The following is a report by Larry Struve, the Advocate for LAMN and RAIN about some of his recent activities at the Nevada Legislature.  The successes described are the result of Larry’s meeting regularly with Legislators, especially Committee Chairs, to remind them that Christian values foster good government. 

“On Wednesday, May 18, 2011,I met with Assemblyman William Horne, Chairman of the Assembly Judiciary Committee regarding SB 159.  This was Sen. Gustavson’s bill which includes an amendment proposed by RAIN to require the Director of the Dept.of Corrections to provide information not only on employment opportunities but also assistance in obtaining valid identification for inmates being prepared for release.  Many on his [Chairman Horne’s] Committee did not like Section 2 of the bill (which authorizes courts to set up a trustee account to hold money earned by an ex-inmate subject to trustee fees and to order an ex-inmate to obtain a fidelity bond in relation to getting employment.)  I explained to Chairman Horne that RAIN very much wanted Section 1 of the bill, which imposes a new statutory duty on the Dept. of Corrections to help inmates get Ids before they are released from prison.  Chairman Horne decided to add SB 159 to the work session of the Assembly Judiciary Committee, but only with an amendment deleting Section 2.  The section requiring the Director of Corrections to provide assistance to inmates in getting IDs remained intact.  The amended bill passed unanimously out of committee, and Assemblyman Sherwood will speak for the bill on the floor of the Assembly.,  I urged Assemblyman Sherwood to note the work of RAIN in getting state officials to focus on the importance of getting valid IDs for prisoners being released.  He said he would do so.  I recommend that any of you in RAIN or LAMN who support this effort send a note of thanks to Chairman Horne for allowing this bill to go forward.  I also briefed Sen. Gustavson (the bill’s sponsor) about the results of the work session, and he thanked me for getting his bill heard and briefing him on the result.

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At noon, I was invited by Assemblyman Hambrick to attend the bill signing of AB 6, which allows victims of human trafficking to have their convictions for prostitution and pandering set aside.  Governor Sandoval signed the bill in our presence and photos were taken. . . . . . Assemblyman Hambrick made a big point to the Governor of how much the support of RAIN helped get the bill passesd.

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In the afternoon, I met with Sen. David Parks regarding the Reentry Fund containing the $15,000 contributed by RAIN parishioners in the RAIN coalition.  I checked with Michelle Hamilton in the Office of Criminal Justice Assistance and learned that the proposed regulations drafted by RAIN’s Kim Morgan are being modified but will be effective November 1, 2011.  This should allow the monies collected to date to be put to work helping inmates get IDs.  Michelle informed me that RAIN’s money with help at least 773 inmates get IDs, who would not otherwise be able to do so.  Good work, RAIN!

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Finally, I attended the Senate Legislative Operations and Elections Committee meeting late on Thursday, which considered two bills of interest to RAIN—AB 301 and AB 501.   AB 301 would restore the right to vote to any ex-felon who has paid his debt to society.  RAIN strongly supported AB 301 (as an act of “human redemption”) and John Cracchiolo and I spoke with many legislators about this bill.  The bill passed out of committee on a 4-1 vote with GOP Sen. Barbara Cegavske voting with the majority.  The people from the ACLU [American Civil Liberties Union] and PLAN [Progressive Leadership Alliance] were very pleased and thanked RAIN for its work in support of this bill.  AB 501 would authorize a fiscal study of Nevada’s death penalty statute and its implementation.  RAIN has publicly supported this effort since 2002.  The bill passed out of Committee on a 3-2 party line vote and now heads to the floor of the Senate.  There will still bemore work to do on this bill, but it is alive and moving.  All in all, it was a very good day for RAIN and LAMN.