Tobacco spending last act

Tuesday, June 1, 1999 | 11:04 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The final act of the Nevada Legislature this century was to spend nearly all of the $1.2 billion tobacco settlement over the next 25 years on college scholarships and health programs.

The Senate and Assembly Monday limped toward final adjournment, saving Gov. Kenny Guinn's Millennium Scholarship program and the health care plan for last.

The final day was filled with delays as bills flipped back and forth between the houses. During the breaks, the lawmakers engaged in song or in congratulatory speeches, telling each other how great they performed during the first 120-day limited session in history.

The scholarship bill was the final bill passed. Its approval came at 11:34 p.m. in the Assembly, which then adjourned eight minutes later. The Senate concluded its business one minute after that. The deadline for adjournment was midnight.

Guinn was in the legislative hallways at the end. And he came in to personally praise lawmakers for their work during the session.

Senate Bill 496 will use 40 percent of the estimated $48 million a year in tobacco money to pay for scholarships for high school students with "B" averages starting next year. Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, said Nevada sends the lowest number of its high school graduates to college.

And many of those who go on to college go out of state, creating a "brain drain," he said. This program, he said, will help remedy that.

Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, said she supported the concept but had some reservation about the details. She said the scholarships should help the needy first. And requiring a "B" average leads to grade inflation in high school, she said. She suggested the student's standing in the class might be considered as an alternative.

Raggio replied he opposed directing the scholarships based on need. He said everyone should be eligible.

When the bill reached the house, Assemblyman David Goldwater, D-Las Vegas, also said that the need of the student should be taken into account when awarding the scholarship, which calls for $2,500 a year for the universities and $1,250 for the community colleges.

Goldwater called the legislation "historic" but added that changes will be needed over time.

A second bill in the package, Assembly Bill 474, allocates 50 percent of the money for health programs. Assemblywoman Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, said 15 percent would be set aside to help low-income senior citizens buy prescription drugs and another 15 percent would help seniors achieve independent living with such programs as Meals on Wheels and care in the home for elderly who want to stay out of nursing homes.

She said 10 percent would be used to fight use of tobacco, another 10 percent would go for health care for children and the disabled and 10 percent would go into a trust fund. The state would be able to use only the interest from the trust fund.