MUTH’S TRUTHS

Two days ago, a column I wrote for the Las Vegas Business Press urging support for state Sen. Barbara Cegavske’s “Special Needs Scholarship” proposal (SB 158) was published and distributed to the members of the state Legislature.

Then yesterday, the Nevada Department of Education suddenly changed its mind and removed a bogus “fiscal note” it had attached to the bill weeks ago which was holding it up. That means SB 158 could now move forward for a full vote of the entire Senate (it’s already been passed out of the Senate Education Committee).

Here’s the statement released yesterday by Superintendent Keith Rheault removing the fiscal note the education bureaucrats had originally tried to use to sabotage the bill:

Senate Bill 158
REVISED 5/17/07
Fiscal Note Attachment
Submitted by Nevada Department of Education

Fiscal Note Attachment

Based on a re-examination of the assumptions provided in the original fiscal note for BDR 34-10, the Department of Education has lowered the projected number of public or private schools that the Department believes may be eligible for and approved to participate in the Special Needs Scholarship Program established by this Bill. Based on this re-examination, it is anticipated that the number of approved schools would not exceed 4 schools within the state for the 2008-09 school year. It is noted that the effective date of the implementation of the Special Needs Scholarship program in the Bill is July 1, 2008.

With the reduced number of schools now being projected, the original fiscal note expense requesting a new Grade 39-6 Consultant position as well as the $25,000 in contract funds for an evaluation of the program is no longer warranted. This fiscal note amendment eliminates the expenditures for both of the expense categories identified in the original fiscal note submitted by the Department of Education.

It’s now up to Senate Majority Leader Bill Raggio as to whether or not this bill will be brought to the full Senate floor for a vote. If you’d care to respectfully request that the good senator do so (and I hope you do!), please contact him at his Carson City office by calling toll-free (800) 978-2878 and ask to be connected to his office.

Or email Sen. Raggio at wraggio@sen.state.nv.us

The clock is ticking. The session is (gratefully) almost over. So if we’re to get a vote on this important school choice bill, you need to contact Sen. Raggio’s office TODAY.

Posted on May 18th, 2007 by Chuck Muth
Filed under: Nevada