Nevada Democratic Party Chairman and Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins stands Tuesday night with Jennifer Simich of Las Vegas, left, and Assembly Majority Leader Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, during the Democratic Party post-election gathering at Caesars Palace. Photo by K.M. Cannon.
Barbara Buckley, a 46-year-old lawyer and veteran Democratic legislator from Las Vegas, was unanimously elected speaker of the Assembly on Wednesday night, becoming the first woman to hold the post.
Buckley has been an assemblywoman since 1995 and majority leader since 2001.
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As speaker, Buckley will set the agenda for her party and decide who leads and sits on Assembly committees. She said she will announce those appointments in about 10 days.
Assembly Democrats have a long agenda for the 2007 Legislature that includes phasing in full-day kindergarten in schools throughout the state.
"Full-day kindergarten has been shown to improve student achievement," Buckley said.
Assembly Democrats also will seek an increase in teacher salaries because "teachers don't make enough to purchase houses," Buckley said.
The Democrats' agenda also includes a goal of making the state a leader in alternative energy development, she said.
Buckley also noted that the state has the fourth highest percentage of people without health insurance, saying that something must be done to improve that standing.
During Tuesday's election, the Democrats picked up an additional Assembly seat to increase their majority over the Republicans to 27-15. Assemblywoman Sheila Leslie, D-Reno, described the mood as "jubilant" at the MGM meeting room in Las Vegas where the Democratic members of the Assembly selected Buckley by acclamation during a private caucus.
Buckley is the executive director of Clark County Legal Services. She might be best known for her efforts in 2005 to set up a system to help Nevadans secure lower costs prescription drugs from Canada. She also sponsored the bill limiting interest rates and penalties that can be charged by payday loan companies.
Buckley's elevation to Assembly speaker has been in little doubt since the end of the 2005 Legislature when Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, announced that he would not seek re-election and urged members to name Buckley as his replacement.
Assembly Republicans will meet today in Reno and are expected to name Assemblyman Garn Mabey, R-Las Vegas, as their leader.
