CITIZEN OUTREACH
Political Action Committee - Nevada
 
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1.   EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
2.  

SPECIFIC BILLS THAT WERE RATED

3.   INDIVIDUAL SENATE SCORES
4.   INDIVIDUAL ASSEMBLY SCORES



1.   EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

With great consideration, Citizen Outreach has chosen to rate 27 bills that originated in the State Assembly and 24 that originated in the State Senate in the 2009 session.  With our focus entirely on legislation that effects personal liberty and/or calls for a change in the size and scope of state government, we hand-selected the following bills to be highlighted for Nevada taxpayers’ consideration.

The results reveal that while few of our state senators stood on the side of limited government, a handful of tough assembly members stood strong against the liberal leadership in Carson City that sought only to expand government and levy higher taxes on Nevadans rather than address the true problem in state government finance: overspending.

Each bill is weighted with “one point” for every vote that falls in line with a limited government philosophy.  Only two votes were weighted double: the Assembly voice vote in December 2008 to approve Barbara Buckley as the Assembly Speaker and IP1, the egregious room tax increase in Washoe and Clark Counties. In addition to votes made in the legislature, signers of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge were awarded one additional point.  Those legislators who have not signed the Pledge were awarded a “zero” in that category. 

Special attention should be given to the two major tax increase bills that passed the legislature this session.  SB 429 increased taxes by over $780 million dollars.  This bill, in conjunction with IP1, coming at a price tag of $292 million, will cost taxpayers an additional $1.07 billion in the coming biennium- the largest tax hike in Nevada history.  Less obvious, but several bills that provided for small and onerous fee increases are also included in the ratings.  

As with any tedious legislative analysis, errors are possible.  Improbable, but possible.   We reserve the right to edit the ratings at our discretion. 

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2.  

SPECIFIC BILLS THAT WERE RATED

SJR 2-Calls for the appointment of certain judges, rather than “appointment” by election. Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

SJR 4- Calls for an amendment to the Nevada Constitution, granting authority to the governor to appoint the Board of Regents.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

SB 14- Permits a local option increase in the marriage license fee.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

SB 52-Requires citizens to have national identification cards.   Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

SB 116- Makes failure to wear a seatbelt a primary offense.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

SB 132- Tethers dog owners to legal restrictions regarding length of their pet’s leash (among other frivolities).  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

SB 146- Vote to sustain the veto on local ad valorem tax hikes, as introduced in the 74th legislative session.   Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

SB 152- forces hiring of persons trained by non-profit cooperatives to be paid prevailing wage (ie, union labor); forces retrofitting and weatherizing of ALL government buildings.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

SB 154- Mandatory bargaining; empowers unions and detracts from the freedom of employers.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

SB 156- Slaps down an attempt by the Secretary of State requiring that petitions must include at least 10 percent of signatures from those who voted in the last election, not just those who are registered.  Citizen Outreach supports this bill. 

SB 175- Allows local jurisdictions to incur additional debt without sufficient accountability.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

SB 185- Requires schools to use environmentally-friendly cleaning products; additional restrictions.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

SB 195- Allows employs to claim “stress” as a workplace injury.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

SB 201- Fuel tax hike.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

SB 299- Authorizes legislators to receive compensation for travel costs, vacation packages, etc. that are forfeited as a result of a special session being called.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

SB 309- Prohibits a driver from text messaging while in a vehicle, even while at a stop light.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

SB 372- Eases regulation of smoking in bars and restaurants.  Citizen Outreach supports this bill.

SB 376- Forces bidding contractors to accept prevailing wage that has been negotiated in collective bargaining.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

SB 378-Requires Dept. of Education to create pre-k programs; precursor to mandatory pre-school.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

SB 394- Requires registration for off-road vehicles, and creates new fees associated with registration of these vehicles.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

SB 411- Tightens regulations on receiving a hunting license in Nevada.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

SB 415- Amends the Public Employees’ Benefits Program but not to the level at which the governor had recommended in order to realize substantial savings. Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

SB 429- Increases taxes by over $780 million dollars.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

SB 431- Authorizes additional expenditures to be made by commissions, boards, agencies, etc. in the state government not included in the general fund appropriations.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

