MINUTES OF THE ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON LABOR AND MANAGEMENT Sixty-eighth Session March 28, 1995 The Committee on Labor and Management was called to order at 3:30 p.m., on Tuesday, March 28, 1995, Chairman Saundra Krenzer presiding in Room 321 of the Legislative Building, Carson City, Nevada. Exhibit A is the Agenda. Exhibit B is the Attendance Roster. COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Ms. Saundra (Sandi) Krenzer, Chairman Mr. David Goldwater, Vice Chairman Mr. Bernie Anderson Mr. Douglas A. Bache Mr. John C. Carpenter Mr. Pete Ernaut Mr. Mark Manendo Mr. Brian Sandoval COMMITTEE MEMBERS EXCUSED: Mr. Lynn Hettrick, Vice Chairman Mr. Dennis Nolan, Chairman STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Mr. Vance A. Hughey, Senior Research Analyst Mr. Fred W. Welden, Chief Deputy Research Director OTHERS PRESENT: Mr. Lorne Malkiewich, Director of Legislative Counsel Bureau Ms. Eloise Koenig, Division of Insurance Chairman Krenzer opened the hearing on Assembly Concurrent Resolution (A.C.R.) 12. She invited Assemblyman Douglas Bache to come forward. ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 12 - Directs Legislative Counsel to reorganize and divide provisions of chapter 616 of NRS. Assemblyman Bache, District No. 11, outlined his interest in this resolution. He stated he has been a member of the Assembly Committee on Labor and Management for three sessions. During that time he has referred to NRS Chapter 616 a multitudinous amount of times, each time there being more amendments and more additions. He remarked it has resulted in "spaghetti legislation". A.C.R. 12 directs the Legislative Counsel to divide the chapter into two or more different chapters. Assemblyman Bache expressed he has specific ideas as to how the chapter be divided but on the suggestion of the Legal Division he left them out of the resolution. He stressed the chapter has become so convoluted even the attorneys have a difficult time working with it. He would like to see a general benefits chapter, a chapter dealing only with SIIS and a chapter on administration and the self-insurers. He hopes they would keep the case law following the various sections. He referred to Mr. Lorne Malkiewich for more specific information on the process of dividing the chapter. Mr. Malkiewich, Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau, testified. He stated he would be substituting for Brenda Erdoes, Legislative Counsel who was unable to be here at this time. He briefly summarized the historical background of the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS). Before 1955 there was no single source of all the codified, permanent laws of general applicability in the state. Amendments and changes to existing laws created a "nightmare" that grew increasingly worse each session. Under the direction of Russ McDonald, the process of codifying the permanent statutes was undertaken. In either the 55th or the 57th session, NRS was approved in a single bill at the beginning of that session. From that point forward, whenever a statute is amended, the NRS is amended. Over time, the changing of existing sections and the addition of new sections creates a "hodgepodge" making it increasingly difficult to follow. Mr. Malkiewich stated LCB would take all the amendments to chapter 616 passed this session and the new statutes added and attempt to reorganize these. No substantive changes would be made. Sections would be moved around, organizing them so that they would be easier to find and follow. Spreading them over two chapters would be one of the ways to make them easier to work with. Assemblyman Carpenter inquired if this would involve any extra costs. Mr. Malkiewich responded he would not anticipate any additional costs. The committee might want to confirm that with Ms. Brenda Erdoes but the process of revision is something that is ongoing and part of the duties of LCB. Major projects have been addressed in the past and this would simply be the project they address during this interim. Chairman Krenzer asked if they need to specify what sections they are interested in creating. He replied it is not necessary, agreeing with Ms. Kim Morgan, input would be appreciated and encouraged but it may turn out there is a better way to re-organize the statutes. He thought it would be best not to lock in any particular format. Ms. Krenzer asked if there were any others wishing to testify in favor of A.C.R. 12. Ms. Eloise Koenig, Self-Insurance Coordinator for the Division of Insurance, came forward. She stated she works with chapter 616 on a daily basis and would welcome a re-order of some kind. Her one request would be for the LCB to publish a double cross reference showing the new provision's previous statute number and vice versa. This would allow the administrators to easier update all of their forms. Chairman Krenzer inquired if the members had any questions for Ms. Koenig. There were none. Being there was no one else wishing to testify either in favor or in opposition to A.C.R. 12, she closed the hearing. ASSEMBLYMAN ERNAUT MOVED DO ADOPT ON A.C.R. 12. ASSEMBLYMAN BACHE SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED. Being no further business before the committee, Chairman Krenzer adjourned the meeting. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED: Jennifer Carnahan, Committee Secretary APPROVED BY: Assemblyman Saundra Krenzer, Chairman Assemblyman Dennis Nolan, Chairman Assembly Committee on Labor and Management March 28, 1995 Page