After a mad bill dash, lawmakers ease pace

The pace at the Nevada Legislature slows Monday as lawmakers, coming off a mad dash to meet a committee deadline, enter week 11 of the 2011 session. But the pace won't stay slow for long.

Friday was the deadline for all bills that are not budget-related or otherwise exempt to pass out of the committee in their house of origin. After shedding the baggage of doomed bills, legislators' attention will focus more on the budget and their next big deadline after the Easter weekend.

Bills must pass out of their house of origin on or before April 26.

On Monday, the Legislature's Interim Finance Committee meets at 8 a.m., so there are no scheduled morning committee meetings. The Assembly will convene at 11 a.m. and the Senate at noon to process bills on the floor that were backed up by the crush of committee business last week.

The Senate Select Committee on Economic Growth and Employment will hear presentations on clean energy Monday afternoon.

Also, Assemblyman Pat Hickey, R-Reno, will moderate a town hall meeting in the legislative building on "The Recession, Revenues and Nevada's Recovery." The meeting will include panelists from education, the governor's office, taxpayer groups, local governments and labor unions to talk about the state economy and Gov. Brian Sandoval's proposed $5.8 billion budget. Sandoval has promised not to raise taxes or fees.

"As moderator, I plan to press participants to speak openly about the 'end game' here this session," Hickey said in a statement.

Tuesday, Assembly Ways and Means considers AB167, a bill dealing with invasive species and protecting Nevada waters, and AB525, which creates a wildlife trust fund.

Senate Health and Human Services take up AB280, a bill requiring hospitals to establish patient safety checklists.

At 5 p.m. Tuesday, the Assembly meets as a Committee of the Whole to discuss the governor's budget proposal for K-12. Legislative leadership last week announced the more contentious budgets in Sandoval's spending plan would be debated and voted upon by each member of the Senate and Assembly, instead of leaving that task to the money committees.

Sen. Majority Leader Steven Horsford earlier said the Senate tentatively would take up K-12 budgets on Wednesday and higher education Thursday, though those hearings were not noted on the legislative calendar.

On Wednesday night, U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley will give a joint address to the Senate and Assembly. The seven-term Democrat from Las Vegas announced last week that she will run for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by embattled Nevada Republican John Ensign.

Thursday night, Republican U.S. Rep. Dean Heller, who is also running for Ensign's post, will give a speech to both legislative chambers.t