Pace at Legislature set to slow, but will pick up soon enough

CARSON CITY -- 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 no morning committee meetings are scheduled.

The Assembly will convene at 11 a.m. and the state 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, the Assembly Ways and Means Committee considers AB167, a bill dealing with invasive species and protecting Nevada waters, and AB525, which creates a wildlife trust fund.

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

Tuesday, the Assembly meets as a Committee of the Whole to discuss the governor's budget proposal for K-12 education.

Legislative leaders last week announced the more contentious budgets in Sandoval's spending plan would be debated and voted upon by each member of the state Senate and Assembly, instead of leaving that task to the money committees.

State Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford earlier said the Senate tentatively would take up K-12 budgets on Wednesday and higher education Thursday .

On Wednesday night, U.S. Rep. Shelley Berkley will give a joint address to the state 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 Nevada Republican John Ensign.

Thursday night, Republican U.S. Rep. Dean Heller, who is also running for Ensign's post, will speak to both legislative chambers.