Resolutions still bog down business

Siobhan McDonough

Thursday, May 24, 2001 | 10:14 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Several Nevada lawmakers say if there's any resolution that should be brought before the 2001 Legislature, it's one to reduce -- or eliminate -- resolutions.

"It seems like every day there's another one," said Sen. Randolph Townsend, R-Reno, noting "a huge leap" in the number of resolutions honoring notable Nevadans or organizations over the past 20 years.

Resolutions also have designated a state tartan, commended the rock band R.E.M., declared "Silver State Fanfare" the official Nevada march and designated dirt from Orovada as the state soil.

Others have urged Congress to defeat or support various pieces of national legislation. While expressing the lawmakers' stance on certain issues, they don't have the force or effect of actual law.

They do have the force of further crowding an already busy agenda, compressed by the state's decision to have its lawmakers meet for only 120 days every other year.

Resolutions are down this session -- 82 compared with 124 in 1999 -- in keeping with a pre-session pledge by the Assembly and Senate. And they've been cut off for the closing two weeks of the session.

But critics say more needs to be done.

"Debating amendments and bills on the floor -- that should be our business day," Townsend said. "If legislators want to come back in the afternoon or evenings to do resolutions, that's appropriate."

Assemblyman David Goldwater, D-Las Vegas said resolutions are a wonderful gesture but an inefficient use of the taxpayer's money.

"We have to find a better way for the Legislature to show gratitude for public service, and sorrow and condolences for death of people who contributed to the state."

Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, said that while the Legislature has done "a moderately good job" of trimming resolutions, reform is still needed.

"We need a system of gauging the importance of resolutions."

Assemblyman Greg Brower, R-Reno, agreed.

"There's a resolution that's important to everyone," he said. "When we do three or four a day, it's not only a lot of time, but also, by the fourth resolution, people are on their laptop or start leaving."

Brower said more discretion is needed.