Legislative briefs for March 1, 2001

Thursday, March 1, 2001 | 11:06 a.m.

Chapels might issue licenses

Wedding chapels could become one-stop marriage shops complete with the ability to issue licenses under a bill proposed Wednesday in the Assembly.

Assembly Bill 254, sponsored by Mark Manendo, D-Las Vegas, would authorize a county clerk to designate one or more commercial wedding chapels as a branch office of the clerk's office for the purpose of issuing marriage licenses.

George Linch, a lobbyist representing numerous chapels in Las Vegas, requested the legislation.

The bill states the clerk of any county "may designate one or more commercial wedding chapels" as a branch office, giving the county clerk discretion over which chapels are authorized to perform such services.

"The intent is that all of the wedding chapels could issue the licenses," Manendo said. "I don't want to restrict it to just one."

The bill also allows the clerks to collect fees for licenses issued at the branch offices and to issue licenses and collect fees for a married couple's renewal of vows.

Bill would ban charging of fees

The Assembly passed and sent to the Senate Wednesday a bill to prevent courts from charging a fee to a person who asks for a restraining order against stalkers.

Assemblywoman Ellen Koivisto, D-Las Vegas, said some of the courts in Clark County have been charging fees for protective orders.

"Individuals who fear for their lives or safety, or the lives and safety of their families, should never have to worry about whether they can afford a protective order if the court finds sufficient cause to issue a restraining order or injunction," Koivisto said.

Assembly Bill 82 provides that a fee can only be imposed after a hearing or the final disposition of the case. The fee will be assessed against the losing party and the judge has the operation of reducing or waiving the fee.

Tougher limits on smoking urged

The Senate Judiciary Committee has introduced a bill to allow state and local agencies to impose stricter restrictions on smoking than called for in state law.

The bill, however, said the tougher standards cannot apply to casinos, bars or a restaurant in which alcohol is served and minors are excluded.

Sen. Mark James, R-Las Vegas, chairman of the committee, said Wednesday that Senate Bill 258 comes from health professionals who want stronger standards against smoking in places frequented by juveniles.

Special license plate proposed

A special license plate would be issued to commemorate the history of atomic testing in Nevada, under a bill introduced by the Senate Transportation Committee Wednesday.

Senate Bill 264 calls for the Nevada Test Site Historical Foundation and the state Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety to work to design the license plate.

An individual would have to pay an additional $60 initially for the plate plus a $30 annual renewal fee. Part of the money would go to the historical foundation for programs in support of the preservation of the history of the testing at the Nevada Test Site.

Options considered in misdemeanors

A person convicted of a misdemeanor could have an option of making a donation to a charitable or educational organization rather than paying a fine, under a bill sponsored by the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday.

If the prosecuting attorney and the convicted person agreed, the individual could make the donation, rather than being hit by a fine that goes to the court. Senate Bill 263 says this option would not be available to those convicted of misdemeanors before Oct. 1 of this year.