The governor spoke Monday about the hepatitis exposure investigation. In January of last year, the agency in charge of the inspections said during budget hearings they couldn't do the job. They needed more money, more inspectors and they needed help immediately.
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But to get the help they would have to charge the clinics fees for inspections. According to Governor Gibbons policy of no new taxes or fees, he would veto it and block any new inspectors. The governor's office saw the pleas for help and said no.
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Eyewitness News uncovered the original budget documents. In January of last year, the inspections department admitted it had glutted workloads and was quote -- "unable to meet its responsibilities."
But the governor's office issued a memo just weeks after the budget came out -- stopping all talk of fee increases that would have gone to pay for the inspectors. Monday, the governor responded publicly.
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"What we need today is to ensure the people of Nevada that we are addressing this issue, that we are looking speedily to a solution," he said.
During the news conference, Gibbons compared the inspections to the NHP -- saying it would be overkill to pull over every speeder and inspect clinics every year. Assemblywoman Susan Gerhardt disagrees the governor's policy.
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She is waiting for her test results for hepatitis and called the NHP comparison insulting. Even though the governor says his policy did not impact the outbreak, Gerhardt believes that sort of politics can impact the people she represents.
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"Maybe if we caught it six months earlier, a year earlier because we had more inspectors, I frankly think that's worthwhile," said Gerhardt.
The department did end up with partial funding for six more inspectors, but have had problems filling the positions. They require advanced degrees and medical experience.
The governor says money is not going to fix this problem -- only time and attention. But Gerhardt and other patients may have problems with the governor's comparison between speeding and a potential HIV infection. He feels inspections may not be the answer.
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