Key Nevada lawmaker wary of federal suits

A key lawmaker was skeptical Tuesday of legislation ensuring state workers aren't barred from filing federal discrimination lawsuits against Nevada.

Senate Finance Chairman Bill Raggio, R-Reno, said he was concerned AB341 could force the state to retrofit hundreds of buildings to conform with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

"How would we cope with that?" Raggio asked. "Wouldn't we be subjecting ourselves to a good number of lawsuits over those issues? Every state building is still not up to those standards."

The Assembly-approved bill was routed to the fiscal panel because of an estimate by the Nevada attorney general's office that it would cost nearly $2 million a year to pay for additional lawyers and respond to claims.

State Solicitor General Jeff Parker told lawmakers "if you disagree with our position, you must consider that the bill is designed to allow new claims."

"Is it likely that attorneys are going to ignore the effect of this new law?" he asked, adding that Nevada already has its own laws that parallel much of the federal laws.

Union leaders, civil rights activists and other proponents of the bill argue federal civil rights and fair labor laws should apply to the state just as they do to private companies.

Assemblyman John Oceguera, D-Las Vegas, pushed for the legislation in response to the plight of a Nevada welfare worker fired in 1997 who is fighting the state in a case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.

"Persons employed by the state of Nevada should be allowed to enforce certain federal rights without impediment or restriction," Oceguera told the panel. The committee took no action on the bill Tuesday.