Legislative briefs for March 14, 2001

Wednesday, March 14, 2001 | 10:46 a.m.

Funds proposed for programs

A bill appropriating $250,000 to support programs for the prevention and treatment of problem gambling was introduced by the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday.

Senate Bill 335 would send the money to the state Department of Human Resources, which would provide the grants to nonprofit groups. The measure also requires the state Board of Education to adopt regulations to begin courses of study in public schools on the prevention of problem gambling.

Bill requires cities to file

Hundreds of employees representing cities, counties and local police or health agencies flood the legislative building each session.

Although lobbyist expense reports are released on the state level, one lawmaker believes residents need more information in regard to how much the government closest to them is spending in attempts to woo the Legislature.

Assemblyman David Goldwater, D-Las Vegas, introduced a bill Tuesday that would require local governments to disclose certain lobbying expenses.

Assembly Bill 326 requires local governments which spend more than $6,000 on lobbying activities during a legislative year to file disclosure statements with the state Department of Taxation within 30 days of the close of the session.

The disclosure applies to the amount of money spent on the lodging and meals of lobbyists and employees, the salary or wages paid to them and any compensation paid to any lobbyist.

The bill also requires disclosure regarding the amount of money spent on facilities.

Titus urges sale of bonds

Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus has introduced a bill to authorize the California-Nevada Super Speed Ground Transportation Commission to issue bonds for the proposed high speed train linking Las Vegas with Southern California.

Titus, D-Las Vegas, said the revenue bonds would be paid off through fares. The bonds would not count against the state's 2 percent debt limit.

Titus said the commission has received $3 million from the Regional Transportation commission and $1 million from the federal government. A bill for another $1 million appropriation is the Assembly. In addition, money from the federal government is available for construction.

Senate Bill 323 was referred to the Transportation Committee.

Senate approves cosmetology bill

Sen. Mike Schneider, D-Las Vegas, called it a "historic day in Nevada" when the Senate Tuesday passed his bill to require the state Board of Cosmetology to offer its licensing examination in Spanish.

Many new Nevada residents have been licensed as hairdressers in other areas but cannot read English well, Schneider said. The cosmetology board has so far refused to provide the examination in another language.

Senate Bill 153, which goes to the Assembly, said the board might offer its examination in other foreign languages if it feels "it is in the best interests of the public."

The vote was 19 in favor, with Sen. Joe Neal, D-Las Vegas, abstaining.

Schneider said the University of Nevada, Reno, has offered to provide the translation for the examination.

Buckley seeks project funds

Snubbed for funding as part of the governor's budget, Assemblywoman Barbara Buckley is hoping her legislative colleagues can find $6 million for an assisted-living center in Clark County.

Buckley, D-Las Vegas, introduced a bill Tuesday seeking a $6 million appropriation for a model demonstration project, sponsored by a nonprofit corporation, to provide an assisted living center for senior citizens in Clark County.

Assembly Bill 340 was referred to the Ways and Means Committee.

Regular drug tests proposed

A Las Vegas assemblyman wants the state's prisons to get tougher regarding the use of drugs and alcohol within their walls.

Dennis Nolan, R-Las Vegas, on Tuesday introduced Assembly Bill 330 that would require testing programs for employees and inmates.

The bill requires at least 20 percent of offenders to be screened for drug or alcohol use and requires certain prison employees to undergo similar tests.

Reform measures are introduced

Capital punishment reform is proving to be one of the leading criminal safety issues being discussed this legislative session.

On Tuesday, Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, introduced a bill that would prohibit anyone younger than 18 from receiving the death penalty.

State law currently prohibits that sentence for anyone younger than 16.

Assembly Bill 327 would require life imprisonment for those younger than 18 and would allow the defendant to have the last say during a trial's penalty phase by creating a surrebuttal period for the defense after a rebuttal period.

Sen. Joe Neal, D-North Las Vegas, has introduced a proposal banning the death penalty, and Giunchigliani has another measure prohibiting the death penalty from being imposed on mentally-retarded individuals.

State approval recommended

The chairman of the Assembly Education Committee wants the Legislature to have a say when a local school board wants to hire an outside firm to manage a school in need of improvement.

Wendell Williams, D-Las Vegas, introduced Assembly Bill 351 Tuesday to require state lawmakers to approve any contract a local school board enters into that would delegate responsibility to operate, manage or oversee a school designated as needing improvement.

Nolan touted for labor post

Assemblyman Dennis Nolan, R-Las Vegas, will be in Washington, D.C., the rest of this week for interviews for a job in the U.S. Labor Department.

Nolan was to meet with Labor Secretary Elaine Chao to talk about the position of assistant secretary of labor over Occupational Safety and Health Administration. He will also be meeting with officials in the Presidential Personnel Office at the White House.

A four-term assemblyman, Nolan is corporate director of safety and loss prevention for American Transportation Companies, which operates bus lines in more than 30 cities, including Las Vegas. He said he was nominated for the job by Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev.