Hagar: Fiore's 'campus-carry' bill could be dead

Assemblywoman Michele Fiore, R-Las Vegas, is concerned her controversial "campus carry" bill -- which would allow those with concealed weapons permits to carry guns on Nevada's college and university campuses -- will not get a hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee. No hearing, of course, would effectively kill the bill for the 2015 Legislature.

Sean Whaley, a reporter from the Las Vegas Review-Journal, reported on Twitter Wednesday that Senate Judiciary Chairman Greg Brower, R-Reno, said he does not see support for the campus-carry bill in the Senate and if there is not enough support to pass it, it won't get a hearing.

Fiore saw the tweet.

"It got back to me and I'm working on it," she said about plotting her strategy to revive the bill. "It's going to take skillful surgery. It is not dead yet. It is not dead until after the session is over."

Brower was non-committal. When asked about Whaley's tweet, Brower said, "You read that stuff?"

When asked if the campus-carry bill would get a hearing, Brower said, "I have not completed the schedule for the rest of the session, so I don't know."

Senate Majority Leader Michael Roberson, R-Las Vegas, added: "There are a lot of bills right now that are out there that there's a question whether they will get a hearing or not. Ultimately, those are up to the chairs of each committee."

Fiore hinted of revenge if her bill does not get a hearing in Senate Judiciary.

"It is very unfortunate that a Republican would block a bill like that," she said. "And I believe there will be consequences if this doesn't go through, from a Republican killing it."

When asked to expand, she said: "There is always a next election."

Fiore's bill would also allow those with concealed-weapons permits to carry guns in non-secure areas of airports.

Nevada's university Chancellor Dan Klaich, who is opposed to the campus-carry bill, said late Thursday any decision about the bill won't be finalized until the end of the session.

HEARING TUESDAY: Gov. Brian Sandoval's SB 252, which is his $430 million Business License Fee tax proposal, is scheduled for a hearing in the Assembly Taxation Committee on Tuesday, May 12, said Taxation Chair Derek Armstrong, R-Las Vegas.

The bill does not enjoy exempted status, and must be passed by its second committee by Friday, May 15. It's main competition, the Armstrong-Anderson plan to expand the state's current payroll tax, has exempted status and is not subject to the May 15 deadline. The Armstrong-Anderson bill remains in the Assembly Ways and Means Committee for now, Armstrong said.

VOTE FRIDAY, MAYBE: Reno Assemblyman Pat Hickey's bill that would allow wine making and wine selling in Nevada's two urban counties -- Washoe and Clark -- could get a vote in the Senate Commerce Committee Friday. Committee Chairman James Settelmeyer, R-Minden, said when a bill has near-unanimous support, it can get moved up on the calendar. Senate Commerce gave the bill its first hearing Wednesday.

BATTLE BORN POLITICS: The next installment of the monthly political discussions -- sponsored by RGJ Media and featuring political-watchdog reporter Anjeanette Damon and myself -- is set for Tuesday, May 12, at the 1864 Tavern in Reno at 5:30 p.m.

We have been doing these talks since February and they're a lot of fun. I really enjoy talking about politics and meeting some of the people who follow the political reporting of Anjeanette and I in the Reno Gazette-Journal. By the way, Anjeanette and I just won an award for this series of political discussions from the Gannett mothership.