Contractors Board reform gets new look

CARSON CITY -- Assemblyman John Lee, D-Las Vegas, has backed off his plan for a major overhaul of the state Contractors Board, which has been generally praised in the past six months for its regulation of shoddy builders.

Lee, a plumbing contractor, had introduced Assembly Bill 259 to change the composition of the board, which now consists of five contractors and a member of the public. He wanted to reduce the contractors to three and have a building inspector, certified public accountant and architect or professional engineer added to the board in addition to the public member.

Realizing the opposition to the proposal was strong, Lee modified his plan to have four general contractors, one subcontractor, one architect or engineer and one representative of the public.

He also scrapped his idea to have the state attorney general prosecute offenses instead of local district attorneys, when it was revealed that would cost the state $250,000. He also abandoned the idea that a member other than a contractor should be chairman of the board.

But retained in the bill is a section to limit a member to serve no more than eight consecutive years. Lee has complained some board members serve too long and new blood is needed.

After he presented his amendments to water down the bill, the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee approved the measure and sent it to the floor.

Two years ago the Contractors Board was roundly criticized for failing to police the contractors who were responsible for the growing number of defective construction in homes. But the board has generally been praised for its work in recent months.

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