By John Lee
During the 2009 Legislative Session, the Nevada Legislature was challenged to find ways to cut expenses and yet still provide needed social services. This session we were able to solve some problems that benefited our high school graduates, returning missionaries and temple sealers.

Senate Bill 209, which I sponsored, extended the expiration date of the Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship for LDS youth who serve missions. The new law extended the six year limitation to allow for those returning from serving a mission to complete their education.

If your son or daughter graduated high school with a qualifying grade point average, they were able to use the Millennium Scholarship in their next year’s education in a Nevada higher education school. The problem for LDS youth was that sometimes this was too restrictive.

Suppose a youth worked for a year to save for a mission, then served a two year mission. This youth then returns home to begin college and he has missed three years of his scholarship. This left only three additional years of eligibility to finish a four year program for a college degree. Thus in their senior year they would not have been eligible for the Millennium Scholarship. The entire cost for the fourth year would be borne by the student.

Senate Bill 209 established criteria with respect to those students who actively served or participated in a charitable, religious, or public service assignment or mission, to exempt such students from the six year limitation on applications for the Millennium Scholarship. This bill was passed by the Legislature and signed by the Governor and is now in effect.

Senate Bill 130, which was sponsored by church member Senator Warren Hardy, helped correct an oversight in state law concerning temple marriages. Ministers of any church or religious organization, including bishops, stake presidents and sealers at the temple, must obtain a Certificate of Authority to perform marriages from the County Clerk in order to be legally authorized to perform marriages in the State of Nevada.

Senator Hardy met with County Clerk Shirley Parraguirre to discuss concerns regarding the application process, which was often confusing to lay clergy serving in the LDS church, who do not give “full time service” to their congregation.

The new statutory language provides that, in addition to ministers, a church may have “other persons authorized” to perform marriages and allows that their service be to their church rather than to a congregation. This more inclusive language makes the process clearer and resolves many of the questions and concerns voiced by LDS leaders.

For more information regarding the Millennium Scholarship please contact Reba Coombs, Executive Director of the Governor Guinn Millennium Scholarship Program at (775) 684-5754.