Legislative news briefs for May 24, 1999

Monday, May 24, 1999 | 11:11 a.m.

The Senate Finance Committee has agreed to spend $150,000 on an in-depth look at how Nevada funds its state universities.

Senate Bill 443, endorsed Friday, creates a panel to study adjustments to the funding formula for UNLV and the University of Nevada, Reno.

The current method of funding came under fire earlier this year when UNLV officials complained they were getting $3,000 per student less in state support than UNR.

But a study completed last month found the disparity between Nevada's two universities was about $534 per student.

Funding formula approved by panels

A plan by Sen. Ray Rawson, R-Las Vegas, to establish a dental school at UNLV has been approved by both legislative money committees.

A decision Friday by Senate Finance and Assembly Ways and Means committees to approve the budget for the state's higher education system included authorization to use Medicaid funds earmarked for dental treatment for the poor to flow to UNLV for the dental school.

Senate approves special penalties

A new law outlawing aggressive driving has won Senate approval despite questions about its effectiveness.

Assembly Bill 457 defines several traffic infractions and says that two or more committed in quick succession is grounds for an aggressive-driving ticket. The infractions include tailgating, speeding and passing on the right.

A first offense would be a misdemeanor, with violators required to attend a traffic safety course. A second conviction would result in a one-year driver's license revocation.

Passed 16-5, the measure now goes to the governor.

Tax exemption passing Senate

A privately run Las Vegas golf course that lost its property tax exemption two years ago will have it restored under a bill winning final legislative approval in the Senate.

Assembly Bill 668 restores the tax exemption to Angel Park Golf Club. Based on its current taxes, Angel Park operator OB Sports of Minneapolis would save at least $180,000 next year.

Ohrenschall confident she will prevail

Assemblywoman Genie Ohrenschall, D-Las Vegas, says she's confident she will regain her license to practice law, which has been under suspension for 10 years.

"A great injustice" was done when a complaint was filed against her in 1989 by District Judge Jack Lehman accusing her of failing to properly represent a client accused of passing bogus checks.

The state Supreme Court Friday issued an order allowing Ohrenschall to apply to the Nevada State Bar for reinstatement.

Ohrenschall, who practiced in Nevada from 1972 until the suspension, agreed to have her license suspended in 1989 because she was ill. The Supreme Court said Ohrenschall must now appear before the bar to prove she is healthy and to fight the decade-old allegation.

The allegation, she said, accused her of failing to give adequate representation to a client in hopes the Nevada Supreme Court would overturn the case because of incompetent counsel. The charge against her client was dismissed before trial, Ohrenschall said.

Compromise salvages privatization proposal

A late-session compromise helped Gov. Kenny Guinn's plan to privatize a state-run workers' compensation system win unanimous approval in what had been a skeptical Assembly committee.

The governor's office worked out the compromise Friday with labor organizations, system administrators and lawmakers -- all of whom had some reservations about transforming the Employers' Insurance Company of Nevada into a private company.

Pete Ernaut, the governor's chief of staff, told the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee that the privatization plan will restore workers' benefits and create a Cabinet-level health care consumer advocate.

Senate Bill 37 would make EICON, the current monopoly that operates the workers' compensation system, a private firm that can better compete with existing private insurers, the administration says.

Lawmakers were finally swayed to approve the agreement by the provision creating the Office of Health Care Assistance within the governor's Cabinet.

The ombudsman would provide counseling and resolve complaints from consumers about health care practices and access to treatment.

FOR THE RECORD

The Senate has rejected a bill that would have barred children younger than 18 from riding in the beds of pickups. Assembly Bill 157 had drawn criticism from lawmakers who said it was too intrusive and unfair to poor people. Sen. Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas, tried to amend the bill Friday to make it more palatable, but the effort failed and the bill died.The Senate approved a pair of billsthat provide almost $8.9 million for office furniture and a new Department of Motor Vehicles computer system. Senate Bill 279 provides more than $7.7 million to complete the second phase and start the third phase of Project Genesis, a computer system intended to provide one-stop shopping for DMV customers.Nevadans would no longer be felonsfor bringing home a few cases of California wine in the trunks of their cars under Senate Bill 428, passed 37-3 Friday by the Assembly. The bill also helps Nevada wine wholesalers in dealing with out-of-state wineries by requiring a winery that ships 25 cases or more of wine a ye

ar into Nevada to designate a Nevada wholesaler to handle its products.A bill turning Nevada Dayinto a three-day weekend has won final legislative approval in the Assembly. Senate Bill 31 was approved 29-11, setting the official celebration date of state's admission to the Union on the last Friday in October instead of Oct. 31.A watered-down bill revising rules for Nevada homeowners' associations -- minus Senate wording designed to help build a private Tahoe pier -- won Assembly approval Friday 38-2. Senate Bill 192 was returned to the Senate for agreement on amendments.