Nevada lawmakers consider measure to make CCSD lawsuit ‘go away’

CARSON CITY — Assembly Minority Leader Paul Anderson said Tuesday lawmakers are looking at the possibility of legislation to resolve a Clark County School District lawsuit challenging aspects of the system’s mandated reorganization.

Anderson, R-Las Vegas, said legislation has not yet been drafted.

“We are working, kind of behind the scenes, on trying to figure out whether or not we need to pass some legislation in regard to the CCSD lawsuit to see if we can’t rectify the issues that they have so that that lawsuit can go away,” he said.

“There seems to be some pretty simple fixes if we can change some of the technical language in the statute,” Anderson said. “We certainly don’t want to see anything hold that up.”

Anderson’s comments came as Clark County School Board trustees prepared to vote Wednesday to file a new lawsuit against the overhaul. Last week, the Legislature had joined the attorney general’s office in claiming that the district skirted open meeting law when it sued the state in December.

The district maintained it did not violate any law, but responded last week by withdrawing its initial complaint. Trustees then called Wednesday’s special open work session to discuss formally approving the lawsuit.

The district has had concerns with an unfunded mandate to spend more than $1 million from its budget on a contract to help with the implementation. There are also issues with how the reorganization will work for low-income schools as the system is broken down to the precinct level, he said.

There are all sorts of federal guidelines that have to be followed, Anderson said.

A letter should be drafted with some sample bill language in the next few weeks, he said.

The district lawsuit seeks to halt the regulation that accompanies the reorganization law from 2015. The regulation dictates how the district should implement the overhaul set to take effect in August.

On another controversial education issue before lawmakers this year, Anderson said he expects two proposed bills implementing Education Savings Accounts will be similar.

Gov. Brian Sandoval has one request listed this week on the updated bill draft request list.

Sen. Scott Hammond, R-Las Vegas, has another measure that he said should be introduced within the next few weeks.

Anderson said he does not know if an income limitation will be part of Sandoval’s measure or if that issue will be raised by some lawmakers at a later date.

Sandoval has proposed spending $60 million to fund the program, which would provide $5,100 to parents to send their children to private schools, including religious schools.

Critics call it a voucher program and argue the money is better spent on the many needs within the public education system.

Hammond has made it clear he wants the program to be available to everyone.

Anderson agreed. “I think the key for ESAs is that it is one that is available to anybody and everybody,” he said.

There are 100 schools that have applied to accept ESA funding as tuition, Anderson said.

Anderson said the state offers an Opportunity Scholarship that is based on income limits. The scholarships are in high demand and are funded with tax credits.

Contact Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-461-3820. Follow @seanw801 on Twitter.