Gibbons looks to trim trade boards
Gov. Jim Gibbons' staff has scheduled a closed-door meeting next week with heads of the state's occupational licensing boards to review ways to streamline the boards and commissions.
As his term ends, Gibbons wants to consolidate and reduce the 190 boards and commissions that govern professions and trades in Nevada.
His office has surveyed the boards to determine their functions, whether they were created by the constitution, the Legislature, federal mandate or court order. The governor's office is asking whether they should they be merged with a similar regulatory body.
Gibbons' senior staff will meet with the chairmen and executive directors of the licensing boards at a Capitol annex at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday to discuss the survey.
A questionnaire asked how the boards are funded and what purpose they serve. The form asks whether a board's elimination would cause unacceptable consequences. It also asks if the profession that is licensed by the board has national licensing, certification or registration?
The state's chief executive is interested in cutting costs because of budgetary constraints but he also wants to streamline state boards and commissions, spokesman Dan Burns said.
For example, Burns asked, should the State Board of Cosmetology be combined with the Barber's Health & Sanitation Board?
"I'm sure we will find something that has outlived its usefulness," Burns said. "The work of the boards may be better done by the counties or cities.
"The governor has been saying for a long time that government is going to have to be smaller," he said. "We're going to look for savings anywhere we can."
Some regulatory boards, such as cosmetology, use only fees from regulated professionals to cover their costs. Others get support from taxpayers.
Contact reporter John G. Edwards at
jedwards@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0420.
