Hettrick keeps top minority job in Assembly

Monday, Nov. 8, 2004 | 9:34 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- There will be familiar faces in positions of leadership in the 2005 Nevada Legislature.

Republican assemblymen, down 16-26, chose Lynn Hettrick of Gardnerville to again be minority leader at a GOP caucus in Reno.

Assemblyman Garn Mabey of Las Vegas was selected assistant minority floor leader, Valerie Weber of Las Vegas was named minority whip and freshman Heidi Seevers Gansert of Reno was named assistant whip.

Assemblyman John Marvel, R-Battle Mountain, the senior Republican in the Assembly, said Hettrick drew no challengers. He said Assemblyman Rod Sherer of Pahrump put in a bid to be assistant minority leader but the caucus chose Mabey.

The selection of Hettrick rounds out the leadership positions for the regular session of the Legislature that opens in February. Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson; Senate Majority Bill Raggio, R-Reno, and Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, all were chosen again for the posts they held in 2003.

Lawmakers will be in Carson City Wednesday to begin the special session in the impeachment procedure of Controller Kathy Augustine.

Hettrick said his caucus talked about the procedures to be used in the impeachment proceedings, but there was no discussion about taking positions.

In addition, the Republicans reviewed some of the bills that will be introduced in the 2005 Legislature. Among those will be ones to put a cap on property taxes. Hettrick said there was a "clear interest" in that issue. But he said the Legislature would have to act quickly if there is to be any relief for taxpayers next year.

Hettrick said he wants to get together with Perkins to determine how the committees for the 2005 session will be shaped. He said he understands there will be a new Infrastructure Committee to deal with growth issues. Perkins has said the committee assignments won't be made for about three weeks.

Perkins has already said that he intends to increase the number of Democrats on the Ways and Means Committee that helps shape the budget. The breakdown in 2003 was 8 Democrats and 6 Republicans. Perkins is talking about adding a Democrat and possibly eliminating one of the GOP seats.