Price testifies on bill to clarify open meeting laws

Wednesday, May 14, 1997 | 11:38 a.m.

Assemblyman Doug Bache, D-Las Vegas, made the comment after Assemblyman Bob Price, D-North Las Vegas, argued Wednesday for his AB428 - cosponsored by 38 other Assembly members.

Price said legislation passed in 1995 intended to prohibit public officials from using telephones and other means to develop a consensus outside open meetings.

But Price said several public bodies have ignored the laws - notably regents of the University and Community College System of Nevada against his wife, Nancy, a regent who has been at odds with several other panel members.

In another case, Price said an Esmeralda County commissioner was forced out of office after reports that she was trying to make secret deals with other commissioners.

"At one point in the 1995 session, I intended to put language like this in the bill. But after talking with some people about it, we decided the language was clear enough," Price said. "Normally, you can depend on the intent of the law, but I'm also of the opinion that it doesn't hurt to spell things out."

Although Government Affairs didn't vote on the measure Wednesday because all of the committee's members weren't present, Price said he's confident the measure will pass.