Guinn signs gay rights measure, other bills as Legislature session end nears

CARSON CITY - A bill prohibiting job discrimination against gays was signed into law Saturday by Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn.

"Signing this bill was a matter of fairness and doing what's right for the people of Nevada," said Guinn, the state's first Republican governor in 16 years.

"Discrimination based on race, gender, religion or sexual orientation is wrong and I hope this law sends that message loud and clear," he added.

The measure was sponsored by Assemblyman David Parks, D-Las Vegas, the only openly gay member of the Nevada Legislature. Parks said he's "immensely pleased" by the decision of the governor to sign AB311, which becomes effective Oct. 1.

Nevada joins 10 other states and the District of Columbia, which have similar laws, according to the Washington, D.C.,-based Human Rights Campaign.

The federal government has yet to pass a national law, and some opponents of the Nevada bill had suggested the state wait until Congress acts. Opponents also objected that the bill signifies the state's approval on a lifestyle they say is morally wrong, and could lead to lawsuits.

The bill adds sexual orientation to race, color, sex, religion and disabilities as things banned from discrimination in hiring, promotion and firing. However, tax-exempt organizations, such as the Boy Scouts, are excluded from the law.

Guinn also signed:

-SB37, which privatizes a state-run workers' compensation system. The governor's office worked out the plan with labor organizations, system administrators and lawmakers - all of whom had initial reservations about the transformation of the Employers' Insurance Company of Nevada. "This is truly landmark legislation for the state of Nevada," Guinn said, adding that it relieves the state of a $1.6 billion liability and restores workers' benefits to early 1990 levels. The bill also creates a cabinet-level health care consumer advocate.

-SB32, which protects homeowners from unscrupulous developers and contractors. The bill clarifies that home buyers can sue the "master developer" as well as contractors and subcontractors. It also provides an arbitration mechanism so buyers, developers, contractors and subcontractors have the opportunity to work out a solution before engaging in expensive court battles that can drag on and on. The new law requires that home owners disclose to prospective buyers any construction defect lawsuits they have filed in the past - even if the problems were repaired.

-SB289, which allows prayer meetings on campus, flyers about religious activities and lunchtime Bible study meetings. The bill was opposed by the Nevada ACLU for meddling with a generally strong church-state separation in state law. It was supported by the Nevada Eagle Forum, Nevada Concerned Citizens and the Nevada Christian Coalition.

-SB421, which allows people to smoke in slot arcades located in grocery stores, but mandates better designs for future stores and better ventilation. The bill, backed by the grocery industry, was a preemptive strike against another bill that would have barred smoking the slot areas. Under SB421, the arcade areas would be phased out and new stores would have to build an alcove separate from the rest of the store.

-SB244, which stops "gray market" sales in Nevada of cigarettes manufactured for foreign countries but sold in the United States at big discounts. Cigarettes manufactured for overseas distribution may be of an inferior blend or tailored for the smoking taste of that particular country. The packages often carry warning labels that are different from the requirements of the federal government. But the cigarettes do not make it to the foreign countries and are returned to the United States, where they are bought by distributors for resale at high discounts.

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