Lawmakers Work Out Details For Showing Freshmen the Ropes

Tuesday, Dec. 3, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

The Jan. 16-18 crash course for the legislators will include mock committee and Assembly-Senate floor sessions, plus discussions focusing on ethics, use of laptop computers, lobbyist and media relations, and staff services.

Freshmen also will learn how a bill becomes law. Already, about 900 requests for bill drafts have been filed, including proposals dealing with big-ticket issues such as school funding and revising tax distributions.

One key element of the training hasn't been determined yet: location. The lawmakers' building is being remodeled and it's possible that some of the rooms normally used for such training still won't be ready by Jan. 16.

Wherever it's held, the training won't be all work: The $5,000 budget approved by a presession orientation subcommittee includes about $3,500 for a reception that should draw about 300 lawmakers, other elected officials, state agency administrators and lobbyists.

Sen. Jack Regan, D-Las Vegas, co-chairman of the orientation subcommittee, said video-teleconferencing might be a good way for people in Las Vegas to get a preview of the session without having to travel 435 miles to Carson City.

But Assemblywoman Joan Lambert, R-Reno, said money saved by not using the video-teleconference system - often used by interim subcommittees to cut down on travel pay - would help cover the costs of the reception.

And Assemblywoman Marcia de Braga, D-Fallon, said freshmen lawmakers will benefit more from the training by being here. Lambert added that if they're being paid, they definitely should be in Carson City.

The 14 freshmen include 11 from the Las Vegas area and three from northern Nevada. Two aren't really newcomers: Mike Schneider moved up from the Assembly to Senate and Tom Collins is returning to the Assembly after sitting out a session.

The lawmakers who show up prior to the actual start of the session can get paid for their time, although in the past few have put in for pay and per diem until the session actually begins.

The Legislative Commission will have final say on the budget for the training session when it meets here Dec. 10.