Senate overrides Gibbons’ first budget veto
The state Senate has overridden Gov. Jim Gibbons’ vetoes of three budget bills.
On Senate Bill 431, authorizing state government spending for the next two years, the vote was 19-2, with Republicans Mark Amodei of Carson City and Mike McGinness of Fallon against.
“The veto would absolutely crash this state that is already crashing and burning,” Sen. Mike Schneider, D-Las Vegas, said, adding that legislators were “sending a message to the governor that we won’t tolerate this kind of behavior.”
On Senate Bill 433, funding state employees’ salaries while requiring them to take 12 unpaid furlough days per year, the vote was 18-3, with Amodei, McGinness and Barbara Cegavske, R-Las Vegas, against.
On Senate Bill 429, a $781 million package of temporary tax increases, the vote was 17-4, with Amodei, McGinness, Cegavske and Maurice Washington, R-Sparks, against.