Thursday, November 21, 2002
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

STATE SENATE: Committee leaders named

North Las Vegan who switched to Republican Party heads transportation panel

Ray Shaffer Former Democrat increased Republican margin in state Senate to 13-8

CARSON CITY -- Five days after becoming a Republican, state Sen. Ray Shaffer was named Wednesday as chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, announced the appointments of Shaffer, of North Las Vegas, and other committee chairmen.

"It would be hard to pass up someone with 19 years experience," said Raggio about Shaffer, who bolted from the Democratic Party last week. "All of the committee chairs have a lot of experience in the Senate."

Shaffer's departure gave the Republicans a 13-8 lead over Democrats in the Senate and Raggio was elected majority leader for a record eighth time.

Contacted at his home, Shaffer said he was gratified that Raggio named him chairman.

"That was one of the problems I had with Dina (Titus)," Shaffer said. "She would not recognize seniority and experience."

Titus, D-Las Vegas, will be the minority leader for the sixth consecutive session.

Raggio said he made no promises to Shaffer that he would become a chairman if he switched parties. Instead he said he picked Shaffer because of his long legislative experience.

Shaffer replaced Bill O'Donnell, who retired, as Transportation Committee chairman.

The majority leader added there was no dissension among Republicans over his selections. He named Mark Amodei, R-Carson City, as chairman of the Judiciary Committee over Maurice Washington, R-Sparks.

Amodei, a lawyer, has less Senate experience than Washington, who will be the vice chairman. Washington, however, was picked chairman of the Senate Legislative Affairs and Operations Committee, replacing Jon Porter, who was elected earlier this month to the U.S. House. Amodei replaces Mark James, R-Las Vegas, who was elected to the Clark County Commission.

A senator since 1973, Raggio, 76, said he does not know yet whether the coming session will be his last. He and Sen. Joe Neal, D-North Las Vegas, who also took his seat in 1973, have served longer than any state senators in state history.

Following are the members of the Senate committee -- the first person named is the chairman, the second the vice chairman:

Commerce and Labor: Randolph Townsend, R-Reno; Warren Hardy, R-Las Vegas; Ann O'Connell, R-Las Vegas; Shaffer; Neal; Mike Schneider, D-Las Vegas; Maggie Carlton, D-Las Vegas.

Finance: Raggio; Ray Rawson, R-Las Vegas; Dean Rhoads, R-Tuscarora; Barbara Cegavske, R-Las Vegas; Sandra Tiffany, R-Henderson; Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas; and Bernice Mathews, D-Reno.

Government Affairs: O'Connell; Tiffany; Raggio; Townsend; Hardy; Titus; and Terry Care, D-Las Vegas.

Human Resources and Facilities: Rawson; Cegavske; Washington; Dennis Nolan, R-Las Vegas; Neal; Mathews; and Valerie Wiener, D-Las Vegas.

Judiciary: Amodei; Washington; Mike McGinness, R-Fallon; Nolan; Titus; Care; and Wiener.

Legislative Affairs and Operations: Washington; Cegavske; Raggio; Rawson; Titus; Mathews; and Wiener

Natural Resources: Rhoads; McGinness; Shaffer; Amodei; Schneider; Coffin; and Carlton.

Taxation: McGinness; Rhoad; Townsend; O'Connell; Tiffany; Neal; Coffin.

Transportation: Shaffer; Nolan; Amodei; Hardy; Schneider; Care; and Carlton.