Parnell retiring from Assembly

Carson City Assemblywoman Bonnie Parnell has announced she will not run for a sixth term representing District 40.

The announcement issued Wednesday did not comment on rumors she is planning to run for the Senate seat vacated by Republican Mark Amodei, who is termed out.

The release was issued by Majority Leader John Oceguera's office in Las Vegas. Parnell could not be reached for comment.

Parnell, a Democrat, has been chairman of the Assembly Education Committee for the past three legislative sessions. A former teacher, she was honored as Nevada's Teacher of the Year in 1998 and is a past president of the Nevada PTA and past vice chairman of the State Welfare Board.

During her chairmanship of the Education Committee, she held extensive hearings on school issues, drawing participation not only from educators and teachers but parents, the general public and students.

Parnell, 63, was first elected to the Assembly in 1998 but didn't run in 2002. She returned in the 2005 session after defeating Ron Knecht.

She said she intends to continue being active through the remainder of her term, which concludes after the November 2010 election. She said she will continue beyond that on issues she cares about including education and health care.

She said she also wants to travel and see more of her two grandchildren who live in Arizona and Illinois.