Legislators, computers don’t mix

Tuesday, Feb. 24, 1998 | 11:35 a.m.

A survey released Tuesday shows that such prominent legislators as Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus and Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, both D-Las Vegas; and Sen. Mark James, R-Las Vegas, never turned on their computers between Jan. 8 and Feb. 23.

Thirty-one of the 63 legislators turned on their computers just once during the 46-day survey period. Thirteen others turned computers on less than 10 times. Twenty-six complained they didn't get enough training.

Only six legislators used their computers at least once a day - led by Assembly Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville who said he turned his computer on 348 times - more than seven times a day.

Besides Hettrick, other legislators who used the computers at least once a day were Assemblyman Pat Hickey, R-Reno; Sen. Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas; Assemblyman David Parks, D-Las Vegas; Sen. Mike Schneider, D-Las Vegas; and Assemblywoman Barbara Cegavske, R-Las Vegas.

The computers were purchased partly because legislators thought they'd be able to conduct e-mail correspondence with constituents. But the survey shows some legislators never look at their e-mail messages.

Ron Nichols, the Legislature's information services manager, has said he was asked by 25 legislators to copy their e-mail messages and send the copies to them. In some cases, the messages were nearly two weeks old when lawmakers got them.

The Legislature's Subcommittee on Computer Applications asked Nichols to conduct the survey. At the panel's meeting last month, Sen. Bill O'Donnell, R-Las Vegas, said he preferred his own computer because the legislative laptops are too slow and quickly becoming obsolete. He was one of 19 legislators who said they have their own computers.