MINUTES OF THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS Sixty-eighth Session March 7, 1995 The Committee on Government Affairs was called to order at 8:00 a.m., on Tuesday, March 7, 1995, Vice Chairman Deanna Braunlin 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. 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 Mrs. Patricia A. Tripple Mr. Wendell P. Williams COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT: Mrs. Vivian L. Freeman, Excused Mrs. Joan A. Lambert, Chairman, Excused GUEST LEGISLATORS PRESENT: Assemblyman Bernie Anderson, District 31 STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Denice Miller, Senior Research Analyst OTHERS PRESENT: Mr. Duncan Monroe; Mr. William A. Moore; Ms. Megan Wojack; Ms. Holly Branch; Ms. Kimberly Welch; Ms. Michelle Depoali; Ms. Brandi Davenport; Ms. Jennifer Oxier; Ms. Heather Thompson; Ms. Heather Branch; Ms. Holly Thompson; Mr. Bret Davenport; Mr. Jacob Zuker; Ms. Melanie Owen; Mr. Dick Budd; Mr. Leroy Ingram; Mr. Bill Roney; Mr. Jacques Noftzger; Mr. Douglas Byington, Chairman, Governor's Commemorative Committee on the 50th Anniversary of World War II; Ms. Stephanie Tyler, city of Sparks; Ms. Deborine Peebles, City Clerk, City of Sparks (see also Exhibit B attached hereto). SENATE BILL NO. 80 - Designates tule duck decoy as official state artifact of State of Nevada. Mr. Duncan Monroe testified. He advised he was a teacher at Billinghurst Middle School. He said present with him was Mr. William A. Moore, the artist who created the print of the Tule duck decoy which was on display for the committee. Mr. Monroe advised, with respect to the history of Nevada's Indian culture, one of the most significant archeological discoveries was made, in 1924, when a cache of eleven Tule duck decoys was discovered in a Lovelock cave. He indicated one of his students asked him where the Tule duck decoys were and he did not know the answer. He advised he and his class discovered the decoys were located in New York City and none of them were on display. He stated this discovery launched a student project which culminated in S.B. 80 being brought before the legislature. He suggested the purpose for designating the Tule duck decoys as Nevada's state artifact was to raise the public's awareness of the unique quality of the decoys and, ultimately, to have at least a portion of the collection of Tule duck decoys returned to Nevada. Mr. William A. Moore testified. He said he was an artist who had been in Nevada since 1968. He stated he loved archeology and was attracted by the Lovelock cave, which was located approximately 22 miles south of Lovelock. He contended it was amazing that, although the historical society, Nevada State Museum, and university system attempted to have some of the Tule duck decoys returned to Nevada, on at least a temporary basis, it was students who were finally able to obtain results. He advised two decoys were returned to Nevada for display at the Nevada State Museum for one year. He stated those involved in the project to have the decoys returned to Nevada would like to see at least one or two of the decoys returned to Nevada on a permanent basis and believed S.B. 80 might help to accomplish their return. Mr. Monroe attempted to display a videotape describing the background of the Tule duck decoys, the manner in which they were discovered and the student project to achieve their return to Nevada, however, because of audio difficulties, Mr. Monroe was unable to do so. Mr. Monroe told the committee those students who were involved in the project to have the decoys returned and who were present to testify were seventh grade, eighth grade and high school students. He advised the project was called the RADD project which stood for "Return a Duck Decoy." He stated, as a result of the RADD project, the decoys were returned to Nevada for a period of 18 months. Mr. Monroe introduced Ms. Holly Branch and Ms. Megan Wojak who, he said, were members of "...the high voltage team..." which was responsible for drafting a letter to Senator Adler requesting a bill be introduced to make the Tule duck decoy Nevada's state artifact. Ms. Megan Wojack and Ms. Holly Branch testified, jointly, alternating with one another in giving their testimony. Ms. Wojak advised she attended McQueen High School. She contended students were attempting to have the Tule duck decoys returned to Nevada because everyone (in Nevada) had a right to see the decoys. Ms. Branch stated, because the Tule duck decoys were some of the oldest artifacts found in Nevada, future generations (of Nevadans) should be able to see the decoys, in Nevada, and should not be required to travel across the country to see something found in their own state. She advised students learned about the decoys in their history class and questioned why the decoys were not kept in Nevada, which generated the project for permanent return of the decoys. She said Mr. Martin George, who made the Tule duck decoys, met with students and taught them how to make duck decoys. Ms. Wojak advised, while involved in RADD, students found it necessary to write many letters, the most important of which was the letter to Senator Adler which resulted in students being present to testify before the committee. Ms. Branch advised, in the previous year, two students visited the Lovelock cave where the decoys were found. She reiterated Ms. Wojak's testimony regarding why students wished the decoys returned to Nevada. Assemblyman Bache asked Ms. Branch if she was a student of Assemblyman Anderson, Chairman of the Assembly Judiciary Committee. Ms. Branch replied she was not. Assemblyman Bennett asked the approximate age of the Tule duck decoys. Ms. Wojak answered the decoys were approximately 2,000 years old. Assemblyman de Braga commended the students on their project. She asked Ms. Wojak and Ms. Branch what, in addition to passing S.B. 80, they thought the legislature could do to assist in causing the decoys