Assembly upholds boom box bill veto

Erin Neff

Thursday, May 31, 2001 | 10:04 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Assemblywoman Vonne Chowning is vowing to continue her fight to restrict loud music emanating from vehicles, even after her colleagues voted Wednesday to uphold Gov. Kenny Guinn's veto of her boom box bill.

"Our peaceful enjoyment is being disturbed," Chowning, D-North Las Vegas, said in urging her colleagues to override Guinn's veto.

Chowning said loud music from vehicles disturbs "mothers trying to put their baby to bed, harried workers trying to sleep, college students studying for exams" and "older couples watching TV."

But her colleagues, who narrowly passed Assembly Bill 481 earlier this session, decided to sustain the veto and let the measure die this session by a 25-15 vote. David Humke and Dawn Gibbons, both R-Reno, were absent.

Chowning needed a two-thirds majority, or 28 votes, to override the veto.

Guinn vetoed the bill, saying that local governments should set noise standards. He also cited concerns about law enforcement's ability to enforce the provisions of her bill, which prohibited sound amplification from a vehicle from being heard 25 feet away.

It would "undoubtedly cause law enforcement agencies to face numerous court challenges from ticketed drivers on the grounds that the sounds emanating from their motor vehicles were not audible from a distance of 25 feet or that this law was being selectively enforced against some of our citizens,' he said.

Chowning disagreed that the measure targeted youths or ethnic minorities, as some lawmakers have alleged.

"I have heard concerns from young and old and from all ethnically diverse people," Chowning said.

Greg Brower, R-Reno, said he voted to sustain the veto because local jurisdictions should handle the problem.

Clark County has a 75-foot noise control ordinance, and the city of Las Vegas has a 50-foot restriction.

Bob Beers, R-Las Vegas, voted to sustain the veto because he said his 6-year-old sport utility vehicle rattles so loudly that he has to play his music over the sound of the vehicle to hear it.

Beers parked his vehicle at the side of the road, measured 25 feet and could still hear the music.

The bill originally passed the Assembly 24-13 and cleared the Senate 14-6.

Assembly members who withdrew their support for the measure Wednesday by changing their votes are:

Bernie Anderson, D-Sparks; Sharron Angle, R-Reno; David Brown, R-Henderson; Barbara Cegavske, R-Las Vegas; Don Gustavson, R-Sun Valley; John Marvel, R-Battle Mountain; and Dennis Nolan, R-Las Vegas.

Additionally, five Assembly Republicans who were absent for the first vote opted to uphold the veto Wednesday.

Moments after Wednesday's vote, Chowning distributed a three-page press statement expressing her "disappointment that this measure will not become law this session."

She also asked an Assembly attache to pass "thank you" notes to the 14 colleagues who joined her in voting to override the veto.