MINUTES OF THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS Sixty-eighth Session January 19, 1995 The Committee on Government Affairs was called to order at 9:00 a.m., on Thursday, January 19, 1995, Chairman Douglas A. Bache 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. Douglas A. Bache, Chairman Mrs. Joan A. Lambert, Chairman Mrs. Deanna Braunlin, Vice Chairman Mr. P.M. Roy Neighbors, Vice Chairman Mr. Max Bennett Mrs. Marcia de Braga Mr. Pete Ernaut Mr. William Z. (Bill) Harrington Ms. Saundra (Sandi) Krenzer Mr. Dennis Nolan Mrs. Gene Wines Segerblom Ms. Patricia A. Tripple COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT: Mrs. Vivian L. Freeman, Excused Mr. Wendell P. Williams GUEST LEGISLATORS PRESENT: None STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Denice Miller, Senior Research Analyst, Legislative Counsel Bureau OTHERS PRESENT: Julie Wilcox, Southern Nevada Water Authority Chairman Bache introduced the committee's staff members. Chairman Bache requested the committee members review the proposed Standing Rules of the Assembly Committee on Government Affairs (Exhibit C). Assemblyman Ernaut referred to item three of the proposed standing rules (Exhibit C) and suggested the committee discuss including in its standing rules a provision "...that all tied votes within the committee will go before the Assembly." Chairman Bache referred Mr. Ernaut to item 19 of the proposed standing rules (Exhibit C). Mr. Ernaut acknowledged proposed rule 19 contained the provision he had suggested. Mr. Ernaut inquired of Chairman Bache whether the order of the proposed standing rules (Exhibit C) was based on the Chairmen's priorities. Chairman Bache responded in the negative and explained proposed rule 19 was placed last because the other rules had already been typed. He further explained the standing rules of the Assembly took priority over the committee's rules. Mr. Ernaut inquired whether that fact would be reflected in the committee's rules. Chairman Bache replied affirmatively. MR. ERNAUT MOVED TO ADOPT THE PROPOSED STANDING RULES . MRS. DE BRAGA SECONDED THE MOTION. Chairman Bache called for discussion. Assemblyman Lambert indicated proposed rules 3 and 19 appeared to be in conflict and suggested the language of those rules should be clarified in order to avoid inconsistency in the committee's standing rules. Chairman Bache asked Mrs. Lambert if she wished to postpone action regarding the proposed standing rules (Exhibit C). Mrs. Lambert indicated she did not wish to postpone action and proposed the committee act with the understanding those technicalities which created the conflict between rules 3 and 19 would be resolved. There being no further discussion, Chairman Bache called for a vote on the motion pending before the committee. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Chairman Bache commented on the nature of the Committee on Government Affairs and declared he looked forward to a very productive legislative session for the committee. He then called upon Mrs. Lambert to make her introductory remarks. Mrs. Lambert said she was "...very pleased to be serving as co-chairman with Mr. Bache." She stated she viewed the committee as a team effort. She indicated the members of the committee brought many diverse backgrounds and much diverse experience to a very broad range of issues and she thought the committee would send good legislation to the Assembly and would then be able to answer questions and defend its actions. Mrs. Lambert reviewed some of the issues which might come before the committee and explained the manner in which she and Mr. Bache would alternate chairing the committee. Mrs. Lambert called attention to certain studies provided to the committee members and asked the members to peruse those studies during the upcoming weekend and to give particular attention to the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency's study as the next week would be "...Tahoe week in Government Affairs." Mrs. Lambert discussed the coffee fund and requested each committee member donate $10 to the fund by giving such sum to Mrs. Braunlin who had volunteered to collect those monies. Mrs. Lambert concluded her remarks, indicating she looked forward to serving with all members of the committee. Chairman Bache asked Denice Miller, Senior Research Analyst, Legislative Counsel Bureau, to review the issue brief (Exhibit D), Ms. Miller indicated her pleasure in serving as research analyst for the committee. She advised she had written the issue brief (Exhibit D) and pointed out the issue brief both set forth the kinds of issues the Assembly Committee on Government Affairs studied during the last legislative session and introduced bills which might come