MINUTES OF THE SENATE COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS Seventy-ninth Session March 17, 2017 The Senate Committee on Government Affairs was called to order by Chair David R. Parks at 1:06 p.m. on Friday, March 17, 2017, in Room 2135 of the Legislative Building, Carson City, Nevada. The meeting was videoconferenced to Room 4412 of the Grant Sawyer State Office Building, 555 East Washington Avenue, Las Vegas, Nevada. Exhibit A is the Agenda. Exhibit B is the Attendance Roster. All exhibits are available and on file in the Research Library of the Legislative Counsel Bureau. COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT: Senator David R. Parks, Chair Senator Mark A. Manendo, Vice Chair Senator Julia Ratti Senator Joseph P. Hardy Senator Pete Goicoechea GUEST LEGISLATORS PRESENT: Senator Yvanna Cancela, Senatorial District No. 10 Senator Aaron Ford, Senatorial District No. 11 Senator Scott Hammond, Senatorial District No.18 Senator Tick Segerblom, Senatorial District No. 3 Senator Pat Spearman, Senatorial District No. 1 Assemblyman Nelson Araujo, Assembly District No. 3 Assemblywoman Sandra Jaurequi, Assembly District No. 41 STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT: Jennifer Ruedy, Policy Analyst Heidi Chlarson, Counsel Hailey Hord, Intern to Senator Tick Segerblom Suzanne Efford, Committee Secretary Senate Committee on Government Affairs March 17, 2017 Page 2 OTHERS PRESENT: Michael Green Danny Thompson Rusty McAllister, AFL-CIO Donna West Astrid Silva Janet Revere Josh Griffin, MGM Resorts John Wagner, Independent American Party Mark Howells Robert Lauer John Colaw Robert Frank, NevadansCAN Julie Hereford Bonnie McDaniel Christine Shelby Mary McAuliffe Alex Ortiz, Clark County CHAIR PARKS: We will open the hearing with the work session on Assembly Bill (A.B.) 9. ASSEMBLY BILL 9: Authorizes the Secretary of State to appoint a Deputy of Securities. (BDR 18-424) JENNIFER RUEDY (Policy Analyst): I will describe A.B. 9 from the work session document (Exhibit C). SENATOR HARDY MOVED TO DO PASS A.B. 9. SENATOR MANENDO SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. ***** CHAIR PARKS: The next bill in the work session is A.B. 13. Senate Committee on Government Affairs March 17, 2017 Page 3 ASSEMBLY BILL 13: Revises provisions governing the annual fee for conducting business in Nevada. (BDR 7-3) MS. RUEDY: I will discuss A.B. 13 as contained in the work session document (Exhibit D). SENATOR GOICOECHEA MOVED TO DO PASS A.B. 13. SENATOR RATTI SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. ***** CHAIR PARKS: The next bill in the work session is S.B. 78. SENATE BILL 78: Revises provisions relating to local government financial administration. (BDR 31-403) MS. RUEDY: I will summarize S.B. 78 as contained in the work session document (Exhibit E). Page 5 of the proposed amendment is the language adding the review: “The local government’s plan will be subject to annual review by the Committee on Local Government Finance.” CHAIR PARKS: I have a suggestion. On page 5 of the amendment, I would like to add the words “and approval” after “will be subject to annual review … .” The amended language would read, “The local government’s plan will be subject to annual review and approval by the Committee on Local Government Finance.” SENATOR HARDY MOVED TO AMEND AND DO PASS AS AMENDED S.B. 78 WITH THE ADDITION OF THE AMENDED WORDING ON PAGE 5 OF THE AMENDMENT “AND APPROVAL.” SENATOR GOICOECHEA SECONDED THE MOTION. Senate Committee on Government Affairs March 17, 2017 Page 4 THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. ***** CHAIR PARKS: That takes us to S.B. 138 in the work session. SENATE BILL 138: Authorizes the creation of a local improvement district for a waterfront maintenance project. (BDR 22-678) MS. RUEDY: I will explain S.B. 138 as contained in the work session document (Exhibit F). Page 2 of the amendment contains the amended language. That was the only amendment. The bill becomes effective July 1. SENATOR HARDY: This is a good amendment. It is compatible with the maintenance project which will be an economic boon for the Township of Laughlin and the State. CHAIR PARKS: My understanding is that this bill affects the entire State and is not specific to one particular project. SENATOR HARDY: That is correct. CHAIR PARKS: Special improvement districts often use different financing methodologies. Bond counsel reviewed this to ensure that all of the bases are covered. SENATOR HARDY: All of the appropriate parameters that are needed are there. SENATOR GOICOECHEA: The amendment talks about governing bodies. Is that the Laughlin Town Board or the Board of County Commissioners? Senate Committee on Government Affairs March 17, 2017 Page 5 SENATOR HARDY: The Board of County Commissioners