparation and undermining the intent of higher education. The hearing was closed on A.J.R. 18. Chairman Harrington explained A.J.R. would be taken up in an afternoon work session on Wednesday, March 8, 1995. The hearing was opened on Assembly Bill 176. ASSEMBLY BILL 176 - Establishes formula for determining mobility of pupils. Assemblyman Douglas Bache, Assembly District 11, explained A.B. 176 was a bill originally submitted in the Sixty-seventh session. It passed out of the Education Committee and got held up in the Ways and Means Committee. This time the bill is submitted without the fiscal issue. Assembly Bill 275 has been referred directly to Ways and Means concerning this issue. Mr. Bache explained the bill puts a new section in Chapter 392 of the Nevada Revised Statutes establishing a formula for determining student mobility. The goal is having the formula standardized throughout the state and to give accurate statistics on student mobility. Student mobility was explained as students who transfer from one school to another either within a school district, from school district to school district within the state, or in and out of the state. Schools with high turnover rates may suffer additional expenses due to the transiency of students. The formula would be used to assist those schools. The formula could be used to better track high school graduation rates. A problem sometimes exists in separating dropouts from those who transferred to another Nevada school and graduated. Chairman Harrington asked if A.B. 176 only established the formula. Assemblyman Bache explained the bill is to set up the formula to standardize the information. Various school districts use some formulas now but this would standardize the formula statewide. He noted there was no fiscal on both local and state government as the bill was deliberately redrafted to avoid getting caught in Ways and Means. Assemblyman Tripple noted whenever facts are gathered, it takes time and money. She asked about the time necessary to gather the facts and wondered if an additional paperwork burden would be put on teachers. Assemblyman Bache stated he believed most school districts currently gather the information one way or another and an increase in work at the district level would not be realized. The process would just be standardized statewide. Assemblyman Tripple asked if the intent was to generate a new type of information or to standardize the information statewide. Assemblyman Bache said he would probably say yes. The districts do gather information although Mr. Bache was unsure as to its completeness and structure. Ms. Mary Peterson, Superintendent of Public Instruction, State of Nevada, Department of Education, spoke from prepared remarks regarding A.B. 176 (Exhibit E). She noted certain sections of A.B. 176 would require districts to report additional data. Chairman Harrington, referring to Subsection C, which tracks summer moves, asked if a fiscal note could be foreseen. Ms. Peterson replied it would be an additional reporting requirement and noted it was her understanding that A.B. 275, introduced to Assembly Ways and Means by Mr. Bache, would pick up some of the cost of the requirement. The hearing was closed on A.B. 176. Bill Draft Request 34-1764 was presented to the committee for introduction. BILL DRAFT REQUEST 34-1764 - Revises provisions governing distribution of fees collected for issuance or renewal of licenses for teachers and other educational personnel. ASSEMBLYMAN BATTEN MOVED FOR COMMITTEE INTRODUCTION ON B.D.R. 34-1764. ASSEMBLYMAN STROTH SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY BY THOSE PRESENT. Chairman Harrington noted the committee had requests for bill draft requests for subsequent committee introduction. The first request for bill draft request concerned revising the provisions governing membership on the Commission on Professional Standards in Education. Chairman Harrington explained this bill draft request was similar to A.B.112 but would revise some of the membership of the commission. He explained it does not do the same thing as A.B. 112 but pertains to the same commission. Chairman Harrington decided to hold the requests for bill draft requests until the Wednesday, March 8, 1995 meeting. Chairman Harrington explained a subcommittee meeting regarding Assembly Bill 175, which requires mandatory kindergarten attendance would be held following the regular Education Committee meeting. The meeting was adjourned at 4:15 p.m. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED: Barbara Prudic, Committee Secretary APPROVED BY: Assemblyman William Z. Harrington, Chairman Assemblyman Wendell P. Williams, Chairman Assembly Committee on Education March 6, 1995 Page