Gov. Jim Gibbons, state Senate, graded poorly on racial equity

A coalition of social rights activists released a report Tuesday giving the Nevada Assembly high marks for efforts to improve racial equity in the state.

In the report sponsored by Progressive Leadership Alliance of Nevada, or PLAN, and other groups, the Assembly received an A for votes that report backers said shows a commitment to policies improving racial equity.

The state Senate was given a D. Gov. Jim Gibbons received an F.

A spokesman for Gibbons dismissed the report as irrelevant.

"The governor believes the report card is ridiculous, that it's filled with false information," said spokesman Daniel Burns. "The governor believes PLAN should take 5 seconds and tell him everything they know about good, responsive government."

Rankings for the legislative chambers were based on a bills during the 2009 session that advanced to floor votes. The governor was ranked on vetoes or bill signings.

PLAN Executive Director Bob Fulkerson said the goal of the report is to provide information on racial disparity. He said organizers intend to issue similar reports after each legislative session.

"Race matters in Nevada," he said. "But as demographics shift, the unprecedented growth in communities of color is not being echoed in the policy decisions of the governor and state Legislature."

Report organizers looked at bills they said were tied to issues of civil rights and education, economic, and health equity.