Group fails in challenge of Giunchigliani

Friday, April 9, 2004 | 9:28 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- A move by a group opposed to having government employees in the Legislature failed Thursday to unseat Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, who works for the Community College of Southern Nevada.

Janine Hansen, representing Nevadans for Sound Government, stood up at the beginning of a meeting of the Legislative Interim Finance Committee and objected to the seating of Giunchigliani.

Hansen said it was a violation of doctrine of separation of powers in the Nevada Constitution and the legal opinion of Attorney General Brian Sandoval.

But Brenda Erdoes, legal counsel for the Legislature, said Hansen had no standing to object. She said there are legal opinions from Sandoval and from her office that conflict.

Until the Supreme Court rules, there is no foundation for anybody to object to the seating of a state or university employee, she said.

Sandoval, representing Secretary of State Dean Heller, has filed suit in the Supreme Court, asking it to resolve the issue. So has the Independent American Party.

After the meeting Hansen said Nevadans for Sound Government want to hold the Legislature accountable and added, "We don't approve of them violating the Constitution.

The group is circulating an initiative petition to bar government workers from serving in the Legislature.

Hansen said it is "busy in all 17 counties" but it is difficult to get the necessary 51,244 signatures needed to put the issue on the election ballot. She said the group doesn't have the money to hire professional signature gatherers.

Hansen said she did not know if the group would appear at other government meeting to lodge objections to seating of other government employees in the Legislature.