EDITORIAL: Democrats kill transparency measure in Carson City

The next time your hear Democratic legislators touting their support for government accountability, remember this: They’re lying.

Last week, Assembly Joint Resolution 3 was put to sleep in Carson City without the courtesy of a hearing. It would have, among other things, subjected the Legislature to the state’s open meeting law. While Nevada statutes acknowledge the importance of fostering “democratic principles by providing members of the public with prompt access” to government records, lawmakers have exempted themselves from the laws that help accomplish this important goal.

To remedy this, Assemblywoman Heidi Kasama, a Las Vegas Republican, proposed AJR3, which, with limited exceptions, would have made “the Legislature subject to the same provisions of law that … relate to the inspection and copying of public books and records as any other governmental entity.” As a constitutional amendment, it would have had to pass twice in Carson City before going to state voters for final approval.

“The people are looking for transparency, accountability,” Ms. Kasama said. “Let’s put sunshine on all this; let’s not have anything to hide. Keep it out in the open.”

But Ms. Kasama has the misfortune of being a member of the minority party. Democrats have comfortable majorities in both houses of the Legislature. They control the committees that determine which bills are heard and advance. AJR3 did not survive last week beyond a legislative deadline.

Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager pointed a finger at Ms. Kasama for not being proactive enough to get her proposal out of a committee chair’s desk drawer. He also claimed the resolution was too limited and should also apply to certain executive branch agencies such as the Governor’s Office of Economic Development. Mr. Yeager must take Nevadans for rubes. Has he, at any time in his nine years in Carson City, proposed legislation to ensure the state’s open records laws cover lawmakers and agencies such as GOED? Of course not.

Indeed, Mr. Yeager got to the heart of the matter when he accused Ms. Kasama of offering the proposal as a “political talking point to attack the Legislature.” Boo hoo. As if government transparency — the lifeblood of a healthy democratic republic and a vital check on public corruption — represents a mere “political talking point.”

The reality? This proposal would have received a hearing had Mr. Yeager wanted AJR3 to pass. At said hearing, Democrats could have offered amendments to strengthen the resolution. But Mr. Yeager and his majority colleagues opted to kill the bill and then blame the author for its demise. Legislative Democrats had a chance to embrace transparency and accountability for lawmakers but chose instead to keep the lights off. It’s that simple.