CARSON CITY: THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Sunday, Feb. 11, 2007 | 7:16 a.m.

CARSON CITY - It began with protocol and pomp, and a history-making woman. By the end of the week, though, it was down to the laborious and sometimes dull work of hashing out legislation.

Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, was sworn in as the first woman speaker of the Assembly in Nevada history, with a bevy of former speakers looking on. There were bagpipes and song, flowers and standing ovations.

Lest anyone think Buckley sought the office just for its own sake, she gave a rousing call to ideological arms, all in a Philly accent, advocating all-day kindergarten, reformed high schools, better health care, renewable energy and transportation.

Buckley has a united caucus behind her, and she looks to be a worthy adversary to both Gov. Jim Gibbons, who opposes the kindergarten proposal, and veteran Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno.

One Republican assemblyman wasn't dazzled by Buckley, and he was the only member to vote "nay" on the election of the new speaker. Ty Cobb, a Reno Republican, won plaudits from hard-core conservative activists such as Chuck Muth, but snickers from legislators and lobbyists - Republican and Democrat alike - who said he catapulted to the front of the line of least important legislators with his impolitic gesture.

After a reception or two and some celebratory dinners, the legislators began digging into the issues that will frame the 120-day session. They included the big and important, such as the methamphetamine epidemic and transportation, and the small and not so consequential, such as a resolution calling for Ronald Reagan Day. The pace was leisurely, and the building fairly quiet by Friday.

In the background, and occasionally the foreground, the governor tried to make his influence felt, with mixed results.

Assemblyman Morse Arberry, D-North Las Vegas, chairman of Ways and Means, grilled Gibbons' budget staff and scolded them for making late revisions after submitting the budget: "It shouldn't be that we're at your mercy; you need to be at our mercy," he said. "It's our budget. We own this budget now."

The subplot here, and one likely to continue through the session, was Gibbons passing over Arberry for a spot on the Clark County Commission when he appointed Lawrence Weekly to replace the departing Yvonne Atkinson Gates.

The Legislature will likely take an aggressive posture on transportation, as apparent in a hearing late in the week that outlined what was repeatedly called a "crisis." A task force appointed by former Gov. Kenny Guinn said the state is in need of $3.8 billion in transportation funding during the next 15 years.

Gibbons dismissed the work of the task force and decided to appoint his own because he wants more funding options, e.g., ways to avoid raising taxes. (As a liberal blogger pointed out, Gibbons erred when he said the task force "never told us how to fund" the transportation improvements. The Guinn task force offered nearly a dozen funding ideas, including a gas tax increase.)

Assemblymen David Parks and Harry Mortenson, both Las Vegas Democrats, indicated they may ignore the governor and attempt to put transportation funding and taxes to a statewide vote. A powerful lobbyist predicted that's what will happen.

First lady Dawn Gibbons appeared at a packed hearing on the state's methamphetamine problem. Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, a meth expert from Oregon and the first lady laid out the alarming data: Nevada has the worst meth problem in the country. Legislation is a certainty this session.

A number of ethics bills moved to committee. They included a "three-strikes" bill that would remove an elected official with three ethics violations, a bill to require more disclosure from campaign donors and another prohibiting government officials from using the people's time for electioneering. A committee also requested a bill to allow same-day voter registration. Expect Republican opposition to that measure.

Hearings were also held on moving forward with the new minimum wage law, which voters approved last year, as well as on bills on kids and smoking. And by sustaining a veto, the Assembly assured taxicab drivers they can continue to take legal kickbacks from strip clubs for delivering their customers.

Next week, Buckley offers her education plan, with the governor to follow with his own.