Senate Dem leader to Republican lawmaker: Next time just ask

CARSON CITY – The next time a Republican legislator needs more time to prepare for a hearing they should just ask ask, Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, D-Las Vegas, said Wednesday.

Horsford was responding to an email from freshman Sen. Michael Roberson, R-Las Vegas, that chastised the Democrat for giving Roberson less than 24 hours to prepare for a hearing on Senate Bill 272, which would eliminate so-called “base budgeting” practices.

Roberson said the short notice was part of a broader pattern of Democratic leaders giving Republican bills short shrift during the ongoing session of the Legislature. In protest Roberson sat out the hearing on SB272 Wednesday morning, saying he didn’t have time to notify witnesses.

In response Horsford said he would reschedule the bill for a hearing Monday, but criticized Roberson for taking his concern public instead of just asking privately for more time.

“Senator Roberson's bill has been rescheduled for Monday. Had he simply contacted me in advance and requested more time, it would haven been approved. Instead he chose to send a hastily written email,” Horsford wrote.

Horsford went on to say the short notice on SB272 was merely a reflection of the dynamics of the Senate Finance Committee, of which he is chairman.  

“The Senate Finance committee, because of its primary purpose of reviewing and approving the state budget, only meets periodically to schedule bills not in the state budget. There are only two dates scheduled for bills between now and the deadline date for non-exempt bills,” Horsford wrote.