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AP Photo/Cathleen Allison
Nevada Assembly Democrats, from left, Speaker John Oceguera, Debbie Smith, Marilyn Kirkpatrick and Marcus Conklin, talk on the Assembly floor Monday, June 6, 2011, at the Legislature in Carson City.
Published Monday, June 13, 2011 | 4:31 p.m.
Updated Monday, June 13, 2011 | 7:28 p.m.
Sun Coverage
About 50 bills passed by the Nevada Legislature in the final minutes of the session have taken an overnight trip to Hawaii, to be signed by the Assembly speaker before they’re sent to the governor for review. Speaker John Oceguera left Carson City before signing hard copies of the legislation, passed just before the 2011 session ended at 1 a.m. June 7.
The bills were shipped Monday and are expected back in state capital today, or Thursday at the latest, according to Lorne Malkiewich, director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau. It’s the first time in memory that legislation has been shipped in order to be signed, he said.
In the digital age, hard copies of bills still must be walked from committee chairs to the Senate and Assembly floors and then on to the governor.
“We know it’s not the most efficient way, but it is the way to ensure you get the correct version of a bill transmitted to the governor,” Malkiewich said, adding that Gov. Brian Sandoval’s staff has been provided with a list of the in-transit bills so they can begin making decisions on the legislation.
He did not know the shipping cost for the bills.
After the Legislature adjourns, the governor has 10 days, not counting Sundays, to sign or veto bills. While the Nevada Constitution is unclear on when that clock starts, Sandoval’s office believes it has until midnight Friday to sign the bills, according to senior adviser Dale Erquiaga.
Oceguera, a Las Vegas Democrat, served his first and only term as speaker of the Assembly because of term limits.
In an email, he noted that the bills would have had to have been overnighted regardless. “I signed everything that was ready before I left” Carson City, he wrote.
He is considered a possible candidate for Congress.
This is not the first time that concerns of signatures have come up in connection with legislation. President Barack Obama recently extended the Patriot Act by “autopen” while he was overseas.
Former Gov. Jim Gibbons’ whereabouts were sometimes unknown to his staff. During the 2009 session his autopen was referred to as “the busiest employee in the state” by former officials.
There you go citizens of Las Vegas.
Your public servant, taking a vacation to Hawaii.
Nice vacation on the public dime as a frauder and an elected official.
How anyone could vote for another public sector worker is mind-blowing.
Enjoy a nice tropical drink john, on us, since we are the ones paying for it anyway.
These public sector unions are laughing at the taxpayers all the way to the bank. And the morons in this city keep voting for the same.
Can these bills even be considered by the governor in that they were not signed and submitted while the legislature was in session?
Resident702...
John Oceguera, like anyone else, can use his own cash to take a trip wherever he wants; lots and lots of flights from LAS to Hawaii.
OH!!!
You're angry because he's a FIREMAN...
AND an elected official...
THE ABJECT HORROR!
my GOD!
And he get's a VACATION???
OMG!
How awful.
I don't begrudge the man going on vacation but he might have waited till he was done with his job first before going.
Mr. Hess...
True, dat!
Well unlike Newt Gingrich, at least he finished his job, then took the vacation. However, Nevadans are supposed to do staycations, so this man should be condemned for his actions.
(Also, the Sun's entire political team should follow him to Hawaii to keep an eye on him. It is not too late to book the flights, report to the press room at once, I'm sure Brian will be handing out the tickets and the other booking information, have a good trip!)
To mred:
They would do as you suggest, but thay can't afford the add-on luggage charges.
resident702... how in the world are we paying for his vacation? Am assuming you're referring to the pay he receives as a fire-captain and as a legislator? So in other words, a public employee who has earned the money through work can't even call their wages their own when they cash the check... it's always still subject to public oversight? You gotta be kiddin' me...
No I'm not kidding you smartone. Yes it is subject to public oversight, because if you bury your head in the sand like everyone else...guess what??
You end up with overpaid frauders, stealing from the public to inflate their already overpaid wallets.
Only a city full of fools would continue to elect union shills, or in this case union members, to work on behalf of the taxpayers.
There is an inherent conflict of interest.
If you don't recognize that, well then you get what you deserve.
After reading your archive of posts... I'm best to let this one go. Your obvious hatred of unions (of which I'm not a member) and distain for public employees (of which I am one) cheapens the validity of your points of view, though I do respect your right to maintain it.
So here's a guy who heads the Assembly and cannot wait until Assembly business is finished to take his paid vacation. He serves on the Assembly and gets paid for it. He's a fire captain and gets paid for it. While he serves on the Assembly he gets paid to be a fire captain. And you morons keep electing this thief. He makes Rory Reid look like Mother Teresa. If you elect a thief, you get a thief. Let's face it, most of the Nevada voters are uneducated, live on emotion, compulsive gambler, and in some cases just plain illegal. I would love to see this become a right to work state.
And I quote Alexis de Tocqueville saying, "in every democracy, the people get the government they deserve".
It appears that John Oceguera couldn't get out of Carson City fast enough to his vacation in Hawaii. Probably where his mind was at during the 76th State of Nevada Legislative Session, instead of the will of the Citizens of Nevada.
Nice to know where John REALLY stands.