Legislative briefs for May 24, 2005

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 | 9:05 a.m.

Senate approves travel pay plan

Legislators in rural counties would be reimbursed for travel to meetings of governments groups when the Legislature is not in session under a bill approved by the Senate 20-0 Monday.

Senate Bill 265 would permit travel pay for any state lawmaker who must travel more than 50 miles one way to a meeting of such groups as a county commission, city council or school board. The lawmaker would not be eligible to collect the travel pay after he or she declares for re-election.

Legislators now are reimbursed 40 cents per mile. The bill goes to the Assembly.

Cancer Institute expansion OK'd

Attorney, developer and former lobbyist Harvey Whittemore convinced the Senate Finance Committee on Monday to expand the proposed Nevada Cancer Institute to include a program for the research of immune disorders.

Whittemore said he would contribute $2 million and will raise another $2 million for the program to be based at the University of Nevada School of Medicine in Reno.

Gov. Kenny Guinn has included $10 million in his budget for a building for the cancer institute. The panel approved Senate Bill 105 that allocates the $10 million to the Cancer Institute that will also be called the Center for Excellence for clinical and research programs.

Bill on phony college degrees forwarded

The Senate on Monday approved and sent to the governor a bill to make it illegal to use a bogus college degree. Under Assembly Bill 395 the use of a false or misleading degree could result in six months in jail and a $5,000 fine.