Speaker Perkins picked for study of state terrorism legislation

Nevada Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, has been picked for a national task force looking into state legislation needed to respond to terrorist threats.

Perkins is deputy chief of police in Henderson. He has already requested several anti-terrorism laws for the 2003 Nevada Legislature. In part because of that expertise, he was asked by the president of the National Conference of state Legislatures to serve on that organization's anti-terrorism task force, which will hold its first meeting in Washington D.C. in February.

They will work on how to ensure that states are ready in the event of another attack and work with federal officials including Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge to to coordinate public safety activities between the states and federal government.

Perkins said he has also talked with California Assembly Speaker Robert Hertzberg about forming a California-Nevada-Arizona task force to coordinate regional anti-terrorism activities.

"It is critical that, without infringing upon the rights of law-abiding citizens, we give law enforcement the tools they need to protect the residents of our state," said Perkins. "We must develop a comprehensive plan that includes prevention, immediate and effective response and swift and sure prosecution of the criminals who perpetrate these atrocities."