before the Assembly Committee on Government Affairs during the current legislative session. Ms. Miller advised although many bills were in common to both the Senate Committee on Government Affairs and the Assembly Committee on Government Affairs, occasionally certain bills might be referred only to the Assembly Committee on Government Affairs. Ms. Miller also advised, because she had worked with the individual who served as the research staff person for the Senate Committee on Government Affairs in preparing the issue brief (Exhibit D), certain items included therein were not items which would be considered by the Assembly Committee on Government Affairs. Ms. Miller reviewed some of the issues with which the legislature dealt during the 1993 legislative session. Ms. Miller referred to a section of the issue brief (Exhibit D) concerning issues which might arise during the 1995 legislative session and discussed an example of returning Resolutions set forth in that section. She said also included in the issue brief (Exhibit D) was a section concerning bills which were vetoed in the 1993 legislative session and pointed out two such bills were referred to the Assembly Committee on Government Affairs. Ms. Miller suggested Bill Draft Requests were another means of predicting the kinds of bills which would come before the committee. Ms. Miller briefly discussed the nature of the information contained in further sections of the issue brief (Exhibit D). Ms. Miller advised additional information on various issues was available to the committee members through the research library. Chairman Bache inquired if anyone present wished to address the committee. There was no affirmative response. MOTION BY MR. ERNAUT TO RESCIND THE COMMITTEE'S ACTION ADOPTING THE STANDING RULES OF THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS. MRS. BRAUNLIN SECONDED THE MOTION. Chairman Bache called for discussion. Assemblyman Segerblom asked the reason for Mr. Ernaut's motion. Mr. Ernaut responded clarification was needed concerning the possible conflict between rule 3 and rule 19. Assemblyman Krenzer asked if it would be appropriate to delete rule 3 and to then adopt the standing rules (Exhibit C). Chairman Bache indicated he believed rule 3 was needed and he believed Mr. Ernaut was suggesting rule 3 and rule 19 be merged to eliminate any conflict in those two rules. Assemblyman de Braga asked if "no recommendation" was considered a definite action. Chairman Bache responded, "That's why we need to have it reviewed by research or legal." Mrs. de Braga said it appeared to her (no recommendation) was no action, and therefore, there would be no conflict (between rule 3 and rule 19). Ms. Miller advised Chairman Bache the staff of the Legislative Counsel Bureau's Research Division was informed a rule (concerning the matters covered in rules 3 and 19 of the committee's standing rules) would be adopted by the Assembly and was instructed, if asked by their respective committees, to advise the committees need not include such a rule in their standing rules. Assemblyman Bennett asked if rule 3 of the standing rules (Exhibit C) should not be amended to reflect definite action on a Bill or Resolution would require a "majority vote of the quorum present" rather than a majority vote of the entire committee. Mrs. Lambert suggested the committee needed a rule which corresponded to the Assembly's rule and which required a majority vote of the entire committee. Mr. Bennett asked if such a rule would require all 14 members of the committee to be present in order to pass any action to the Assembly floor. Mrs. Lambert explained it would not require all 14 members of the committee to be present, but rather, would require an affirmative vote by eight members of the committee in order to pass anything to the Assembly floor. Assemblyman Harrington suggested the committee reserve action on the standing rules (Exhibit C) until the committee next met. There being no further discussion, Chairman Bache called for a vote on the motion pending before the committee to rescind the committee's previous action, adopting the standing rules of the Assembly Committee on Government Affairs. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. Chairman Bache asked if there was any further business to come before the committee. Mrs. Lambert gave some general instructions to the committee. There being no further business to come before the committee, Chairman Bache adjourned the meeting. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED: Sara Kaufman, Committee Secretary _________________________________ Chairman Douglas Bache _________________________________ Chairman Joan Lambert Assembly Committee on Government Affairs January 19, 1995 Page