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StumbleNew year means new state laws to take effect
Monday, Dec. 28, 2009 | 3:47 p.m.
Sun Coverage
Guns, novelty lighters and identity theft are three of the areas affected by state laws that take effect at the end of the week.
Construction workers will be required to receive safety training and those applying for their first Nevada driver’s license will have to show proof of residency.
The 2009 Legislature approved hundreds of new laws but only 23 of them take effect fully or in part Friday.
As of the first of the year, courts will be required to transmit information to the state regarding criminal cases in which a defendant was deemed mentally ill. The data will be shipped to the Central Repository for Nevada Records to determine whether a weapons permit should be issued to the individual in question. Nevada law prohibits a person from owning or possessing a firearm if he or she has been judged mentally ill or has been committed to a mental health hospital. The person has a right to later ask the court to delete this finding that he or she has had a mental illness.
Toy lighters that look like footballs, animals, cartoon characters and cell phones are now on the market. Nevada is following the lead of 10 other states in banning the sale of these items.
“They are linked to deaths and injuries and property loss,” Assembly Majority Leader John Oceguera, D-Las Vegas, the sponsor of the bill, said. The problem is children are attracted to these lighters, Oceguera, a firefighter, said.
State Fire Marshal James Wright said some vendors of these lighters in Clark County are upset by the ban. He said his staff has been telling the stores these lighters are banned now.
Another new law that is affecting businesses is one aimed at combating identity theft. Businesses that accept a payment card in the sale of goods or services must start scrambling the information in the transmission. Sen. Valerie Wiener, D-Las Vegas, said it will make Nevada the first state in the nation to meet the national standards in protecting information that is sent electronically. The new law also says, however, that the data collector is not liable if somebody breaks into the system through no fault of the business.
The number of construction workers in Nevada has dropped dramatically in the past year. But the more than 82,500 remaining will have to undergo safety training in order to stay on the job.
A year ago there were more than 109,000 construction workers. After a rash of construction deaths in the Las Vegas Valley, the 2009 Legislature called for training for workers and supervisors.
The state Division of Industrial Safety drew up regulations but they were rejected by a legislative subcommittee. The division is now preparing new regulations and Gov. Jim Gibbons is expected to approve emergency rules to be effective Jan. 1.
They will require construction supervisors to have 30 hours of safety training and workers 10 hours.
The emergency regulation will be in effect for 120 days while the division examines the testimony from a four hour public hearing to determine if changes should be made.
In recent years, some managers of home owner associations in Las Vegas have stolen thousands of dollars from the fees paid by the residents. Come Friday there will be new requirements to qualify for managers.
Sen. Mike Schneider, D-Las Vegas, says managers must know a lot of Nevada law and they handle millions of dollars. In some cases, the manager oversees seven or eight homeowner associations and floats the money between them and then disappears with the cash.
Schneider says this law is to upgrade the qualifications to require five years experience in management in a common-interest community, a professional designation from a nationally recognized organization and a record free of any disciplinary action in another state.
These newcomers will be granted a one-year license to manage the common-interest communities but Schneider says, “They will have to be clean.”
Individuals seeking a driver’s license for the first time or those moving to the state will be required to provide proof of primary residence to get the permit after Friday. Tom Jacobs, public information officer for the state Department of Motor Vehicles, says those who are renewing will follow the same routine. This change will help ensure that people using Nevada driver's licenses will be able to get on airplanes and be allowed to enter federal building where identification is required, Tom Jacobs, public information officer for the state Department of Motor Vehicles, said.
Another law would permit business to register or re-register their vehicles through the Internet effective Jan. 1. But Jacobs said the department is not ready to start that program and it may be a year before it is put into effect.
Other changes effective Friday:
— The state Health Division will require bonds be posted by agencies that supply workers to work in a home for individual residential care, described as a home for one or two persons. And criminal background investigations will be required of the workers who care for these residents to check for such things as crimes of violence and domestic abuse.
Private agencies supply workers to more than 200 of these individual homes and the law will require they meet the same standards as those applied to group homes.
— To qualify for a resident hunting or fishing license a person must actually live in Nevada and not just own a home.
And there will now be a “three strikes and you're out law” policy. A person who is convicted of three felony wildlife violations will be barred from ever getting a Nevada hunting or fishing license again.
— Car dealers must assure that each new vehicle offered for sale in 2012 and thereafter is accompanied by a disclosure of the car’s estimated carbon dioxide emissions.
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when novelty lighters are outlawed only outlaws will own novelty lighters. Are erotic shaped lighters included?
All these new laws are basically crap, excepting the Identity Theft one. All those who are involved in identity theft should get 20 years to life..
The proof of residency requirement is a good thing.
How about proof of citizenship and proof residency requirement this would be GREAT..... and NO more sitting at Home Depot and just jumping in your truck.... and NO cell phones and texting whiling driving this also would be GREAT
The 2011 legislature is quickly approaching.
If you want to change the laws of the state, now is the time to start hounding legislators to change them. Those that remain after the elections will already be aware of the issues that are important to you. Current legislators who do not make the cut can still draft a Bill Draft Request but you will need to stay on top of their successor to ensure the know of your interest.
No,
now is the time to
RUN
for political office yourself.
It's easy.
Call 455-VOTE. Get instructions. File to RUN for the office of your choice. Filing prices starting as low as a measly $100 for the Assembly.
Why let the current bums have all the fun while you sit home and cry about what they did to you.
It's fast. It's easy. And it's fun.
And you will make new friends.
So sign up, and have some fun.
It'll be something you can tell your grandkids about...
Call 455-VOTE, today.
Why didn't this legislature address cell phone usage and texting while driving? All the accidents and deaths associated with this problem. You would of thought that would of been #1 on the list to be addressed. Where is the leadership?
Texting while driving should be banned... talking on cell phones while driving should be limited to hands free only. You'll never be able to enforce a complete ban on cell phones while driving because, how will you prove they were talking on a hands free device? All you have to do is say you were singing or talking to yourself. That will never be enforced.
Why not just ban eating also.
-- Car dealers must assure that each new vehicle offered for sale in 2012 and thereafter is accompanied by a disclosure of the car's estimated carbon dioxide emissions.
I feel much better knowing that this disclosure is now a law! Thank goodness our lawmakers are tackling the tough problems of society.
it doesnt sound like much of anything was accomplished; how can the legislature look at itself and still expect a salary? what a bunch of low lifes.
This is great! Its' about time OSHA 10/30 is made mandatory. The ones that are going to suffer the most are all of the scabs and rats that have diluted the trades for years.
Ok now that cells and texting are not allowed,, what are the idiots gonna blame that crappy accident induced drving on???? They didnt have OSHA safety training...
Las Vegas should be up there among the Nanny State champions of the US
http://reason.tv/video/show/nanny-of-the...
Thanks Nannies for ruining other people's fun.
The banning of those come hither lighters is a win/win situation for Las Vegas. However the smaller towns will probably stock up on these now that a law has been passed banning same.
Banning texting while driving is also a win/win situation. If you want to text to your fellow countrymen pull over and do your texting, there are microwave towers galore. Next, if your countrymen are in love with a $1,000.00 fine or $1,000.00 tips reward you don't need to be manufacturing razor thin lighters such as the old Thunderbird Hotel-Casino guest thank yous that were accompanied by an ash tray in the shape of a grape leaf.