Friday, May 30, 2003 | 11:11 a.m.
CARSON CITY -- Legislators won't be doing as much out-of-state travel in the next two years to conventions and meetings.
The Legislative Commission voted today to reduce the fully compensated trips for lawmakers out of state each year from two to one.
The commission agreed the state would also partially pay for one out-of-state trip. Legislators are not reimbursed for meals and salary in these jaunts but do receive travel, lodging and registration reimbursement.
"It's prudent to tighten up during these poor economic times," Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, said.
Lorne Malkiewich, director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau, said the Senate and Assembly budget committees have agreed to cut out-of-state travel for legislators and staff from $200,000 to $100,000 next year and from $150,000 to $75,000 the following fiscal year.
Those legislators who are officers in national organizations are exempted from the limitation. Malkiewich said if they head groups or committees, they should be permitted to attend the meetings.
The 12-member bipartisan commission is the group that takes care of routine business of the Legislature between sessions. It is composed of six senators and six assemblymen with equal representation from both parties.
The commission elected Sen. Randolph Townsend, R-Reno, as its chairman for the next two years. Sen. Ann O'Connell, R-Las Vegas, was selected vice chairman.
Townsend succeeds Perkins. The chairmanship rotates between the Assembly and Senate.
The commission also selected Caren Jenkins, a Carson City attorney, to serve on the state Ethics Commission to succeed former Sen. Ernie Adler of Carson City, who resigned.
Jenkins was once a staff member for the Legislature and she will serve out Adler's term, which expires in September, then begin a new four-year term.
The seat on the Ethics Commission had to be filled by a Democrat from outside Clark County. There are presently four Clark County people on the eight-member Ethics Commission. And there are presently four Republicans on the commission.
The Legislative Commission also selected George Keele, a lawyer from Douglas County to replace Todd Russell of Carson City on the Ethics Commission. Russell, a Republican and son of former Gov. Charles Russell, is chairman of the Ethics Commission and does not want reappointment when his term expires in September.
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