Legislative briefs for May 10, 2001

Thursday, May 10, 2001 | 9:51 a.m.

LV centennial tags approved

The day after lengthy debate nearly took the measure from the legislative plate, the Assembly, by a 37-5 margin, approved a special license tag commemorating the Las Vegas centennial.

The plate will feature the "Welcome to Las Vegas" neon sign on the south end of the Strip.

Assembly Transportation Committee Chairwoman Vonne Chowning, D-North Las Vegas, presented a litany of reasons her colleagues should support the special plate celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the city of Las Vegas in 1905.

Seven other special license plates have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for specific causes, led by the Lake Tahoe plates that have generated $1 million.

Dissenters, led by Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, said despite the cause, the Assembly should not spend so much time on such trivial matters.

The plate will be designed by the Department of Motor Vehicles and will be available once 250 of the plates have been ordered. The limited-issue plates will only be issued until Dec. 31, 2005.

Hay reappointed by Del Papa

Tim Hay was reappointed Wednesday as the state's consumer advocate by Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa.

Hay was appointed last March to serve out the remaining term of his predecessor, Fred Schmidt. Hay's new four-year term begins June 15.

On Tuesday Hay introduced four amendments to Assembly Bill 661, the omnibus Assembly energy bill that has been debated for weeks.

The first amendment assures Nevada ratepayers do not bear expenses related to Sierra Pacific's failed attempt to purchase Portland General Electric Co. The second requires the establishment of basic affordability rates for residential consumers.

Hay is also requesting a legislative audit of Sierra Pacific's financial condition. His fourth amendment would reduce general electric rates 10 percent for all customers, with revenues to reduce future rate shock caused by increasing costs.