Guinn’s ethics package passes Senate committee

Scott Reeder

Thursday, April 8, 1999 | 11:12 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The Senate Governmental Affairs Committee unanimously endorsed Gov. Kenny Guinn's ethics package Wednesday afternoon.

Senate Bill 478 calls for overhauling the Nevada ethics law, increasing penalties for errant public officials and enlarging the state Ethics Commission.

The commission would be expanded from six to eight members and it would be authorized to hire an executive director to supervise the investigations and set up hearings.

"We are very happy to see that this proposal passed committee unanimously," said Scott Scherer, the governor's general counsel. Support for the bill included Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, and Sen. Joe Neal, D-North Las Vegas, who represent both ends of the political spectrum in the Senate.

The only person to speak before the committee vote with less than full support was Sen. Terry Care, D-Las Vegas, who said, "I think this is a weighty issue, and I will vote for it here because I think it should be heard on the floor."

The bill defines what types of relationships represent conflicts of interest for elected officials.

It would be a conflict for public officials to vote on an issue directly affecting a family member, a friend close enough to be like family, an employer, a member of the household or a business associate.

This helps clear up some of the vagueness of current law that does not allow elected officials to vote on issues involving "friends."

"If someone is such a close friend that you consider them to be like a member of your own family, then I guess that would be a conflict. But otherwise it would not be," Scherer said.

Guinn's suggestion calls for maximum fines of $5,000 for the first offense; $10,000 for the second offense and then $25,000 for the third or subsequent offense.

Public officials who are fined would have to pay from their personal assets, not campaign contributions.