Showdown looms on overhaul of Regents

Friday, May 30, 2003 | 9:49 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Another showdown is looming between the Senate and Assembly on overhauling the state Board of Regents.

The Senate voted 11-10 Thursday to approve a proposed constitutional amendment that would reduce the number of regents from 13 to nine, with three of them to be elected and six to be appointed by the governor.

Currently all regents of the University and Community College System of Nevada are elected.

The bill would allow one person to be elected from each of the three congressional districts and the rest would be named by the governor.

Sen. Joe Neal, D-North Las Vegas, said he was concerned that appointments by the governor could allow big-money interests to control the process.

"He will go where the money is," Neal said.

Michael Hillerby, assistant chief of staff to Guinn, said: "Tempers get short at the end of the session. Sen. Neal needs a little rest."

Assembly Joint Resolution 11, as passed by the Assembly, said the governor in naming the regents should consider urban and rural areas, women, ethnic and racial minorities. That was deleted by the Senate Government Affairs Committee.

That difference must be worked out between the two houses.

The resolution would have to be approved this session and in 2005 and then ratified by the voters.