Legislative Briefly 5/8

Bill to limit hiring of consultants heard

Lawmakers were told Thursday the state spends millions on consultants each year, many of whom are former or current state employees.

Assemblywoman Debbie Smith, D-Sparks, said she wants to put some controls on the practice of hiring consultants.

"We have a system that's run amok a little bit," she said.

AB463 would require consulting contracts with current or former employees who left the state less than a year ago to be reviewed by the legislative Interim Finance Committee to ensure that they are necessary and in the state's best interests. The same would apply to any consulting contracts for longer than two years.

Mike Willden, director of the Health and Human Services Department, said he has concerns about the definition of a consultant. He said he reviewed the 93 consulting contracts in his department and found that foster parents and those who care for the severely disabled had been listed as consultants.

In addition, Department of Transportation Director Susan Martinovich said professional registered engineers should be exempted.

The committee will vote on the proposal next week.

Consortium raises awareness to child mental health issues

The Washoe County Children's Mental Health Consortium celebrated national Children's Mental Health Awareness Day at the Legislature Thursday.

Pam Becker of Children's Cabinet said 21 percent of young people 12-17 years old have received treatment or counseling for emotional and behavioral problems.

She applauded Assembly members Sheila Leslie, D-Reno, and Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, and Sen. Randolph Townsend, R-Reno, for their support in restoring funding for a dozen rural mental health clinics cut in the governor's original budget.

Assembly calls for federal money to fix Truckee Canal

The Assembly Thursday passed a resolution calling on Congress to fund permanent repairs to the Truckee Canal.

A year ago, the walls of the canal gave way, flooding Fernley with up to 8 feet of water and damaging 580 homes.

Sponsor Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, said the Bureau of Reclamation still hasn't finalized a plan to permanently repair the canal, which provides domestic and irrigation water for Fernley, Hazen and the Lahontan Valley.

She said the federal government has a legal and moral obligation to repair the canal because it owns the Newlands Project, which is the irrigation system that uses the century-old, unreinforced earthen canal.

The resolution goes to the Senate.