State Legislature should meet annually

Jim Whitcraft, Las Vegas

Friday, Feb. 4, 2011 | 2:04 a.m.

Most real states have a Legislature that meets every year and have sessions long enough to get their work done. In Nevada, before the regular session even begins this year, there is talk about an “overtime” special session to deal with state budget issues. This suggests that something is wrong with how this is done.

Sure, meeting annually would cost a little more, but it would mean lawmakers might be able to choose quality over schedule. It would also mean they would have only to project year-to-year spending. It would free the Legislature from having to do the governor’s bidding. I suppose legislators might then have too much time to pass frivolous bills — but I’m willing to risk it.

Longer annual sessions would make being a legislator more of a real job. It also might encourage someone (who isn’t a lawyer) with a real job to entertain running. More importantly, an annual Legislature might cause the members to take more ownership of Nevada’s problems and find real solutions.

I’m not saying this will solve any of our budget problems. We need only look west to California to see how political agendas can cause people to make bad choices. But if anyone can actually predict 2 1/2 years ahead, he needs to get to a casino and take me with him. Or consider this — let’s change the Constitution so that Nevada can be a real state.