Kirkpatrick names Nevada Assembly leaders, chairs

CARSON CITY – Two longtime legislators from Las Vegas were appointed Tuesday to the most coveted Assembly Democratic leadership positions by Speaker Marilyn Kirkpatrick, D-North Las Vegas.

Six-term Assemblyman William Horne becomes majority floor leader, while Assemblywoman Maggie Carlton chairs the Assembly Ways and Means Committee. All chairs are Democrats.

Carlton served 12 years in the Senate. Because of the term-limits amendment, she was barred from another Senate term so she ran and was elected to the Assembly in 2010 and won a second term Nov. 6.

Horne’s appointment as majority leader was not unexpected. He had been eyed as the possible speaker before members picked Kirkpatrick two weeks ago. Horne also will serve as vice chairman of Ways and Means.

"We have many serious challenges to be addressed in our 120-day session, which we know passes very quickly," Kirkpatrick said. "We are beginning to have discussions now to prepare for the challenges ahead, so we are ready to hit the ground running the very first week of session."

None of the chairs appointed Tuesday served in the same positions in the 2011 legislative session. Because of term limits and the fact that five long-term Assembly members were elected to the state Senate in November, six of the 10 Assembly chairmen will be Assembly members beginning their second term.

Democrats hold a 27-15 membership advantage over Republicans, and Kirkpatrick had the right to pick all chairs.

Second-term Assemblywoman Irene Bustamante Adams of Las Vegas was named chairwoman of the Taxation Committee with Assemblywoman Peggy Pierce of Las Vegas named vice chairwoman. Pierce has been one of the few legislators to openly call for tax increases. Kirkpatrick chaired the Taxation Committee in 2011.

Second-term Assemblyman Elliot Anderson of Las Vegas will chair the Education Committee with Marilyn Dondero Loop of Las Vegas the vice chairwoman.

Another second-term assemblywoman, Teresa Benitez-Thompson of Reno, will chair the Assembly Government Affairs Committee, while second-termer Jason Frierson of Las Vegas will lead the Judiciary Committee .

Two other second-term legislators, Richard "Skip" Daly of Sparks and Richard Carrillo of Las Vegas, also were appointed as committee chairmen. Carrillo will head the Transportation Committee, while Daly will run the Natural Resources, Agriculture and Mining Committee.

Assemblyman David Bobzien of Reno will chair the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee, while the Operations and Election Committee will be led by James Ohrenschall of Las Vegas.

Veteran Assemblyman Paul Aizley of Las Vegas is the speaker pro tem, .

Frierson also is assistant majority leader, while Bobzien serves as majority whip and Pierce is assistant majority whip. Assembly members Lucy Flores and Olivia Diaz, both of North Las Vegas, are assistant majority whips.