to be returned to Nevada. Ms. Branch suggested making Nevadans aware of the existence of the decoys. Ms. de Braga asked if there was any newspaper publicity about the students' project. Ms. Wojak replied the RADD project received a great deal of publicity. Assemblyman Tripple suggested, if the legislature passed S.B. 80, the students themselves could generate publicity. Ms. Kimberly Welch and Ms. Michelle Depoali testified, jointly, alternating with one another in giving their testimony. Ms. Welch advised she attended McQueen High School. She stated she and Ms. Depoali were present in Mr. Monroe's class when the questions of where the Tule duck decoys were and why they were not in Nevada arose. Ms. Depoali advised she was a member of the student team which generated the project to have the decoys returned to Nevada. She stated the students formed committees to accomplish the RADD project and indicated the project required a great deal of leadership and cooperation. She said one of the committees dealt with publicity and used all the community's publicity outlets to gain support for the project. She suggested there was a great deal of community support for the project. Ms. Welch said, after the students had accomplished having the decoys returned to Nevada, the students were nominated by the Bureau of Land Management for a Take Pride in America award. She stated approximately 10 students went to Washington, D.C. to receive the award, which was given for efforts to conserve land and artifacts. She indicated students had an opportunity to learn the meaning of the Tule duck decoys and about the work involved in creating them and believed everyone should have the same opportunity. Ms. Depoali said she believed there were many aspects of Nevada of which people were unaware. She contended the Tule duck decoys were a large part of Nevada's history and were a beauty of which people should be made aware. She stated, prior to the RADD project, she was not aware the decoys existed. She suggested the attempt to have the decoys returned to Nevada provided an excellent opportunity to "...show that we know our history and we're proud of it." Assemblyman Nolan commended the students on their exceptional accomplishment and their contribution to Nevada's history. He commended Mr. Monroe for exposing his students to history and its preservation and to the processes of government and for instilling in his students a sense of pride in their state. Mr. Monroe gave further testimony. He contended the project to have the Tule duck decoys returned to Nevada would not end with the legislature and would not end until some portion of the collection was returned to Nevada. He said the decoys were part of Nevada's history and culture and suggested making the Tule duck decoy a state artifact would make more people aware of the existence of the decoys. He advised there were eleven such decoys and contended there was no reason why one or two of them could not be placed on permanent display in the state museum. Mr. Monroe said the RADD project had not only historical significance but also a deeply personal aspect. He advised Mr. Martin George was a native American who had lived in a reclusive manner and did not like to appear before an audience. He advised Mr. George went to Billinghurst Middle School on several occasions to weave his Tule duck decoys. He indicated both Mr. George and his brother were now dead and there had been some doubt whether the weaving of Tule duck decoys would continue. He stated, however, Mr. George's cousin was continuing the tradition of weaving the decoys and several of his decoys were in the possession of the historical society and the state museum. The following students testified by making the single statement they supported S.B. 80: Ms. Brandi Davenport; Ms. Jennifer Oxier; Ms. Heather Thompson; Ms. Heather Branch; Ms. Holly Thompson; Mr. Bret Davenport; Mr. Jacob Zuker; Ms. Melanie Owen. Vice Chairman Braunlin closed the hearing on S.B. 80. SENATE BILL NO. 116 - Designates December 7 as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. Assemblyman Pete Ernaut, District 37, left his chair in the committee and testified. He advised the purpose of S.B. 116 was to designate December 7th as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day. He contended S.B. 116 was an important bill and one which the committee should support. He declared December 7th (1941) was a day which should be remembered because of the sacrifices made by the veterans of Pearl Harbor. Mr. Dick Budd testified. He stated he was aboard the U.S.S. California on the morning of December 7, 1941. He asked the committee to support S.B. 116 which he said he believed was a very important bill. He advised children who were now in school did not realize the meaning of Pearl Harbor. Mr. Leroy Ingram testified. He said he was aboard the U.S.S. Oklahoma at Pearl Harbor. He implored the committee's aid in having S.B. 116 passed by the legislature. He suggested it was very important children today and those in the future receive the message about Pearl Harbor. He advised there were approximately 165 survivors of Pearl Harbor who resided in Nevada of whom 65 resided in northern Nevada. He indicated he did not know how many survivors there were throughout the country. He said a newspaper survivors of Pearl Harbor received on a quarterly basis reflected between 100 and 150 survivors had died during the last quarter of a year. He declared it would not be long before no survivors remained and stated the survivors would like to see the legislature pass S.B. 116 so future generations would know of and remember Pearl Harbor and would prevent such an occurrence from happening again. Mr. Bill Roney testified. He said he was one of those Nevadans who were at Pearl Harbor. He indicated not many men from Nevada were at Pearl Harbor when the war started but said one who was there was Senator Lawrence Jacobson. He said another Nevadan who was present