Raggio will likely limit debates

Tuesday, May 31, 2005 | 9:36 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio said Monday he will probably have to limit debate on legislation in order to close down the Legislature by the June 6 deadline.

Raggio, R-Reno, told the Senate that the deadline cannot be extended by lawmakers, and if all 21 senators want to talk on one bill, the others could not be processed.

In a seldom-used move, Raggio on Friday night limited debate to 10 minutes on each bill.

The rules of the Legislature required that the Senate pass all Assembly bills by midnight Friday and the Assembly had to handle all Senate bills by that deadline. The houses could not meet their own imposed deadlines so they changed the rules to push the deadline to 3 a.m. Saturday.

Sen. Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas, said the minority "felt wounded" when debate was cut off. He protested that the limit of debate "inhibits good discussion."

"This threat over us is a chilling kind of thing," Coffin said.

Raggio, however, said the bills have been debated extensively in committee.

"These are not something new," he said.

The session that lasted until 3 a.m. Saturday caused tempers to flare.

Sen. Randolph Townsend, R-Reno, put a rider on the prescription drug plan to allow Nevadans to purchase drugs from Canada. It said the bill would not be effective until the federal government approved the plan.

An angry Senate Majority Leader Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, said in retribution she would kill every bill left on Saturday morning.

But things appeared to have cooled somewhat on Monday.

The Legislature, Raggio said, can't extend the next deadline that is set by the Nevada Constitution. It would be up to Gov. Kenny Guinn to call a special session to complete the work that is left hanging.

"I don't think they will need it," said Guinn, who had to call special sessions in 2001 and in 2003 to allow the lawmakers to wrap up business.

"I have high hopes there will be no special session," the governor said. He said there has to be "give and take" on both sides to arrive at consensus.

Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, also said he did not think a special session would be needed.

Senate Republicans and Assembly Democrats have been fighting over the budget involving such items as all-day kindergarten, construction priorities and the budget for the Nevada System of Higher Education.

Calling the legislation "the art of compromise," Raggio said ultimatums "don't serve the purpose."

Differences must be resolved so the mechanics of building the budget can start to meet the deadline, he said.