MINUTES OF THE

      SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE AND LABOR

 

      Sixty-seventh Session

      March 26, 1993

 

 

 

The Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor was called to order by Chairman Randolph J. Townsend, at 10:00 a.m., on Friday, March 26, 1993, in Room 227 of the Legislative Building, Carson City, Nevada.  Exhibit A is the Meeting Agenda.  Exhibit B is the Attendance Roster.

 

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

Senator Randolph J. Townsend, Chairman

Senator Sue Lowden, Vice Chairman

Senator Ann O'Connell

Senator Mike McGinness

Senator Raymond C. Shaffer

Senator Leonard V. Nevin

Senator Lori L. Brown

 

 

STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

Beverly Willis, Committee Secretary

Brian Davie, Senior Research Analyst

Frank Krajewski, Senior Research Analyst

 

OTHERS PRESENT:

 

Pam Miller, Government Affairs Director, Associated General       Contractors

Marc Hechter, Assistant General Manager, Administrative Services,

      State Industrial Insurance System

Clark Knauss, President, Lucky Concrete, Inc.

John F. Jeffrey, Southern Nevada Building Construction Trades Council

 

 

         

 

Senator Townsend opened the meeting by announcing that of 24 compensation bills introduced in the assembly, the provisions contained in 17 of them are contained in Senate Bill (S.B.) 316, but an additional number of bills are being proposed by the assembly.

 

SENATE BILL 316:  Makes Various changes to provisions governing industrial insurance.

 

 

 

Senator Townsend then noted it was time for the hearing on Assembly Bill (A.B.) 3342.

 

Assembly Bill 342Revises maximum salary various employees are deemed to receive for certain purposes relating to industrial insurance.

 

 

Pam Miller, Government Affairs Director, Associated General Contractors gave a brief history of Assembly Bill 342.  Ms. Miller then introduced Clark Knauss, President, Lucky Concrete, Inc., in Reno and Las Vegas.  Mr. Knauss discussed various reasons why he hoped this bill would pass.  Ms. Miller went on to note that an  emergency regulation expired March 31, 1993, and hoped the committee would expedite this bill and give it their approval.

 

Senator Townsend directed a question at Ms. Miller regarding premium versus wage-cap.  Ms. Miller answered that the bill increased the wage-cap on which the  premium is based.  Marc Hechter, Assistant General Manager, Administrative Services,

State Industrial Insurance System, interjected this affected premium collections only.

 

Senator O'Connell, Ms. Miller and John F. Jeffrey, Southern Nevada Building Construction Trades Council, discussed how passage of this bill would affect those companies that are locked into previously signed contracts.  Senator O'Connell inquired if passage of this bill would put Nevada companies at a disadvantage insofar as competing with companies from out-of-state who might not have to conform with these regulations.  Ms. Miller went on to say there were several pieces of legislation that would require that all people doing construction work in Nevada would have to pay the same rate that Nevada contractors have to pay for workers' compensation.

 

Senator O'Connell noted that in S.B. 188 it was required that companies had to show they had $5,000 that had been paid in the state, and that the competition was shifting in-state between larger and smaller employers and would the bill impact this situation.  It was agreed it would not.

 

      SENATOR NEVIN MADE A MOTION TO PASS ASSEMBLY BILL 342.

 

      THE MOTION WAS SECONDED BY SENATOR O'CONNELL.

 

      THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at

10:20 a.m.

 

 

 

 

            RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

 

 

 

                                    

            Beverly Willis,

            Committee Secretary

 

 

 

APPROVED BY:

 

 

 

 

                                     

Senator Randolph J. Townsend, Chairman

 

 

DATE:                                

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Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor

March 26, 1993

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