Senators approve bargaining rights bill

The state Senate on Sunday passed a bill that would give limited collective bargaining rights to state workers.

Assembly Bill 395 now goes to the Assembly for final approval.

Senate Minority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, criticized the bill, saying the measure would cost the state money and contradict the state's right-to-work law.

But state Sen. Maggie Carlton, D-Las Vegas, said the collective bargaining rights that the bill would ensure are only for non-economic issues.

State Sen. Mark Amodei, R-Carson City, said state workers deserve to have the rights that local government employees already enjoy.

The vote was 13-8, with all 12 Democrats and Amodei in favor and the other eight Republicans voting against the bill.