Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, walks to the podium Monday surrounded by former speakers, from left, Mel Close, Robert Barengo, John Vergiels, Bill Bilyeu, Joe Dini and Richard Perkins. Photos by K.M. Cannon. Buckley, wipes the face of son Aiden Kendrick, 7, in the Assembly chambers on the opening day of the 2007 Legislature. Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, wraps Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, in the Nevada flag during a photo shoot with Nevada Supreme Court Justice Bill Maupin, center, Maggie Carlton, D-Las Vegas, and Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki.

CARSON CITY -- Moments after being elected 41-1 Monday as Nevada's first female Assembly speaker, Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, called on legislators to approve funding to establish full-day kindergarten classes in every elementary school in Nevada.

"National studies show it works, our own studies show it works," Buckley told a standing-room audience that included family members and children of legislators.

She said that Nevada ranks 44th in the nation in student achievement and that full-day kindergarten, offered only in at-risk schools, is a way to improve performance.

But she and Democrats cannot pass a full-day kindergarten bill without Republican help. And Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons has voiced his opposition to the idea in part because of costs that are placed at $158 million by state school superintendents.

Buckley's installation as the first female speaker in Nevada's 143-year history was one of the day's highlights as the Legislature opened its 74th session. Both houses remained in business for nearly four hours, but most of the time was devoted to photo opportunities, procedural matters and lawmakers bragging about their families.

In the Senate, the swearing-in ceremony was short for one incumbent. Sen. Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas, suffering from a vision problem, was unable to travel to the capital. Coffin was sworn into office over the telephone by Supreme Court Chief Justice Bill Maupin. Coffin is expected to arrive in Carson City today.

Sixty-eight bills were introduced in the Senate, including measures to repeal the law requiring motorcyclists to wear helmets and to allow a pilot project that would have traffic cameras photograph red-light runners for ticketing purposes. The cameras are not legal for use in Nevada now.

Of 76 Assembly bills introduced Monday, one would require people arrested for drunken driving to remain at least 12 hours in jail before being allowed to post bail. Another would punish juveniles caught spraying graffiti on buildings by denying them a driver's licenses until they turn 18.

One bill that was approved by both houses and sent to the governor's desk was Senate Bill 1, appropriating $10 million for the cost of the legislative session.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, starting his 18th regular session of the Legislature, said compromise will be the order of the day given the Democratic control of the Assembly and Republican majority in the Senate.

The issues do not change much over the years, but some new limitations for lawmakers are in place, including a spending cap that the state budget is nearing, and a constitutional requirement that an adequate education bill be approved before other budgets can be funded, he said.

All-day kindergarten has not been proven as a way to improve student achievement, Raggio added.

Empowerment schools "have been effective in other areas and certainly should be looked at," he said.

Gibbons has proposed spending $60 million for 100 schools to try the empowerment approach, which places decision making in the hands of educators and parents at the schools. More details about the program are expected within the next several days.

Joe Enge, a conservative analyst for the Nevada Policy Research Institute, said that Buckley, with her push for full-day kindergarten, was throwing down the gauntlet for what could be a bitter session-long fight between Democrats and Republicans over education funding.

"She fired the first shot across the bow," added Enge, who said that studies show full-day kindergarten does not bring lasting achievement benefits.

But Gibbons' press secretary, Melissa Subbotin, said the governor does not feel tension exists. She said the administration looks forward to working with Buckley and examining the benefits of full-day kindergarten with Gibbons' empowerment school proposal.

Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, said she is optimistic Democrats and Republicans will work together in the upper house, where Republicans hold a slim 11-10 edge.

Strong differences on education probably will occur, but there is room to find agreement, she said.

"I hate for it to be empowerment versus kindergarten," she said. "If they are both good, how come we're not doing them both?"

Possibly money can be found in the budget for both ideas, Titus said.

Assembly Minority Leader Garn Mabey, R-Las Vegas, said superintendents want full-day kindergarten, but kindergarten teachers "don't feel it is appropriate."

"I have asked 30 or 40 at least," he said.

Mabey said teachers have told him that full-day kindergarten will not work unless class sizes are reduced.

Besides backing full-day kindergarten, Buckley said that teachers deserve higher pay and that the best and brightest teachers should be given "performance pay" when their students show extraordinary achievement.

Gibbons recommended 3 percent annual pay increases for teachers, but superintendents want 5 percent annual increases.

"We can't attract enough quality teachers because we simply don't pay enough to keep up with the state's high inflation," Buckley said. "Many quality teachers are leaving the state.

Buckley called for legislators to demonstrate impeccable ethical behavior and help restore public confidence in political leaders. She expressed her pride in becoming the first female speaker.

"There are many great things about Nevada, but none is greater than the opportunity it offers," she said. "It is hard to believe I arrived here 26 years ago, without a job, without a college degree and with $800 in my pocket. But that is what Nevada is all about and what America has always been about. If you work hard you can live the American dream."