Nuclear agency, gaming budgets restored

Lawmakers added more money Wednesday back to the budget for the Gaming Control Board and Nuclear Projects Office.

Gaming Control will get back 14 of the positions cut by Gov. Jim Gibbons, including six of nine auditors cut in the proposed budget. The additions will cost $2.21 million over the biennium.

The Senate Finance Committee voted to restore credential funding for professionals including lawyers, accountants and computer engineers who must meet annual certification requirements.

Board Chairman Dennis Neilander had said during earlier hearings that those payments are important to retaining talented professionals.

A proposed $4.36 million computer upgrade was rejected, with lawmakers deciding instead to buy a $165,000 software system that can make the existing system last another two years or so.

Neilander testified the existing system is so old it uses a computer language universities stopped teaching 20 years ago.

Ways and Means also voted to restore two positions to the Nuclear Projects Office and granted permission to hire a recently retired veteran with expertise on the Yucca Mountain issue.

The governor had recommended cutting the seven-person agency to just the director and an administrative assistant.

Lawmakers objected saying this biennium is critical since the Yucca Mountain licensing process is beginning.

The two restored positions will cost $683,000 over the biennium. But the committee told director Bruce Breslow to find the $50,000 to contract with veteran Joe Strolin in his existing budget.