Halfway into legislative session, symbolism outpacing substance

By Cy Ryan

Thursday, April 2, 2009 | 2 a.m.

The 2009 Legislature reaches its midpoint today. After 60 days, lawmakers have approved more ceremonial resolutions than substantive bills.

More than 900 bills have been introduced. As of Monday seven bills had been passed by both houses, including the initiative petition raising the room tax in Clark and Washoe counties and a bill to provide $15 million to fund the session.

By contrast, 23 resolutions have been approved by both houses for such things as commemorating the 25th anniversary of the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, designating September National Indoor Toxic Mold Awareness Month and setting Feb. 19 as E. Clampus Vitus Day at the Legislature.

E. Clampus Vitus is a fraternal organization dedicated to the study and preservation of mining traditions.

Committees have been holding budget hearings and making tentative decisions on where to add back funding cut by Gov. Jim Gibbons in his proposed budget. Lawmakers have decided not to merge the tourism and economic development commissions; not to shut down the century-old prison in Carson City; to keep open nine mental health clinics in rural Nevada; and to bolster spending on several social programs.

However, they can’t make any final decisions on a spending plan until the Economic Forum makes its official tax revenue projections May 1.

“This is a slow process and we will not know until May 1,” said Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, the longest-serving lawmaker.

“We’re just putting in time until we get to the budget,” said a lobbyist who asked not to be identified.

Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley said that although the pace appears slow, “substantial progress” has been made on the budget. The so-called money committees have never been this far along at the midpoint of a session, she said.

April 10 is the deadline for a committee to take action on bills that originated in its chamber.

The lobbyist expects the Legislature to approve a budget and tax package by May 25; the governor to veto it; and the session to become a race to the June 1 adjournment marked by “horse trading” as leaders round up votes for the final package.

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One prominent theme at the midpoint of this session has been a more contentious than usual relationship between legislative leaders and the governor.

Buckley has remarked that she doesn’t see the governor’s staff in the hallways as much as past administrations. Gov. Kenny Guinn’s staff was in the building every day, she said.

She has talked to Gibbons only twice since the session began, while “Guinn and I used to talk daily,” Buckley said.

Gibbons said legislators have visited him in his office and he has taken some lawmakers to lunch for lengthy conservations.

He is open to more dialogue, he said, and lawmakers can easily call or set an appointment to meet with him.

“This is a two-way street,” he said.

“They have to tell me what it is they want,” Gibbons said. “I can’t read their mind.”

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Today is the final day legislators are paid for their work.

Under the constitution, lawmakers are paid for only the first 60 days of a legislative session. After today, the $144-a-day payments to those elected last year and the $139-a-day payments to holdover senators will end.

Lawmakers will continue to receive $167 a day to cover expenses during the session.

Resolutions have been proposed this session, as in most sessions, to amend the Nevada Constitution and pay lawmakers for the full 120 days of a legislative session.