Guinn signs bill to help businesses in insurance deregulation

Nevada companies now get policies to cover workers' on-the-job injuries through the state Employers Insurance Company of Nevada, or self-insure if they have sufficient assets to cover large payouts.

With "three-way," insurance companies also will offer such policies. And with SB44, signed Tuesday, small and mid-sized businesses have the self-insurance option.

Self-insurance associations are groups of businesses that leave the state insurance system and pool resources, setting up independent programs that give them more control over the terms of the policies and over how their funds are invested.

SB44 allows companies to join a group without having to guarantee large premiums or prove a significant amount of assets, and the group would be able to do its own assessment of a member company's financial viability.

SB44 also allows self-insurance associations to set their own criteria for who could join.

Guinn also signed:

-SB418, to let whistleblowers reap financial benefits by helping agencies recover money from contractors who overcharged them.

Under SB418, a contractor accused of overbilling could be sued and forced to pay up to triple the amount overcharged. The liable contractor also could face civil penalties of $2,000 to $10,000 per false claim.

A whistleblower could get up to one-third of the court-awarded damages if the case is prosecuted by state authorities and half of the damages if there is no state intervention.

The bill was co-sponsored by Sens. Dina Titus, Terry Care and Valerie Wiener, all D-Las Vegas.

-SB449, by Sen. Bob Coffin, requiring a sheriff to provide notice to a victim of a violent crime if the assailant is applying for a concealed weapons permit. The victim must be notified even if the weapons permit is denied.

-SB412, by Sen. Bernice Mathews, D-Sparks, to prevent a parent from getting custody of child if the death of the other parent was due to domestic violence.

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