Editor's note: This is the second in a weekly series leading up to the start of the Nevada Legislature Feb. 2.
One of the surprising things about Nevada's Legislature is the diversity of its members.
While some large states have full-time, professional lawmakers, Nevada's senators and assembly members are part-timers, with regular jobs and backgrounds ranging from truck drivers, bartenders and housewives to Ph.D.-bearing political scientists, lawyers and powerful businessmen.
Sen. Bill Raggio of Reno, a veteran of 36 years in that body, said that diversity comes in part from the fact Nevada's Legislature meets every other year.
"With annual sessions you'd give up some diversity because a lot of people are in professions or businesses that couldn't afford to serve every year," he said.
He said part-time lawmakers "have more contact with their constituents" because they aren't isolated, they have real jobs and they're part of their communities.
They'd have to have jobs, or be retired, since legislators get a salary of just $7,800 for every legislative session they serve. That's for two years of service.
The two most common backgrounds among members of the Senate and Assembly are in education " either public schools or university " and the word "retired" in their resume.
In all, 10 assembly members and three senators are or were employed by school districts, the university system or other educational organizations or businesses.
At the same time, a quarter of the Assembly " 11 members " are retired. While the average age is a bit higher in the Senate, just two members there are retired.
Assemblyman Bernie Anderson of Sparks, a retired high school government teacher, said it makes perfect sense that so many teachers run for office.
"Most of us, particularly at the high school level, try tell kids they have to be involved," he said. "There's no use complaining about the system if you're not willing to fix the system. It would be terrible to give that advice and never take it."
It doesn't hurt that teachers can take the time off to serve without losing their jobs.
Years ago, there were large numbers of ranchers in the Legislature. That's because until 1965, the Assembly was apportioned by population, but each county in the state was represented by one senator. And the most prominent citizens in many of the "cow counties" were the big ranchers.
All that changed when a federal judge ordered Gov. Grant Sawyer to call a special session and reapportion the Senate to comply with the constitutional "one man, one vote" mandate.
Now there are just three members who ranch or farm: Assemblymen James Settelmeyer of Douglas County and Pete Goicoechea of Eureka County and Sen. Dean Rhoads of Elko County.
The legal profession has always been fairly well represented in the Senate and Assembly. In the late 1970s, a majority of the state's senators were lawyers.
There are still lawyers in the Legislature but far fewer now " just seven.
Senators Mark Amodei, Terry Care and Raggio are lawyers. Assembly members Barbara Buckley, Ty Cobb, William Horne and Tick Segerblom are lawyers. One other, James Ohrenschall, is a student at Boyd School of Law in Las Vegas.
And there are a number of members who are business leaders. But overall, the membership is a snapshot of the state itself.
Assemblyman Joe Hardy is a family physician. Don Gustavson is a retired truck driver. Harry Mortenson is a nuclear physicist.
The computer world is represented by Assemblymen David Bobzien, an Internet Webmaster, and Mo Denis, a computer network technician. Ed Goedhart is an alternative energy programs manager and Melissa Woodbury a special needs elementary school teacher.
Assemblyman John Oceguera is a battalion chief for the North Las Vegas Fire Department and Sheila Leslie a coordinator for specialty courts in Washoe County. Sen. Maurice Washington is a preacher, founder and pastor of Center of Hope Christian Fellowship.
Sen. Mike McGinness of Fallon is manager of that city's radio station, KVLV. And Sen. Bob Coffin is an antiquarian book dealer and insurance broker.
A couple of the newly elected Assembly members bring backgrounds seldom seen in the Legislature. John Hambrick is a retired Secret Service investigator and Richard McArthur is a retired FBI special agent.
Raggio said those different backgrounds bring a wider range of ideas and experience to the table when trying to solve the state's problems.
"I've always felt it's better than a full time Legislature."
- Contact reporter Geoff Dornan at gdornan@nevadaappeal.com or 687-8750.