Assembly panel OKs Gaming Control Board plan pushed by law students By Cy Ryan / Las Vegas Sun

p>CARSON CITY – After hearing testimony of three students from the Boyd School of Law in Las Vegas, the Assembly Judiciary committee passed a bill to avoid a future conflict in the appointment of members of the state Gaming Control Board.

Outgoing Gov. Kenny Guinn named his chief of staff, Keith Munro, to the board at the expiration of the term of board member bobby Siller on Dec. 31. Gov. Jim Gibbons, who took office in January, appointed Randy Sayre to succeed Siller.

There was a standoff until Munro stepped aside and took over in January.

Assembly bill 179 would have the terms of the members of the Control Board end on the last Monday in January, rather than Dec. 31. This would give clear authority to the incoming governor to make the appointments.

Lauren Pena, a member of the gaming law policy seminar at the law school, said the disagreement between Guinn and Gibbons “justifies a legislative re-examination of the process.” She said the work of the law students on the bill “should not be interpreted as any support for or criticism of any person or any action.”

Students Charles Rainey and William Devine II explained there will be a transition period to switch the terms over. The present terms will end Dec. 31 and the governor will make an interim appointment for the person to serve until the end of January. The governor will then name the person to the new terms starting in January.

Assemblyman James Ohrenschall, D-Las Vegas, said this would allow the incoming governor the “spoils” of the office. “The entering governor would have the opportunity to appoint,” said Ohrenschall, who is a student at the law school but is on leave while serving in the session.

Bob Faiss, an adjunct professor for gaming law at the school, said the change would not open the door to politics. He said the governor will choose the appointee but the governor will not be involved or influence the decisions of the board.

Faiss said the inspiration for the students came from a column by Jeff Simpson, executive editor of In Business Las Vegas and business editor of the Las Vegas Sun, who recommended different terms of office for the board members.

AB179 will next go to the Assembly floor for a vote. It would have to pass the Assembly and Senate and be signed by the governor to become law.

LINK : Assembly panel OKs Gaming Control Board plan pushed by law students (PDF)