Assembly passes bill to toughen ethics rules

Wednesday, April 20, 2005 | 8:55 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

A public official who admits to three ethical violations would automatically be kicked out of office under a bill approved by the Assembly on Tuesday.

Assembly Joint Resolution 9 would amend the state Constitution to crack down on unethical behavior.

"It's very, very simple: Three strikes and you're out," said Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson.

Perkins alluded to the recent case of state Controller Kathy Augustine, who admitted to several ethical violations. Augustine was impeached, but the Senate did not remove her from office.

The lone dissenter was Assemblywoman Sharron Angle, R-Reno, who said the bill should better define what type of violation would qualify toward the three strikes and whether there would be a statute of limitation on the strikes.

Since the bill entails a constitutional amendment, the Legislature would have to pass the measure twice and then get voters to approve it before it could become law.

Among other measures sent to the Senate:

Under the bill, their rent could not exceed $300 if the household income is less than $20,000, $350 if the income is between $20,000 and $30,000, and $400 if the income is between $30,000 and $40,000.

Fourteen Republicans voted against the measure, along with Democratic Assemblyman William Horne of Las Vegas.

The resolution cites many issues, including last summer's ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit that the radiation standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency were inadequate.

"In this era where terrorism is everywhere, we really shouldn't be moving this stuff anywhere, let alone to Nevada," said Assemblywoman Genie Ohrenschall, D-Las Vegas, who sponsored the measure.

Four Republican members of the Assembly voted against the measure: Rod Sherer of Pahrump, John Marvel of Battle Mountain, John Carpenter of Elko and Lynn Hettrick of Gardnerville.

Assemblywoman Bonnie Parnell, D-Carson City, said the Board of Regents asked for the name change because the old name doesn't reflect the Nevada State College at Henderson.

Assembly Minority Leader Lynn Hettrick, R-Gardnerville, said he had been contacted by a volunteer firefighter upset that she had to sign paperwork designating her as a "fireman."

Assembly Majority Leader Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, complained that the federal legislation is difficult to understand and too expensive for many seniors. The federal act penalizes seniors if they don't sign up during a certain time period and saddles them with co-payments, deductibles and other major expenses, Buckley said.

She said the state's Senior Rx program was originally complicated, but a bipartisan effort in the state clarified the measure.

"We changed the program so it made sense, so it was affordable and easy to understand," Buckley said.