Legislative briefs for March 25, 2003

Tuesday, March 25, 2003 | 9:03 a.m.

Gibbons pulls controversial bill

Assemblywoman Dawn Gibbons has pulled a bill that would have exempted most public officials in the state from having their motor vehicle and assessor records open to the public.

Gibbons, R-Reno, requested her measure, Assembly Bill 400, be withdrawn from consideration after several media reports on the measure and lobbying against it.

The measure would have exempted all elected officials and most public officials from the state's open-meeting law for assessor and Department of Motor Vehicles vehicles.

Gibbons initially introduced the bill on behalf of the Peace Officers Research Association of Nevada. She said she thought the bill would apply only to police officers and to the victims of domestic violence.

More funds needed for school account

The Assembly Ways and Means Committee learned Monday that lawmakers will have to add at least $3 million to the payment given to the State Distributive School Account to make up for a shortfall in sales tax revenue.

The committee decided to hold action on Assembly Bill 253 in hopes that additional sales tax revenue reports would become available in a few days and give lawmakers more information by which to hit a moving target.

AB253 would transfer $71.8 million from the state general fund to the State Distributive School Account, the account the state uses to cover public school funding shortfalls.

The state has delayed the reporting of sales tax revenue, meaning current revenues won't be known until June, and likely after the Legislature has adjourned.

Suicide Awareness Day recognized

The Legislature recognized Suicide Awareness Day on Monday with grim statistics about the state's fifth-leading cause of death.

Although Nevada fell behind Alaska for the highest per capita suicide rate last year, it still has suicides at the rate of twice the national average.

Nevada has 22.9 suicides per 100,000 residents, compared with the national average of 11.3. There are more suicide deaths in Nevada than deaths from vehicle accidents.

Auto insurance proof changes

The Assembly unanimously approved a bill Monday that would remove the requirement that people show proof of insurance when registering a vehicle.

The measure, sought by the Department of Motor Vehicles, also included several other provisions, including one to lengthen the amount of time before people need to renew their disabled motorist placards from annually to two years for temporary disability and 10 years for permanent disability.

Instead of showing proof of insurance, those registering vehicles would have to sign a declaration -- under penalty of perjury -- that insurance is in effect on the vehicle.

Measure deals with work permits

The state Gaming Control Board would take over the duties of issuing work permits for employees of casinos under a bill introduced by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Counties and cities currently have those duties.

Senate Bill 432 would allow the Control Board to charge an amount to cover the cost of background investigations and administrative costs. The maximum that can be charged for a work permit now is $75.

The bill was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee for study.

Lamb park transfer is proposed

The Senate Government Affairs Committee introduced a bill to authorize Floyd Lamb State Park be transferred to the city of Las Vegas free of charge.

The bill says that if Las Vegas took over the property, it could not transfer the title to anybody else without the consent of the state.

Seat-belt bill is introduced

Failure to wear a seat belt in a car would be a primary offense under a bill introduced by the Senate Committee on Transportation.

A motorist can now be cited for failure to wear a seat belt only if the vehicle is stopped for another violation. Senate Bill 480 would eliminate that restriction and allow a law enforcement officer to halt a driver if he sees the motorist is not wearing the safety belt.

The current fine of $25 for the violation would remain the same.

Fines would delay registrations

A bill was introduced in the Senate that would require a person to pay a fine imposed for a criminal violation before registering or renewing a motor vehicle registration.

Senate Bill 479, sponsored by the Senate Transportation Committee, states that if a court files a notice of non-payment of a criminal fine, the state Department of Motor Vehicles would not issue a new license plate or endorsement until the money is paid.

The bill was referred to the Transportation Committee.

The Senate Human Resources

and Facilities Committee introduced Senate Bill 461 to triple the current 35-cents-a-pack tax on cigarettes. The extra money would be used to fund a variety of health-related programs.

State and local governments

that compete with private business in the sale of goods would have to pay sales tax under Senate Bill 404,introduced Monday by the Senate Government Affairs Committee. The bill could affect golf courses and other operations run by local governments.