Legislative Briefs -- May 10, 1999

DEADLINE

First limited session running out of time

The Legislature, with only three weeks remaining, faces another major deadline this week.

Committees in the Senate and Assembly must have completed action on all bills from the opposite house by midnight on Friday.

Exempt from this deadline are budget bills before the Assembly Ways and Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee.

The session, limited to 120 days by voters in November, must end on May 31.

TEEN DRIVING

Senate approves bill creating restrictions

The Senate has narrowly approved a measure to limit newly licensed teen drivers, over objections from one lawmaker who said the bill has too many exceptions to be effective.

Assembly Bill 552, approved 12-8 Friday, now goes to the governor.

If the bill becomes law, teens will not be allowed to drive certain night hours, with some exceptions, and would not be able to transport children or teens in the car during a probationary license period.

During the first year of a teen's provisional license, driving between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. would be prohibited unless a licensed driver 21 or older is present. Exceptions would be granted for work, medical need, school events and "family necessity."

Exceptions for the restrictions on passengers of the car would be made for family members.

With those exceptions, Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus said she doesn't see the point of the bill.

CONCEALED WEAPONS

Committee OKs bill limiting locations

A bill that would expand the locations where concealed guns cannot be carried, amended to ensure they can't be brought onto school campuses, won approval Friday in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

It's already illegal to carry firearms onto school grounds. Judiciary Chairman Mark James, R-Las Vegas, said his committee merely made sure that provision continues in Nevada law.

The present law lays out the public facilities where a concealed firearm is prohibited, such as courthouses, police stations, prisons, schools and state and federal buildings.

Assembly Bill 166 changes that to ban the carrying of a concealed weapon into any building with a metal detector at each public entrance or with a sign posted at each entrance saying no firearms are allowed.

WORKERS' COMP

Workers in homes could be covered

A Senate committee has approved a bill to allow a homeowner to buy added insurance to cover a handyman or domestic worker who may be injured on the job at the house.

The Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor unanimously passed Assembly Bill 334 that would permit private insurance companies to provide workers' compensation on a homeowner's policy.

APOLOGY

County corrects error over developers

Clark County has made a public apology to Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas, for its error in saying it opposed one of her growth bills on major construction projects.

Jim Spinello, a lobbyist for Clark County, said Friday an honest mistake was made. The apology was made to the Assembly Government Affairs Committee, which heard testimony Thursday on Senate Bill 191. The measure would require developers to draft impact statements for major projects.

Lesa Coder of the Clark County Comprehensive Planning Agency told the committee Thursday the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition opposed the bill. After the hearing, Titus said she was furious at an apparent turnabout.

Titus returned later Thursday to the committee with minutes of the meeting of the Southern Nevada Regional Planning Coalition that showed there was no vote taken to oppose SB191.

REVENUE

Assembly OKs new forecasting office

A bill that would create a new legislative office to help lawmakers predict Nevada's economic future breezed through the Assembly on a 42-0 vote Friday.

Assembly Bill 525 would create the Office of Financial Analysis and Planning to help legislators look beyond the two-year budget cycle they currently plan for.

LASERS

Penalty established in 'shots' at officers

Senate Bill 360, which would make aiming a laser pointer at a police officer a gross misdemeanor, passed the Assembly Judiciary Committee Friday.

Assemblyman Dennis Nolan, R-Las Vegas, said a direct "shot" to the eye could cause temporary blindness and that police who see the red dots coming their way might think they are being tracked by a laser-sighted weapon and react by drawing guns.

The penalty for pointing the laser at a uniformed peace officer would be up to a year in jail and a possible fine of $2,000. Targeting a civilian with a laser pointer could be punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.

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