Out-of-state plates anger Nolan

Thursday, April 24, 2003 | 9:11 a.m.

CARSON CITY -- Sen. Dennis Nolan, R-Las Vegas, wants the state Department of Motor Vehicles to establish a toll-free hot line for residents to report people who move to Nevada but never register their vehicles.

He told the Senate Finance Committee Wednesday the state is losing $8 million to $12 million a year because it has no way to detect people who ignore the law that a vehicle must be registered within 30 days of moving to Nevada.

Up to 100,000 vehicles in the state are violating the law, he said.

"I see them in my neighborhood, and it makes me mad. I'm paying large fees on my vehicles," Nolan said.

One reason people who move to Nevada avoid registering their cars is the high fees, often $300 or more per car, he said.

Maj. Robert Wideman of the Nevada Highway Patrol told the committee troopers were aware of the problem and write about 1,000 citations a month on vehicle registration issues.

Wideman said the patrol already has a phone message system for callers in Las Vegas to report Nevada residents who are using out-of-state plates. The Senate Finance Committee did not take action on Senate Bill 214.