Legislative briefs for March 2, 2001

Friday, March 2, 2001 | 9:52 a.m.

New-business incentives proposed

Two bills intended to encourage businesses to locate in Nevada by protecting their corporate identities were approved by the Senate Thursday.

Senate Bill 45 allows the owner of a trade name to seek a court injunction to prevent its commercial use if it has become famous. As an example, Sen. Ray Shaffer, D-North Las Vegas, said the Mirage has become a well-known name in Las Vegas but there is nothing now to prevent another business from using it.

The second bill, Senate Bill 50, allows a suit to halt the publication of a trade secret held by a company or individual. Sen. Joe Neal, D-Las Vegas, said he doubted this law could be enforced. If a trade secret is published on the Internet, it goes all over the world where the state has no authority, Neal said.

Sen. Mark James, R-Las Vegas, however, supported the bill.

Both bills go to the Assembly. The legislation came out of a study by a legislative committee on how to entice businesses to Nevada.

Protection from bans proposed

The Senate Government Affairs Committee introduced a bill Thursday calling for reimbursement to billboard companies in cases where new ordinances ban the signs in specific areas.

But Sen. Ann O'Connell, R-Las Vegas, said Senate Bill 265 might even protect porn shops that are rezoned out of an existing location.

The bill calls for cities or counties that adopt an ordinance requiring the removal of a nonconforming structure to compensate the business or permit it to relocate the structure to a "comparable site."

Assemblywoman in wheelchair

Assemblywoman Genie Ohrenschall made her first legislative appearance Thursday after missing the first month of the session because of a serious leg injury.

Ohrenschall, D-Las Vegas, came back to a desk full of flowers, balloons, welcome notes and greetings from her Assembly colleagues.

"I missed all of you and I'm very, very happy to be back," Ohrenschall said. "Thank you for your love and consideration."

With her son and daughter by her side, Ohrenschall was assisted up the Assembly chambers' steps in her wheelchair to her new seat on the aisle.

Ohrenschall broke her left leg just before the session began when a boy bumped her in a hotel hallway on her way to her room. The strange angle of the fall resulted in a severe fracture that required surgery.

Ohrenschall has kept up on her committee meetings and floor sessions via the Internet.

Project proposed for Lamb Park

The city of Las Vegas would receive $322,000 to build an equestrian arena and a rodeo park, under a bill introduced Thursday.

Assemblyman Tom Collins, D-North Las Vegas, sponsored the bill seeking the appropriation for such a facility near Floyd Lamb State Park.

The funding request was referred to the Assembly's Ways and Means Committee.