Legislative briefs for March 12, 2003

Wednesday, March 12, 2003 | 9:52 a.m.

Panel OKs change for car registration

A bill that would permit the state Department of Motor Vehicles to begin a pilot program for registering vehicles every two years instead of annually has been approved by the Senate Transportation Committee.

Under Senate Bill 213, which will go to the Senate floor later this week, vehicles heavier than 26,000 pounds would still have to be registered every year.

The program aims to cut down on long lines at DMV offices. A department spokesman said motorists in Clark and Washoe counties would still have to have their vehicles smog checked every year.

The department has more than 1 million vehicles registered in the state.

Background on candidates sought

Assemblywoman Ellen Koivisto, D-Las Vegas, introduced a bill Tuesday that would require candidates for office to submit a fingerprint and pay for an investigation before being allowed to file.

Koivisto said she was prompted to Assembly Bill 285 in response to her Republican opponent in last year's election, Richard Gardner, who was disqualified from the election when his name turned up on a list of registered felons.

Felons must show proof that they have had their civil rights restored in order to run for office.

Gardner was convicted in 1988 of a sexual offense and could supply no proof that his rights had been restored. However, since the issue arose so close to the election, his name remained on the ballot.