Legislative briefs

A bill to expand the Las Vegas City Council from four to six wards if voters approve a ballot question next month was approved 42-0 Monday by the Assembly.

Senate Bill 274 returns to the Senate for agreement on an amendment introduced by Sens. Joe Neal, D-North Las Vegas, and Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas. The bill aims to increase minority representation on the all-white City Council.

City officials told the Assembly Government Affairs Committee that the bill would not guarantee ethnic representation on the council.

The additional wards will be created on or before Jan. 1, 2000, if voters approve the plan at the city election.

The bill also sets up a procedure for increasing the number of districts in the future. The issue can be on future election ballots if the City Council agrees or if a petition signed by 15 percent of the registered voters is submitted to the city.

Health program to get more funds

The Senate Finance Committee on Monday agreed to pump another $16 million into the financially troubled state employees health insurance program to keep it afloat until June 30.

State Budget Director Perry Comeaux said the system has enough money to keep it going for only two more weeks. The Legislature earlier allocated $10 million to the system, which has 47,000 people enrolled.

To help keep the program solvent, premiums have been boosted by 21 percent and benefits cut.

Senate Bill 416 next goes to the floor of the Senate.

Still pending is Senate Bill 544, which would overhaul the management of the system. It sets qualifications for the newly created executive officer of the system and changes the composition of the board that oversees the system.

Assembly passes anti-hazing bill

The Assembly Monday passed a bill to prohibit hazing at Nevada's high schools, colleges and universities.

The bill was requested by UNLV students. Although there have been few instances of hazing in recent years, students wanted to make sure the practice was illegal.

Senate Bill 297 makes it a misdemeanor if there is no substantial bodily harm in the hazing and a gross misdemeanor if there is a major injury.

Each campus in the University and Community College System of Nevada has an anti-hazing policy. Regents are considering adopting one for the entire system.

SB297 returns to the Senate for agreement on an amendment.

Homeowners may get a tax break

A proposed constitutional amendment to allow a property tax break for owners of single family homes who face severe economic hardships was approved by the Assembly Monday 42-0.

Assemblyman Bob Price, D-North Las Vegas, said Senate Joint Resolution 11 would permit the Legislature to grant an exemption or an abatement of the taxes in certain cases.

The resolution will return to the 2001 Legislature for approval again. And then it would go before the voters for ratification in the 2002 election.

Pier subject of long debate

A parade of witnesses told an Assembly committee Monday it should reject a bill sought by Las Vegas liquor distributor Larry Ruvo to build a pier and an entertainment center at his Lake Tahoe property.

Attorneys and others testified that Senate Bill 192 would overturn long-established law and practices of homeowner associations to benefit Ruvo.

But Billy Vassiliadis and Morgan Baumgartner, representing the Lawrence Ruvo Trust, argued a private property owner should be able to improve his holdings as long as he complies with local laws.

archive