Cigarette, casino taxes proposed in new bills

Tuesday, July 2, 2002 | 9:47 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Taxes on casinos and cigarettes would be raised and daylight-saving time would be abolished in Nevada under bills being requested by state legislators.

Although the 2003 Legislature is seven months away, lawmakers have put in requests for 234 bills so far -- some of which failed in the last session.

The legal division of the Legislative Counsel Bureau released its first list Monday, giving a one-sentence synopsis of each bill request. In most cases the name of the requester is not identified.

The legislators who want to raise the tax on tobacco and to eliminate daylight-saving time are not disclosed.

But Sen. Joe Neal, D-North Las Vegas, a candidate for governor, is renewing his drive to raise the taxes casinos pay.

Neal also has asked for a bill to expand the powers of the Southern Nevada Water Authority to allow it to get into the power business. He said the legislation would open the door for the possibility of the purchase of Nevada Power Co. by the Water Authority.

Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, is proposing a resolution to memorialize the victims of Sept. 11, and Assemblywoman Vonne Chowning, D-North Las Vegas, has asked for a bill to make a special license plate to remember the victims and to support efforts to suppress terrorism.

There are requests for bills to change the laws on medical malpractice. Assemblyman Tom Collins, D-North Las Vegas, wants to limit certain damages in medical malpractice suits, and the Senate Judiciary Committee wants to revise the medical malpractice law, but no details were immediately available.

The Senate bill could incorporate any agreement that comes out of the meetings among physicians, insurance companies and trial lawyers.

The lawmaker requests also reflected a concern about the rising cost of prescription drugs. Sen. Valerie Wiener, D-Las Vegas, sought a bill to require state agencies to buy prescriptions from one source in order to reduce the cost.

Assemblywoman Sheila Leslie, D-Reno, would create a state prescription drug commission to look at ways to negotiate better prices, including joining with other states for bulk purchases.

Assembly Majority Leader Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, has asked for a bill to create a prescription help desk in state government to help people find programs of pharmaceutical companies that sometimes offer free supplies.

Besides legislation to increase the price on cigarettes, there are other tobacco bills. Sen. Ray Rawson, R-Las Vegas, would allow local governments to impose tougher restrictions on smoking than the state's.

Assemblywoman Kathy McClain, D-Las Vegas, would authorize the use of money from the tobacco settlement for senior health programs for prescription drugs, vision, hearing and dental expense coverage.

Assemblywoman Dawn Gibbons, R-Reno, would provide paid leave for state employees who donate organs or bone marrow.

Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa is proposing creation of a registry for persons who do not want telephone solicitations.

Assemblyman Mark Manendo, D-Las Vegas, is back with his bill to change the drunken driving law to reduce the blood alcohol level for proving DUI from 0.10 to 0.08.

Assemblywoman Sandra Tiffany, R-Henderson, also is renewing her efforts to split the Clark County School District.

Both of those proposals have been rejected by earlier Legislatures.

Leslie wants inspections of carnival rides, and Wiener is asking for a study of the "economic, medical and societal costs and impacts of obesity."