Senate asked to support diluted lobbyist reports

CARSON CITY -- A Nevada Senate panel was asked Tuesday to back a watered-down plan, already approved by the Assembly, that would require government agencies that employ lobbyists to submit reports explaining terms of their contracts.

Assemblywoman Marilyn Kirkpatrick, D-North Las Vegas, said her AB442 started out as a proposal to bar government agencies from hiring paid lobbyists, but it was amended after she became convinced that such lobbyists "do serve their purpose."

"I think a little bit of accountability doesn't hurt anybody," Kirkpatrick told the Senate Legislative Operations and Elections Committee in pushing for approval of AB442, which requires the reports on at least a quarterly basis from both local and state government agencies.

Sen. Barbara Cegavske, R-Las Vegas, a co-sponsor of the plan, said she was glad to see the bill win Assembly approval but was "dismayed" with the amendment that took out the prohibition on hiring paid lobbyists.

A University of Nevada, Las Vegas political science instructor said Tuesday he will ask for support to get the lobbyists to provide basic information that they're already required to disclose but in many cases have not.

Dean Dupalo said there have been about 1,000 cases in the 2005, 2007 and 2009 sessions of lobbyists not providing proper addresses and phone numbers, using acronyms that effectively mask the interests they represent, and making other omissions and errors.

"Where's the accountability?" Dupalo said. "They don't hold anybody accountable at any point."