Hunt casts tie-breaker

Wednesday, May 14, 2003 | 9:54 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- After five years in office, Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt cast her first tie-breaking vote in the Senate on Tuesday.

With the vote 10-10, Hunt, president pro tem of the Senate, voted to approve an amendment to exclude a legislative committee from overseeing the Southern Nevada Water Authority.

The initial version of Senate Bill 216 would have created a legislative committee to oversee the performance of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, the Colorado River Commission, the Lake Tahoe Basin and the Marlette Water system. There are already legislative committees that oversee Lake Tahoe and Marlette.

Sen. Ray Rawson, R-Las Vegas, offered an amendment to SB 216 to exclude the Water Authority, saying it is governed by 23 elected officials in Clark County. He said this would be a slap in the face to them and that they are doing a good job.

Sen. Mark Amodei, R-Carson City, argued that oversight of agencies is healthy. He said the Legislature is not out to punish the Water Authority. He asked how two or three meetings a year by the legislative committee would do any harm, particularly regarding water, Nevada's most precious commodity.

He pointed out there has been a legislative committee on Lake Tahoe for a number of years and some problems there have subsided.

Sen. Joe Neal, D-North Las Vegas, suggested that the Colorado River Commission should be excluded from legislative oversight. He noted other state agencies do not have oversight by the Legislature such as the attorney general, the secretary of state or the transportation department. Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, didn't agree with Neal. She noted the Colorado River, like Lake Tahoe, includes water that crosses state lines.

She argued that the members of the Water Authority, as elected officials, are held directly accountable by voters and should not be included in any legislative oversight. The vote tied in the 21-member Senate because of the excused absence of Sen. Randolph Townsend, R-Reno. So it fell to Hunt to break the tie.

With approval of the amendment taking out the Water Authority, Senate Bill 216 will be reprinted and come up for a final vote later this week in the Senate.