CARSON CITY:

Lawmakers want additional powers

Under proposed ballot question, Legislature could call its own special session

Tuesday, May 5, 2009 | 5:15 p.m.

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CARSON CITY – The part-time Legislature wants additional powers – the right to call itself into special session.

Right now only the governor can convene a special session and he determines the agenda.

In 2006, voters turned down a proposed constitutional amendment to allow the legislators to convene a special session and determine the subjects. The vote was 52.3 percent against and 47.6 percent for giving the lawmakers the extra power. It lost in every county.

The Legislative Operations & Elections Committee heard testimony Tuesday in support of a new proposed constitutional amendment. Assemblyman Tick Segerblom, D-Las Vegas, told the committee this power would be used only in “the most extreme circumstances.”

And Assembly Joint Resolution 5 got the support of the League of Women Voters, Nevada Families, Nevada Eagle Forum and the Independent American Party.

Samantha King, president of the League, told the committee “The voters need the Legislature to be able to respond.” She said the proposed constitutional amendment would be the “most expedient and most effective” way for the lawmakers to act.

“We want a citizen Legislature,” she testified.

AJR5 would require two-thirds of each house of the Legislature to agree to hold a special session.

It says a special session called by the legislators “takes precedence over a special session called by the governor.” The special session would be limited to 20 days. But the lawmakers, with two-thirds signatures in each house, could convene one right after the conclusion of the first 20 days.

Sen. Barbara Cegavske, R-Las Vegas, questioned whether it was easier to go to the governor and ask him or her to call a special session.

“It seems like a lot of trouble,” to go through for the lawmakers to call themselves into special session, she said.

In her 13 years in the Senate, Cegavske said there have been more special sessions than regular sessions that are held every two years.

Janine Hansen, representing Nevada Eagle Forum, said there are safeguards in this proposed constitutional amendment since it requires two-thirds support from both houses.

She said it could be used during a terrorism attack or a health emergency.

“The governor could turn into a dictator,” she said.“... There would be no oversight.”

This resolution has passed the Assembly. If approved by the Senate it would have to be passed again by the 2011 Legislature and then ratified by the voters in 2012.

Discussion: 5 comments so far…

By CarsonNewshound

5/5/09 at 5:40 p.m.

Suggest removal

If we had Republican majorities in the Senate and Assembly, today we WOULD have a dictator.
By TalkingHead

5/5/09 at 5:41 p.m.

Suggest removal

Senator Cegavske:

And is a governor going to agree to calling a special session if the purpose is to impeach him/her? There needs to be an independent power to call the Legislature into session.
By MichaelGreen

5/5/09 at 5:43 p.m.

Suggest removal

One wonders whether Senator Cegavske has noticed that throughout her tenure, Republicans have run both the governor's office and the state senate. Yes, that probably has nothing to do with the need for special sessions.
By Patrick_R_Gibbons

5/5/09 at 8:14 p.m.

Suggest removal

No
By POWERPLAY

5/7/09 at 2:07 a.m.

Suggest removal

HEY CarsonNewshound, So i guess that since we have democrat majorities in both houses of congress that makes President Obama a dictator. NOW I AM REALLY WORRIED.