Sandoval rejects Gibbons’ bill proposals

CARSON CITY -- Gov. Brian Sandoval doesn't want legislators to consider five bills that his predecessor prepared for consideration by the 2011 Legislature.

In particular, he wants nothing to do with Jim Gibbons' proposal to eliminate collective bargaining, Sandoval adviser Dale Erquiaga said Friday.

"The governor will work with legislative leaders, local governments and the unions on collective bargaining," Erquiaga said, noting that the governor has no specific plan at this point.

Collective bargaining by local government officials with their employee unions has come under fire because of the large salaries and benefits paid some workers at a time when revenues are falling.

Clark County firefighters earn an average of $180,000 a year in salaries and benefits. Members of the county's Service Employees International Union earn an average annual salary of $80,000.

Gibbons wanted to repeal state law requiring collective bargaining by local governments with unions. He would have allowed such negotiations only when local government officials felt their best interests were served.

Before ending his term as governor on Jan. 3, Gibbons had requested legislative bill drafters prepare eight bills. Sandoval wants legislators to consider three of those: one allowing flexible working hours for state employees and two to improve energy efficiency.

Erquiaga said Gibbons' bills have been prepared and will be introduced as early as Monday when the Legislature convenes.

Sandoval will ask committee leaders not to have hearings on the Gibbons collective bargaining bill, one dealing with the Commission on Economic Development and others dealing with professional licensing boards, construction defects and education.

Gibbons' voucher bill would allow parents to use about $3,500 in state funds for each child they wanted to send to a qualified private or charter school. His licensing board bill would make all occupational licensing boards and commissions subject to the same financial controls as state agencies but would end a requirement for performance audits of the state Board of Medical Examiners.

Gibbons also proposed giving 2 percent of insurance premium tax revenue to the Economic Development Commission to use in promoting the insurance industry. He also wanted to replace the elected Nevada Board of Education with an appointed board and wanted to reduce the period of time when homeowners could sue construction companies for problems found in their homes.

Sandoval has four bills dealing with school changes being prepared for introduction at the Legislature. The writing of those bills has not been finished. He favors a constitutional amendment to allow vouchers that parents could use to send their children to religious schools.

To carry out the goals of his proposed budget, Sandoval is working on other bills that will be introduced in the first few weeks of the session, Erquiaga said.