Legislative briefs for February 24, 2005

Thursday, Feb. 24, 2005 | 9:27 a.m.

Measure targets antifreeze danger

Antifreeze, used to protect the engines in vehicles, tastes like Kool Aid. Children who have mistakenly consumed the liquid have died or suffered serious injury.

Assemblywoman Heidi Gansert, R-Reno, has introduced a bill to require a bittering agent be included in the anti-freeze to make it unpalatable.

"It takes two teaspoons (of antifreeze) to kill a small child and one teaspoon to kill a dog," said Gansert, who sponsored Assembly Bill 86 on Friday. "It is very lethal."

Gansert cited a recent incident in which a dog belonging to a legislative staff member drank antifreeze and died. But she said she did not know of any instance of a child drinking the antifreeze in Nevada.

Assemblyman Garn Mabey, R-Las Vegas, who is a physician, said he does not know of any cases in Nevada. But he said alcohol is the antidote used to counteract the anti-freeze.

A report from the American Association of Poison Control said that in 1993 at total of 5,081 people drank the ethylene glycol. Of that number 592 were children under the age of 6 years old; 803 were between 6-19 and 3,625 were over the age of 19. Sixteen people died and 1,781 required treatment at a hospital or clinic in 2003, the association said.

The bill was referred to the Committee on Natural Resource, Agriculture and Mining.

Bill would add fee to tickets

A person convicted of a moving traffic violation would be assessed an extra $5 to help finance emergency medical services, under a bill introduced in the Senate on Wednesday.

Sen. Joe Heck, R-Las Vegas, sponsored Senate Bill 124 that would also allow use of the money for treatment of trauma.

The money collected would be distributed to the state Health Division and to the Clark County Health District.

The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security.

Death certificate fees might rise

Sen. Dennis Nolan, R-Las Vegas, has sponsored a bill to raise by $1 the fee for certified copies of death certificates issued by the state or local health officials.

Senate Bill 118, introduced Tuesday, would send the money to local coroners to support youth programs, train staff and purchase equipment.

The bill also extends the life of a program in Clark County in which youngsters are sent from juvenile court to visit the morgue. The program, which is set to expire in October this year, requires the county coroner to instruct children on the consequences of their actions and "create an awareness of their mortality."

Health officials now charge $10 for a copy of a death certificate.

The bill was referred to the Judiciary Committee.