Freshman wins vice chairman of Senate Finance

Las Vegas Assemblyman Bob Beers not only replaced veteran Ray Rawson in the Senate, he claimed the coveted vice-chairman's seat on the powerful Senate Finance Committee.

Beers' appointment was in the list of committee assignments released by Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio, R-Reno, on Thursday. Raggio retains his dual role as majority leader and chairman of Finance, which handles development and review of the state budget in the upper house.

But because the Democrats won back one of the seats in the Senate, cutting the GOP majority to 12-9, they will have only four seats on Finance this session instead of the five out of seven in 2003.

That meant Sen. Sandra Tiffany, R-Henderson, lost her position on Finance. She moves to the other major morning committee, Commerce and Labor, chaired by Sen. Randolph Townsend, R-Reno.

Tiffany, however, will be vice chairwoman of Government Affairs and the Taxation Committee.

There are two new leaders this session in the Senate because Rawson and Ann O'Connell, R-Las Vegas, were both defeated in tough primary battles.

Warren Hardy, in his second session in the Senate, takes over O'Connell's spot running Government Affairs and Maurice Washington of Sparks replaces Rawson as chairman of Education and Human Resources.

Carson City's Mark Amodei remains chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

The Democrats have not yet announced their committee assignments.

Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at nevadaappeal@sbcglobal.net or 687-8750.

Republican committee assignments in the Senate

Commerce and Labor:

Chairman Randolph Townsend of Reno; Vice Chairman Warren Hardy of Las Vegas, Joe Heck of Las Vegas and

Sandra Tiffany of Henderson.

Finance:

Chairman William Raggio of Reno, Vice Chairman Bob Beers of Las Vegas, Barbara Cegavske of Las Vegas, Dean Rhoads of Tuscarora.

Government Affairs:

Chairman Warren Hardy of Las Vegas, Vice Chairwoman Sandra Tiffany of

Henderson, William Raggio, Randolph Townsend.

Education and Human Resources:

Chairman Maurice Washington of Sparks, Vice Chairwoman Barbara Cegavske of Las Vegas, Joe Heck of Las Vegas,

Dennis Nolan of Las Vegas.

Judiciary:

Chairman Mark Amodei of Carson City, Vice Chairman Maurice Washington of Sparks Mike McGinness of Fallon and Dennis Nolan of Las Vegas.

Legislative Operations and Elections:

Chairwoman Barbara Cegavske of Las Vegas, Vice Chairman William Raggio or Reno, Bob Beers of Las Vegas and

Warren Hardy of Las Vegas.

Natural Resources:

Chairman Dean Rhoads of Tuscarora, Vice Chairman Mike McGinness of Fallon, Mark Amodei of Carson City and Bob Beers of Las Vegas.

Taxation:

Chairman Mike McGinness of Fallon, Vice Chairwoman Sandra Tiffany of Henderson, Dean Rhoads of Tuscarora and

Randolph Townsend of Reno.

Transportation and Homeland Security:

Chairman Dennis Nolan of Las Vegas, Vice Chairman Joe Heck of Las Vegas, Mark Amodei of Carson City and Maurice Washington of Sparks.