has ultimate authority. SENATOR PARKS: Town boards are advisory. Their actions are not binding. SENATOR GOICOECHEA MOVED TO AMEND AND DO PASS AS AMENDED S.B. 138. SENATOR RATTI SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. ***** CHAIR PARKS: Let us move on to S.B. 175 in the work session. SENATE BILL 175: Designates November 12 as Asian Culture Day in Nevada. (BDR 19-74) MS. RUEDY: Senate Bill 175 is summarized in the work session document (Exhibit G). There are no fiscal notes, and the bill becomes effective upon passage and approval. CHAIR PARKS: I made a suggestion to Senator Scott Hammond. He reviewed it with the individuals who are seeking this recognition. The discussion centered on whether the date is November 12 or a Friday that is closest to the date of November 12. His organization indicated that they are happy with moving it to a Friday. That would enable them to create a series of weekend programs. SENATOR MANENDO: I heard from some people and met with others who had concerns with that particular date. They want a date that is more neutral. Instead of using a date, we discussed making it like Nevada Day where it is on a certain Friday, thus creating a three-day weekend. It might create an opportunity for tourists and residents to celebrate. I am amenable to that concept. That would be an economic development boom for the State. Senate Committee on Government Affairs March 17, 2017 Page 6 SENATOR GOICOECHEA: As we move forward with this and talk about the Friday closest to November 12, we want to keep in mind that Veterans Day is November 11. CHAIR PARKS: That is correct. SENATOR GOICOECHEA: We have to make some provisions because we do not want the days to overlap. CHAIR PARKS: Let us trail this work session bill. It would not create a problem by holding it. The last bill in the work session is S.B. 202. SENATE BILL 202: Revises various provisions of the Charter of the City of Sparks. (BDR S-503) MS. RUEDY: The explanation of S.B. 202 is contained in the work session document (Exhibit H). There is no effective date prescribed in the bill, therefore, the effective date will be October 1, 2017. SENATOR GOICOECHEA MOVED TO DO PASS S.B. 202. SENATOR HARDY SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. ***** CHAIR PARKS: I may have thrown a wrench into the works on work session bill S.B. 78 regarding the provision relating to local government financial administration. I would like to reopen the work session on S.B. 78 with the idea of rescinding the vote to amend and do pass and enact the bill with the original amendment. I am told there are legal concerns that might have adverse implications. Senate Committee on Government Affairs March 17, 2017 Page 7 SENATOR HARDY MOVED TO RESCIND THE PREVIOUS ACTION TAKEN ON S.B. 78. SENATOR GOICOECHEA SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. ***** CHAIR PARKS: We are back to considering S.B. 78. Ms. Ruedy indicated that there was an amendment submitted to us. On page 5, I had suggested that the words “and approval” be added on line 12. Since that creates an adverse situation beyond what was intended by the bill, I suggest that we remove those two words and use the amended language that was presented to us. SENATOR HARDY MOVED TO AMEND AND DO PASS AS AMENDED S.B. 78 WITH THE ORIGINAL AMENDMENT. SENATOR GOICOECHEA SECONDED THE MOTION. THE MOTION CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY. ***** CHAIR PARKS: We will go back to the work session on S.B. 175 since the sponsor of the bill is now in the room. The question was on which day this should fall. There was some concern with November 12. We discussed going with the first Friday, the second Friday, or as late as a third Friday in November. However, the third Friday is too close to Thanksgiving Day. SENATOR SCOTT HAMMOND (Senatorial District No. 18): I went back to the groups that were considering this particular date. They got together and thought it would be wonderful if they could celebrate it on the Friday closest to November 12. Senate Committee on Government Affairs March 17, 2017 Page 8 CHAIR PARKS: You realize that these dates change and that they fall on different days of the week every year. We have concerns with other holidays or special occasion days that occur at that same time. Did you discuss the conflicts with other dates? SENATOR HAMMOND: Yes, we discussed that. They plan to celebrate with a whole week of events. The official date for them is not as necessary. They are contemplating celebrating this here. It will draw many people from many different places, even from outside the U.S. For them it does not really matter what the date is as long as it is around November 12. That is what they are hoping to get. We can stay with November 12 if that satisfies the Committee.