Senate, too, had bills that were nonstarters

By J. Patrick Coolican, Cy Ryan

Friday, April 24, 2009 | 2 a.m.

As promised, here’s some of the more colorful legislation that didn’t beat the deadline to make it out of the state Senate.

With fewer senators, or maybe a more keen feel for the gravity of the crisis Nevada faces, the upper chamber had fewer eccentric bills than the Assembly.

Senate Bill 10 would have paid members of the state Commission on Special License Plates. Serving that august body must be difficult work, but remuneration is not forthcoming.

Senate Bill 25, requested by the state Dairy Commission, would have allowed the commission to adopt regulations on the maximum penalty for violating trade practices with respect to “fluid milk” and “fluid cream.” Not this year, commissioners.

A number of Senate bills, including SB69, SB271 and SB296, dealt with alternative medicine. Perhaps legislators determined that Nevada needs to work on its conventional medicine first.

Senate Bill 140 would have required a funeral home director to be within 20 miles of the establishment during business hours. Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio, the long-serving Reno Republican, was the sponsor.

Senate Bill 237 would have created within the Public Safety Department an Advisory Committee on Uniforms. Volunteers?

State Sen. Randolph Townsend, another Reno Republican, wanted to expand the prohibition against animal fighting with Senate Bill 133. What might be most surprising is that in Nevada, animal fighting is in fact illegal.

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Falling property taxes are hurting the state’s ability to raise money to build and maintain its infrastructure.

The state Budget Office and state Treasurer Kate Marshall both informed a legislative budget subcommittee that the state will have less bonding capacity during the coming biennium.

Just how much less is a point of disagreement.

The budget office estimates it at $126 million; Marshall puts it at $46 million.

The reason is property tax revenue statewide is expected to decline 6.5 percent during fiscal year 2010 and 3.5 percent in fiscal 2011.

As a result, Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, said the $350 million construction budget proposed by Gov. Jim Gibbons will have to be cut.

Among the proposed projects are a $62 million regional medical facility and execution chamber for the state prison in Southern Nevada and a $35.7 million readiness center for the Nevada military in North Las Vegas, to which the state would contribute $11.7 million.

•••

As director of the state Corrections Department, Howard Skolnik rides herd on several thousand hardened criminals. Belying that tough image, he’s going don a dress on Saturday.

Skolnik will participate in the Miss Relay Contest to raise money for the American Cancer Society.

The relay begins at noon at the Henderson International School high school, 1165 Sandy Ridge Ave.

Skolnik promised not to wear a miniskirt. But, he added, “I have pretty good lookin’ legs.”

Skolnik expects several hundred people to take part in the all-night relay.