Legislators in Nevada to See Light Side Too

Nevada legislators will deal with lots of weighty proposals during the 2001 session, but there’s lighter fare on the agenda too.

Lawmakers will deal with the dirt of designating an official state soil and wrap themselves in plans for a state tartan, among other not-so-routine proposals.

“This isn’t my typical kind of bill. It seems a little frivolous,” Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus (D-Las Vegas), said of her proposal for an official state tartan streaked with blue, silver, red, white and yellow.

“But, we have a state bug and state flower.”

“There’s a pretty big population of Nevadans with Scottish lineage, especially in southern Nevada. Everybody’s got a little Irish or Scottish in them,” said Titus, whose grandmother was Scottish.

Assemblyman John Marvel (R-Battle Mountain), is pushing the official state dirt proposal. He says it should be the high-nutrient soil found in the Orovada area within his rural district.

“We’ve got a state rock and reptile--the tortoise--which I voted against,” said Marvel, a rancher. “It was ruining the soil.

“A bunch of youngsters in my county thought it was important to have an official soil and I do too.”

Senior citizens influenced another bill draft. Sen. Joe Neal (D-North Las Vegas), introduced a bill to ensure bingo games at churches or senior centers don’t require special gambling permits.

“Seniors aren’t allowed to conduct bingo unless they get a gaming permit,” Neal said. “There’s no reason why they shouldn’t be allowed to hold bingo in their housing groups or with their church groups.”

Among the other more than 1,000 bill draft requests waiting for legislators when they convene Monday is one to make “Silver State Fanfare” the official Nevada march.

That draft was requested by an unidentified legislator. Other lawmakers who didn’t want their names disclosed asked for plans to deregulate interior designers and to issue special license plates showing support for animal rights.

“Usually someone requests anonymously if it’s contentious. It keeps people off of them until the session begins,” Marvel said.

One measure legislators will sink their teeth into is a proposal to replace chips, cupcakes and candy bars in school vending machines with apples, cottage cheese and carrots.

“A lunch of Coke and chips isn’t ideal for schoolkids,” said Assemblywoman Marcia de Braga (D-Fallon), who’s on the Education Committee that will review the bill.

But de Braga said she’s undecided about supporting the plan to ban junk food from school vending machines.

“I think it’s good to have choices,” she said. “We can’t cure everything or control everything, even if it is for their own good.”

Another food bill would appropriate funds for a center offering hands-on training and five-star techniques in cooking, waiting tables, room service and managing -- not your everyday educational program, unless you’re in a state where tourism rules.

“We want to upgrade service in Nevada. The casino, hotel and culinary industries are the lifeline of the state,” said Assemblyman Morse Arberry (D-Las Vegas). Whether the measures are serious or merely unusual, they’ll all run into time obstacles as lawmakers push to meet a requirement that they adjourn in 120 days.