Legislature Briefly

Buckley to address Douglas Democrats:

Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, will address the annual Douglas County Democrats' Keep Nevada Blue Dinner. The event is scheduled for Sunday at Genoa Lakes Golf Club. She will discuss the state's budget crisis.

Also on the agenda are Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto and Treasurer Kate Marshall.

The event begins with an open bar at 5 p.m. Dinner is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $60. For reservations, e-mail jforakerthompson@clearwire

.net or call 782-5005.

Senator wants nonprofits to register with state:

Sen. David Parks, D-Las Vegas, Friday introduced legislation that would require all charitable corporations that aren't religious or political in nature to register with the Secretary of State.

SB153 would require them to file a financial report each year stating how much money they raised and how that money was spent. He said they could do so by filing a copy of the Internal Revenue Service Form 990 which they already have to complete each year under federal law.

He said that report would enable people to see "whether the nonprofit operation is on the up and up."

Carpenter honored for his service:

Veteran Elko Republican Assemblyman John Carpenter was surprised with two resolutions honoring his service to the county and state Friday.

The Elko County Commission presented a resolution commending his service including 14 years on the Elko County Commission and 24 years in the Nevada Assembly. County officials said the new law enforcement center in Elko will be named in honor of the Elko Republican.

That was matched by a proclamation from his fellow Assembly members honoring his long service to the state.

Carpenter was joined on the floor by more than a dozen family members and friends including former Battle Mountain Assemblyman John Marvel.

"It's been a great ride," he told the body.

Carpenter, like many other veterans in the Legislature, is termed out at the end of this legislative session.

Assembly sets debate and vote on room tax initiative:

The Assembly will meet Tuesday to review Initiative Petition 1.

That is the voter-approved petition that would add up to 3 percent to the room tax in Clark and Washoe counties and divert the money to the state.

The petition will then be brought to the floor of the Assembly as a "special order of business" where it is expected to pass overwhelmingly.

State officials have projected that would raise $292 million over the biennium to offset the budget shortfall.

Gov. Jim Gibbons, pointing out that voters approved the measure in November, has included the revenue it would generate in his proposed budget.