Senate votes for tougher regulations for limousines

Thursday, May 31, 2001 | 8:59 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- The state Senate voted Wednesday to put more teeth in regulations of the Southern Nevada limousine industry.

Senate Bill 576 permits the state Transportation Services Authority to conduct the same background checks on limousine drivers that are now performed on taxicab drivers.

There are more than 1,000 limousines in Clark County, Bruce Breslow, a member of the authority, said, while the Taxicab Authority regulates more than 2,000 cabs.The new bill also requires the TSA to establish a system to allocate limousines. There have been complaints that the TSA makes it too difficult to get a new permit and actually protects the big operators.

The bill would require limousine drivers to adhere to the same conduct as taxicab operators, such as neat dress, no smoking in the vehicles and no swearing or yelling at other drivers.

Breslow said the same system of fines is also included in the new bill.

Breslow said the bill also gives the TSA "more teeth" in regulating household movers. He estimated that 60 percent of those on the streets in Southern Nevada are illegal -- operating without a permit.

The TSA can levy fines, but illegal operators rarely pay. This bill will give the TSA the authority to impound the vehicles.

Voting against the bill were Las Vegas Democrats Dina Titus, Valerie Wiener, Joe Neal and Maggie Carlton. The bill goes to the Assembly.

Earlier this month, District Judge Ronald Parraguirre ruled in a three-year fight between the TSA and individuals who wanted a permit to run a limousine service. He ruled the limousine laws were constitutional and there is a legal basis for regulating the industry.

But the judge found that the TSA violated the constitutional rights of three operators who were unable to get permits due to the action of regulators and established limousine companies seeking to limit competition.