School-book bill rises from ashes

CARSON CITY -- A bill that would require school districts to spend more money on textbooks appeared to have died Monday, but with the help of a powerful politician it was resurrected on Tuesday.

Assembly Bill 219 would establish a minimum standard for how much each of Nevada's 17 school districts should spend on books. That standard would be set based on how much had spent per pupil on books during the past three years.

Legislators expressed concern that raises in school employees' salaries have come at the expense of textbooks.

"I get calls from parents who say there just aren't enough books to go around," Sen. Bill O'Donnell, R-Las Vegas, said. Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, pushed for the legislation, but it was defeated 9-11 Monday. Tuesday the measure was reconsidered and passed 16-5 and now goes to the governor. "It looks to me like Raggio had a Republican caucus and told them to change their votes," Sen. Joe Neal, D-North Las Vegas, said.

archive