Why, there oughta be a law
Bill drafts piling up in Carson City
The 2019 Legislature won’t convene in Carson City until next February, but lawmakers are already lining up with myriad bill submissions. And few topics are safe from legislative intervention.
The Legislative Counsel Bureau has received more than 150 bill draft proposals from committees and lawmakers. Among the subjects lawmakers believe demand their attention: pay equity, marriage, school safety, the implantation of microchips in humans, equine dentistry, mountain lions, recall elections, net neutrality, organ transplants in China, homelessness, legal prostitution, wildlife guides and food security. One measure would designate the pomegranate as Nevada’s state fruit.
Most of the bill drafts are vague, one-line descriptions of potential legislation. Many will be locked in a committee drawer, never to see the light of day. But the topics help reveal the priorities of Assembly and Senate members.
There will be plenty of bad legislation proposed next year, but a couple of bill drafts in particular raise large red flags.
Assemblyman Skip Daly, a Sparks Democrat, has asked legislative lawyers to draw up a bill that would define “the term ‘public record’ for purposes of the laws requiring public access to the public records of state and local governmental entities.” Assemblyman Daly didn’t return a call seeking additional details, but let’s hope this isn’t another attempt to limit the availability of certain government documents or information.
In addition, Assemblyman Tyrone Thompson, D-north Las Vegas, seeks legislation to revise “provisions governing Read by Grade 3 in public schools.” Read by 3 is a cornerstone of Gov. Brian Sandoval’s 2015 education reform package. The law demands that, beginning in 2020, Nevada third-graders who do not pass the Smarter Balanced reading exam be held back. Democrats and their teacher union allies would like nothing better than to undermine the measure, which will lay bare a massive ongoing failure on the part of the education establishment. Assemblyman Thompson chairs the lower chamber’s Education Committee and proposed a measure during the 2017 session to water down the reform. But any attempt to gut Read by 3 would be a victory for continued mediocrity and low standards.
On a positive note, Assemblyman Richard Mcarthur, R-las Vegas, wants to reduce “the number of legislative measures that may be requested for a legislative session.” This is a fine idea that would help the Legislature focus on the most important issues.
Perhaps Assemblyman Mcarthur could amend his proposal to include a provision demanding that lawmakers eliminate two laws for every new statute passed. That could help minimize the damage wrought by meddling elected officials.
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