Beers proposes committee to handle reapportionment

Wednesday, April 20, 2005 | 10:39 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- One of the biggest battles of the Legislature every 10 years is reapportioning the districts according to population.

It becomes a tug-of-war between Democrats and Republicans to draw the most favorable boundaries so that their party has the best chance to gain a majority in either the Assembly or Senate.

Sen. Bob Beers, R-Las Vegas, outlined a plan Tuesday to create a commission to do the realignment to avoid the bickering.

Beers told the Senate Legislative Operations and Elections Committee that 19 states have the commissions -- 12 of which draw the lines; two are advisory and five serve as backups if the Legislature deadlocks.

Beers testified in support of Senate Joint Resolution 10 that would create a seven-member commission composed of the governor, secretary of state and treasurer and two members from the Senate and Assembly, split between the political parties.

He said the commission would be given a deadline of June 30 to create the districts in the year after the U.S. Census Bureau releases the population figures.

The proposal ran into immediate opposition from Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, who complained that "the Legislature has lost more and more power" through the years.

She said the legislative session is now confined to 120 days; it takes two-thirds to pass a tax; there are term limits and voters must approve tax issues.

"Why give up any more power?" she questioned.

Beers said the Legislature has not been giving up power.

"The people have taken the power because because of the perception we abused it," he said.

Titus said the Legislature continues to give power to the executive branch. But she said voters call her because they don't have as much access to the governor and other state elective officials.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, said a commission might be set up as a backup if the Legislature can't agree. Titus said that would be more reasonable.

Raggio said there was the concern that one political party might control the governor, secretary of state and treasurer, as is now the case with Republicans.

In 1991, Democrats controlled both houses and drew up their own reapportionment plan. "It backfired," said Raggio. In 2001, Democrats controlled the Assembly and Republicans had the majority in the Senate. There was a deadlock but it was eventually resolved.

Raggio added, "The federal courts are always going to have the final say."

Titus and Raggio tangled on the constitutional amendment limiting the Legislature to 120 days.