Democrats get Senate assignments

Tuesday, Nov. 26, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Sen. Jack Regan, D-Las Vegas, has been named to the new Democratic seat on the Senate Finance Committee.

Regan will join Bob Coffin of Las Vegas and Bernice Mathews of Reno as the three Democrats on the committee that builds the state budget.

The appointment was announced Monday by Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, who also said that newly elected Clark County Sens. Valerie Wiener will be on the Judiciary Committee and Mike Schneider will be on Commerce and Labor.

There were only two Democrats on the Finance Committee in 1995 because Republicans held a 13-8 majority. That was narrowed to 12-9 and gave the Democrats the seat on the seven-member committee.

Senate Majority Leader William Raggio, R-Reno, has not disclosed which Republican will be removed from the committee. Besides himself, there are William O'Donnell and Ray Rawson, both of Las Vegas, Lawrence Jacobson of Minden and Dean Rhoads of Tuscarora.

If he takes off O'Donnell or Rawson, that would leave the north with a 4-3 majority over Southern Nevada on the committee.

Titus said the Democratic committee makeup will be essentially the same as in 1995. Wiener will also serve on the Natural Resources Committee and the Transportation Committee. Schneider, formerly of the Assembly, has been assigned to Government Affairs, Legislative Affairs and Operations.