was a good friend of his, in whose name he was present to ask the legislature to pass S.B. 116, in memory of his friend and all other men who were present at Pearl Harbor, and to cause people to remember December 7, 1941. Mr. Jacques Noftzger testified. He said he was stationed at the Marine barracks of the naval ammunition depot in Hawaii on December 7, 1941. He suggested it was important to remember not only the survivors of Pearl Harbor but also everyone who was present at Pearl Harbor (on December 7, 1941) and everyone in military service at that time. He said, "In the past few years, there has been a gradual erosion of the roles at Pearl Harbor. It seems as though we are now being shown as the villains in some areas. We would like to keep the memory of Pearl Harbor as it is so that our children and our grandchildren do not forget." Mr. Douglas Byington, Chairman, Governor's Commemorative Committee on the 50th Anniversary of World War II, testified. He said he was present to support S.B. 116. He stated, as a society, our memories were short. He indicated, in the past December, a Reno television station interviewed people on the street and asked them, "Why do we remember December 7th." He declared none of the people interviewed remembered December 7th. Mr. Byington provided some history of World War II, giving dates of various military engagements and information about the nature of those engagements. Mr. Byington spoke of naval engagements in which Senator Lawrence Jacobsen was involved. He advised Senator Jacobsen's ship, the Astoria, was sunk and Senator Jacobsen spent seven hours in the water prior to his rescue. Mr. Byington declared, "We need to remember Pearl Harbor." He advised four members of the current legislature were veterans of World War II: Senator Lawrence Jacobsen, Senator William Raggio, Assemblyman P. M. Roy Neighbors and Senator John Marvel. He urged the committee to support and pass S.B. 116. Vice Chairman Braunlin told the survivors of Pearl Harbor who had testified before the committee, "...I don't think any of us can thank you enough for what you have done on behalf of our country." Mr. Nolan indicated to Vice Chairman Braunlin he understood the committee would take no formal action on S.B. 116 in Chairman Lambert's absence but asked if the committee would demonstrate to the survivors of Pearl Harbor its support of S.B. 116 by a show of hands. Vice Chairman Braunlin called for a show of hands by those committee members who supported S.B. 116. Vice Chairman Braunlin closed the hearing on S.B. 116. ASSEMBLY BILL NO. 174 - Eliminates requirement of residency for city clerk of City of Sparks. Assemblyman Bernie Anderson, District 31, testified. He advised the purpose of A.B. 174 was to eliminate the requirement Sparks' city clerk be a resident of Sparks. He explained, several years ago, the citizens of Sparks, through the process of a municipal election, made the position of city clerk one which was appointed rather than elected. He suggested A.B. 174 would enhance the city of Sparks' ability to retain its present city clerk as well as Sparks' city managers' ability to obtain new city clerks. He said he recommended the legislature pass A.B. 174. Mrs. Segerblom asked if Sparks' city council desired to have the residency requirement for the city clerk changed. Mr. Anderson replied affirmatively. He advised Sparks' charter committee also supported the change in the residency requirement but had missed the deadline for submitting a bill draft request. Ms. Tripple asked, if A.B. 174 passed, would it facilitate the city of Sparks' obtaining the most qualified person for the position of city clerk. Mr. Anderson replied it would. He advised it would permit the city to look for candidates for the position of city clerk beyond the boundaries of the city itself. Mr. Neighbors asked if A.B. 174 would treat the residency requirement for the city clerk differently than the requirements for any other city officer governed by the city's charter were treated. Mr. Anderson replied, with respect to appointed positions, it would not. Ms. Stephanie Tyler, city of Sparks, testified. She advised she was present with Sparks' city clerk and said they were honored to be before the committee at the same time as such issues of historical precedence and import were being heard as those presented by previous speakers. Ms. Deborine Peebles, City Clerk, City of Sparks, testified. She stated, "As Mr. Anderson said, this is basically just a clean up item in our charter." She said, in 1987, when the position of city clerk was changed to an appointed position, the residency requirement was overlooked. She advised she was a resident of Sparks and had lived in Sparks for 13 years. She said she would appreciate the committee's support of A.B. 174. Mr. Ernaut observed, during his five terms with the legislature, there must have been in excess of 30 changes to Sparks' city charter. Vice Chairman Braunlin closed the hearing on A.B. 174. Vice Chairman Braunlin advised the committee of those bills which it would consider during its next work session. BILL DRAFT REQUEST NO. 31-824 - Revises certain limitations on investment of state money. ASSEMBLYMAN BACHE MOVED FOR COMMITTEE INTRODUCTION OF B.D.R. 31-824. ASSEMBLYMAN BENNETT SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY BY ALL MEMBERS PRESENT. BILL DRAFT REQUEST NO. S-729 - Increases number of members of Reno civil service commission. ASSEMBLYMAN DE BRAGA MOVED FOR COMMITTEE INTRODUCTION OF B.D.R. S-729. ASSEMBLYMAN BACHE SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY BY ALL MEMBERS PRESENT. There being no further business to come before the committee, Vice Chairman Braunlin adjourned the meeting at 9:00 a.m. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED: Sara Kaufman, Committee Secretary APPROVED BY: Assemblyman Douglas A. Bache, Chairman Assemblyman Joan A. Lambert, Chairman Assembly Committee on Government Affairs March 7, 1995 Page