Legislative briefs for March 9, 2005

Wednesday, March 9, 2005 | 10:51 a.m.

Sales tax holiday is proposed

Sen. Maggie Carlton, D-Las Vegas, wants the Legislature to have the authority to declare a "sales tax holiday."

Carlton introduced Senate Bill 167 Tuesday to ask the voters at the 2006 election if they would give the Legislature power to prescribe temporary exemptions from the sales tax. People who bought items on that day would not have to pay the sales tax.

The Legislature has added to the two percent sales tax for specific purposes -- such as the support of schools -- but the school tax was not approved by the voters. That's important because voters in 1956 approved a referendum for the two percent sales tax, meaning voters would have to approve any change.

However, because the school tax didn't go before voters, the proposed bill would allow the Legislature to declare an exempt day for the school tax portion without going to the voters.

Schneider seeks cap on enrollment

Elementary schools built in Clark and Washoe counties after July 1 would be limited to a maximum of 300 pupils under a bill introduced in the Senate Tuesday.

Sen. Mike Schneider, D-Las Vegas, sponsored Senate Bill 166 that would require new middle or junior high schools to be built for a 600-student maximum and high schools for a maximum of 900 pupils.

His bill, referred to the Human Resources and Education Committee, would not apply to schools built before July 1. If planning had already started before July 1, the school board could apply to the state Department of Education for an exemption.

Schneider said studies show pupils who attend schools with relatively smaller pupil populations tend to perform better on academic tests, suffer fewer social and behavioral problems and have greater opportunity for taking part in extracurricular activities.

Woman takes her check back

Helaine Jesse has taken back her $300 personal check she gave to the state Legislature to increase funding for mental health.

Jesse of Carson City gave the check to a legislative budget committee last month after she related how the mental health system had failed her boyfriend who committed suicide. She said she didn't want the $300 rebate proposed by Gov. Kenny Guinn on motor vehicles.

Assemblywoman Sheila Leslie, D-Reno, the chairwoman of that budget committee, said she talked with Jesse last Friday. Instead Jesse will donate the $300 to Crisis Call, which runs a suicide prevention hot-line in Nevada.

Leslie said she is also looking into some of the problems that Jesse's boyfriend encountered in the mental health system.

One votes against death penalty limit

Assemblyman John Marvel, R-Battle Mountain, was the only member of the Assembly Tuesday who voted against a measure that would prohibit the state from executing people who commit crimes at age 16 and 17.

Nevada was one of 19 states that continued to allow execution of minors, and Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, introduced a bill this session to ban the practice. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled March 1 that executing juveniles is cruel and unusual punishment. Giunchigliani is continuing her bill so that state law will reflect the ruling.

Marvel said he objected to the bill because some crimes are "heinous" enough to warrant an execution. He pointed to a Battle Mountain youth who shot his parents and younger sister because he was upset with restrictions his mother had imposed on him.

"I don't want the (U.S.) Supreme Court making laws for the state of Nevada," Marvel said.

Assembly Bill 6 passed with 40 votes and will move on to the Senate. Marvel voted no and Assemblyman Harry Mortenson, D-Las Vegas, was absent.