MINUTES OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES AND FACILITIES Sixty-eighth Session February 20, 1995 The Senate Committee on Human Resources and Facilities was called to order by Chairman Raymond D. Rawson, at 1:30 p.m., on Monday, February 20, 1995, in Room 226 of the Legislative Building, Carson City, Nevada. Exhibit A is the Agenda. Exhibit B is the Attendance Roster. COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Senator Raymond D. Rawson, Chairman Senator Sue Lowden, Vice Chairman Senator Maurice Washington Senator Kathy M. Augustine Senator Joseph M. Neal, Jr. Senator Bernice Mathews COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT: Senator Bob Coffin (Excused because of illness) STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Kerry Carroll Davis, Senior Research Analyst Mary Gavin, Committee Secretary Linda Chapman, Committee Secretary OTHERS PRESENT: Mary Peterson, Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Department of Education Ray Bacon, Executive Director, Nevada Manufacturers Association John Sarb, Administrator, Division of Child & Family Services, Department of Human Resources Barbara Clark, Lobbyist, Nevada Parent & Teachers Association Chairman Rawson distributed a copy of Bill Draft Request (BDR) 34-174, which was provided by Senator Ernest Adler, requesting the committee's introduction. BILL DRAFT REQUEST 34-174: Creates a trust fund for educational technology. Senator Augustine asked if this was similar to the Clark County School Foundation. The chairman answered it was, although he did not know if it uses the word "foundation," but it essentially allows a trust fund, so it would be the same thing. SENATOR LOWDEN MOVED TO INTRODUCE BDR 34-174. SENATOR MATHEWS SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED. (SENATOR COFFIN WAS ABSENT FOR THE VOTE.) ***** Chairman Rawson indicated that the bill should come back to this committee as there is no appropriation attached to the bill. The hearing on Senate Concurrent Resolution (S.C.R.) 3 was then opened. SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 3: Urges all employers in Nevada to encourage employees to earn high school diplomas or high school equivalency certificates. Mary Peterson, Superintendent of Public Instruction, State Department of Education, advised that she was speaking on behalf of the education coalition, which is a group of people representing various educational organizations throughout the state, including the Nevada Association of School Boards, Nevada State Education Association, (NSEA), Administrators' Association and Parent & Teachers Association (PTA). The education coalition supports all of the resolutions on the agenda today; i.e., S.C.R.'s 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8. Chairman Rawson asked if anything is dependent upon any of these S.C.R.'s and if there is opposition to any of them. Ms. Peterson replied that the education coalition would like to see all of them adopted. Ray Bacon, Executive Director, Nevada Manufacturers Association (NMA) testified the NMA would like to see some enhancements of S.C.R. 3 because the association believes it is incomplete and suggests wording in Lines 15 through 18 be enhanced to read "...urges that schools and General Education Diploma training programs provide a guarantee that students with a diploma will have the skills mentioned above before receiving a diploma"... and ..."urges that schools provide transcripts in a timely fashion." Further, Mr. Bacon stated most people having high school diplomas are starting in entry-level jobs. An employer is not going to wait around for weeks to get a copy of that diploma to make a hiring decision. Based on this, many employers have made a conscious decision not to bother making a request. Consequently, if an employer is going to be asked to request a diploma, it must be made meaningful, and the employer has a right to receive this information in a timely fashion, like 3 working days maximum to get a transcript. Senator Mathews added that in most cases, it takes more than 3 days to get a transcript. She suggested 1 week as a reasonable time. Mr. Bacon agreed. Chairman Rawson indicated it should not take 6 weeks because it is important to someone, undoubtedly involving that person's livelihood. Senator Lowden expressed concern regarding the effectiveness of the resolution, and asked Mr. Bacon if a resolution is going to really effect change. Mr. Bacon said it might, if the resolution clearly says that what is being done simultaneously is raising the standards of performance, as well as asking the employers to get more serious about holding people accountable. At that time, the hearing on S.C.R. 3 was closed, and the hearing on Senate Concurrent Resolution (S.C.R.) 4 was opened. SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 4: Urges colleges of education of university and community college system of Nevada to provide students with training in communication skills. No comments were received. The hearing on S.C.R. 4 was closed, and the hearing on Senate Concurrent Resolution (S.C.R.) 5 was opened. SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 5: Urges Department of Education and Department of Human