SB 433- Spending bill for state employee salaries funded by tax increase.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AJR 5- Allows legislators to call themselves back for a special session.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AJR 6- Calls for annual legislative sessions.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 64- Provides for the framework to raise judicial fees.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 65- Calls for increased court fees.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 82- Increases election regulations including increasing election law violations from misdemeanors to felonies.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 121- Creates mandated nursing ratios for hospitals.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 122-Expands the authority of the Consumer Health Office.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 146- Doubles the business license fee.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 162- Mandates that insurance plans include autism coverage.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 202- Changes the term “manicurist” to “nail technologist” and boosts superfluous government regulation of aestheticians in the state. Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 229-Calls for new regulation of cigarette distribution within the state, including requirement that cigarettes sold in the state must be self-extinguishing; raises fees.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 235- Acts as a tax increase by broadening the definition of “motor vehicle fuel” to include ethanol.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 243- Require employers to provide parents time-off from work to participate in school activities, conferences and events.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 254- Makes the position of Ombudsman of Consumer Affairs for Minorities permanent.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 293- Calls for the creation of the Legislative Committee on Appointments.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 297- Prohibits an insurer from owning or acquiring an interest in a body shop.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 395- Provides for collective bargaining for state employees.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 407- Increases the penalty for reinstatement of individual and commercial driver’s license.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 410- Allows collective bargaining agreements to supersede state laws pertaining to industrial insurance.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 413- Attempts to abolish the electoral college.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 433- Makes failure to wear a seatbelt a primary offense.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 442- Requires that taxpayer dollars spent on lobbying efforts must be disclosed.  Citizen Outreach supports this bill.

AB 467- Increases the breadth of prevailing wage requirements to include certain local projects.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 480- Increases several fees related to water permits collected by the State Engineer.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 543- “Temporarily” shifts funds from county government to the state general fund.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 562- Budget in excess of that proposed by governor.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

AB 563- $2.5 billion funding for public education as supported by tax increases.  Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

IP1- Room tax increase.   Citizen Outreach opposes this bill. 

 

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3.   INDIVIDUAL SENATE SCORES

Amodei, Mark - 46

Breeden, Shirley - 7

Care, Terry - 17

Carlton, Maggie - 14

Cegavske, Barbara - 52

Coffin, Bob - 9

Copening, Allison - 9

Hardy, Warren - 20

Horsford, Steven - 10

Lee, John - 10

Mathews, Bernice - 10

McGinness, Mike - 49

Nolan, Dennis - 22

Parks, David - 7

Raggio, Bill - 17

Rhoads, Dean - 22

Schneider, Mike - 9

Townsend, Randolph - 13

Washington, Maurice - 48

Weiner, Valerie - 6

Woodhouse, Joyce - 7

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4.   INDIVIDUAL ASSEMBLY SCORES

Aizley, Paul - 5

Anderson, Bernie - 6

Arberry, Morse - 3

Atkinson, Kelvin - 2

Bobzien, David - 5

Buckley, Barbara - 3

Carpenter, John - 35

Christensen, Chad - 58

Claborn, Jerry - 5

Cobb, Ty - 77

Conklin, Marcus - 3

Denis, Mo - 3

Dondero Loop, Marilyn - 3

Gansert, Heidi - 32

Goedhart, Ed - 85

Goicoechea, Pete - 35

Grady, Tom - 34

Gustavson, Don - 82

Hambrick, John - 68

Hardy, Joe - 34

Hogan, Joseph - 3

Horne, William - 3

Kihuen, Ruben - 3

Kirkpatrick, Marilyn - 3

Koivisto, Ellen - 5

Leslie, Sheila - 6

Manendo, Mark - 6

Mastroluca, April - 3

McArthur, Dick - 74

McClain, Kathy - 5

Mortenson, Harry - 5

Munford, Harvey - 5

Oceguera, John - 3

Ohrenschall, James - 6

Parnell, Bonnie - 3

Pierce, Peggy - 5

Segerblom, Tick - 3

Settelmeyer, James - 65

Smith, Debbie - 5

Spiegel, Ellen - 3

Stewart, Lynn - 35

Woodbury, Melissa - 38

 

 

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Paid for by Citizen Outreach PAC Nevada