Resources to participate fully in "Kids Count" survey. Senator Augustine asked that "Kids Count" be explained. John Sarb, Administrator, Division of Child and Family Services, Department of Human Resources, explained that "Kids Count" is a publication by the Annie E. Casey Foundation that attempts to measure progress for children based on certain indicators; for example, juvenile arrest rates, child abuse and neglect rates. The foundation widely disseminates such information so that the public can get a feel of what is being done to benefit children. The chairman asked if "Kids Count" is actively working in Nevada. Mr. Sarb indicated that the Casey Foundation likes to have a sponsor organization within each state to help collect data. Currently, Nevada does not have an in-state sponsor. In the absence of that, the foundation collects and reports the data. The foundation is collecting information the division could not begin to collect. The information is gathered in bits and pieces, and then the foundation extrapolates it to the whole state. Mr. Sarb indicated that the division is in support of this resolution insofar as seeing an in-state sponsor for "Kids Count" is found so that the division could respond to accurate information. The chairman asked if the data was useful to Nevada. Mr. Sarb replied that the foundation's goal is increasing public awareness. Whenever the foundation puts out its report, it is always front-page news in the newspapers around the state. In that respect, the foundation is successful in reaching its goal. Senator Lowden asked if the division now had to find a sponsor. Mr. Sarb indicated there is presently an application pending with the foundation from WEECAN in southern Nevada. He is aware of two Nevada applications the foundation did not accept, because it was felt that too much emphasis would be on data collection and not enough on publicity. The hearing on S.C.R. 5 was then closed, and the hearing on Senate Concurrent Resolution (S.C.R.) 6 was opened. SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 6: Urges board of trustees of each county school district to develop policies and strategies to increase parental involvement in education process. Barbara Clark, Lobbyist, Nevada State Parent & Teachers Association (PTA) testified for S.C.R. 6, stating that the association is some 30,000 strong and parental involvement is the very soul of PTA and has been since its inception. The association believes this would be a wonderful message sent to teachers, administrators and superintendents in this state. Many statistics show that when parental participation is high, the educational achievement on the part children is high. The association is, therefore, in favor of this legislation and strongly encourages passage. Senator Lowden inquired if this is a needed bill. Ms. Clark advised that it may not be a needed bill, but not all school districts within the state encourage parent participation, and that is the purpose of the bill. Senator Lowden said she has a problem with the state telling local school districts how they should be effecting change in their own areas. There being no further testimony, the hearing on S.C.R. 6 was closed, and the hearing on Senate Concurrent Resolution (S.C.R.) 7 was opened. SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 7: Urges school districts in Nevada to improve nutritional value of foods served in school lunch and breakfast programs. As there was no testimony either for or against S.C.R. 7, the hearing was closed, and the hearing on Senate Concurrent Resolution (S.C.R.) 8 was opened. SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 8: Directs Department of Education to study desirability and feasibility of lengthening school day and school year, availability of school facilities and provides financial assistance to teachers. No testimony in favor or opposition to S.C.R. 8 was received. At that time, the hearing was closed on all resolutions. Senator Lowden suggested that all resolutions be indefinitely postponed. Senator Neal expressed his concern about indefinitely postponing these resolutions. Senator Lowden replied that it was because there was no testimony on most of the resolutions. The chairman commented that since a resolution does nothing but set forth a wish or a desire, no action is really necessary. Senator Augustine asked if anyone from the Department of Education testified before the interim committee on these resolutions? The chairman indicated there was testimony, and the interim committee is studying these resolutions now. The chairman then called for a motion. SENATOR AUGUSTINE MOVED TO INDEFINITELY POSTPONE S.C.R.'s 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 AND 8. SENATOR WASHINGTON SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED. (SENATOR RAWSON VOTED NO. SENATOR NEAL ABSTAINED FROM THE VOTE. SENATOR COFFIN WAS ABSENT FOR THE VOTE.) ***** There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 2:07 p.m. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED: Mary Gavin, Committee Secretary APPROVED BY: _____________________________________ Senator Raymond D. Rawson, Chairman DATE: Senate Committee on Human Resources and Facilities February 20, 1995 Page