MINUTES OF THE

      SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE AND LABOR

 

      Sixty-seventh Session

      May 17, 1993

 

 

 

The Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor was called to order by Chairman Randolph J. Townsend, at 8:00 a.m., on Monday, May 17, 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

 

GUEST LEGISLATORS PRESENT:

 

Assemblyman Lynn C. Hettrick, Assembly District 39

 

STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

Denise Pinnock, Committee Secretary

Brian Davie, Senior Research Analyst

 

OTHERS PRESENT:

 

Rick Halbardier, Owner, Churchill Vineyards

Jack Sanders, Owner, Pahrump Valley Winery

Stephanie Tyler, Lobbyist, Wine Institute

Bob Crowell, Attorney, Self

John Mendoza, Chairman, Public Service Commission of Nevada

 

 

 

 

Chairman Townsend opened the hearing on Assembly Bill (A.B.) 186.

 

ASSEMBLY BILL 186:      Increases population threshold for county in which domestic winery may be operated.

 

Assemblyman Lynn C. Hettrick, Assembly District 39, explained the bill to the committee.  He commented that there had been no opposition when the bill was heard in the Assembly.    

 

 

Rick Halbardier, Owner, Churchill Vineyards, submitted written testimony (Exhibit C) in support of the bill. 

 

Senator McGinness asked whether Mr. Halbardier would be importing grapes for a period of time.  Mr. Halbardier explained that since grape growing had not been experimented with at this altitude, or with Nevada's climatic variables, his vineyard would be experimenting with six varieties of grapes.  He estimated it would be 5 years before they achieved full commercial production of the most suitable varieties.

 

Jack Sanders, Owner, Pahrump Valley Winery, suggested the cap be unlimited.  Senators O'Connell and Lowden agreed.  Senator Townsend asked Mr. Hettrick if he had any objections to repealing the threshold.  Mr. Hettrick expressed concern over the extra time it would take to take the bill back to the assembly if the senate amended it.  He said the assembly had taken the idea under consideration and decided to leave the cap in order to avoid any opposition from the larger counties.  The current law allows for the importation of juice and grapes, so there might be a conflict in some of the larger counties, where they felt the new legislation might interfere with wine distribution. 

 

Senator O'Connell said the problem was that every session there would be another reason to raise the threshold.  She commented:

 

      It just seems like such a dumb thing that we don't just repeal this whole section of law that makes it impossible for people to do this who want to do it now.  It's their money at risk.  Why in the world is the state going to try and govern it?  Dumb.

 

Mr. Hettrick asked for the opportunity to call all his contacts before the committee took action.  He said he would not like for those people to feel they had been "sandbagged in the senate." 

 

Senator Lowden asked if the bill would allow the wineries to sell wine off of their premises.  Mr. Hettrick stated it would not.

 

Senator McGinness mentioned another bill which would address the ability to sell wine off of their premises, for example at wine tastings and food fairs.

 

There followed general discussion on the practices of vineyards and wineries. 

 

Mr. Sanders said his organization was in total agreement with A.B. 186.  He stated he had merely made an off the cuff remark about making the threshold unlimited.  He pointed out that he has supported the bill as it was because there was no opposition from the distributors.

 

Stephanie Tyler, Lobbyist, Wine Institute, said her organization supports A.B. 186.  She was unsure, however, whether the Wine Institute would support an unlimited population threshold. 

 

Senator Nevin said he was more comfortable leaving the bill as it was.

 

Senator Townsend closed the hearing on A.B. 186 and opened the hearing on Senate Bill (S.B.) 410.

 

SENATE BILL 410:  Creates the commission on transportation.

 

Senator Nevin submitted proposed amendments to S.B. 410 (Exhibit D).  He explained the problems with the Taxicab Authority, which controls regulations, policy, enforcement, and licensing.   

 

Bob Crowell, Attorney, Self, went over the amendments with the committee.

 

Senator O'Connell asked if the people in the industry support the bill.  Senator Nevin stated he had spoken to one of the major taxicab companies the previous day.  They had conveyed the feeling that they would rather have the Taxicab Authority under the Public Service Commission (PSC) than under the business and industry umbrella of the state's government reorganization. 

 

John Mendoza, Chairman, Public Service Commission of Nevada, said the representations made by Mr. Crowell and Senator Nevin were correct. 

 

Senator Townsend offered to send Mr. Mendoza the new bill, after it was amended. 

 

Senator Townsend closed the hearing on S.B. 410, and passed out copies of the new version of the telemarketing bill.

 

SENATE BILL 394:  Makes various changes relating to regulation of solicitation by telephone.

 

Senator Nevin explained the most recent amendments to the bill. 

 

There followed general discussion of the exemptions in the bill.

 

Senator Townsend closed the discussion on S.B. 394.  As there was no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 10:25 a.m.

 

 

 

 

                  RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

 

 

 

                                          

                  Denise Pinnock,

                  Committee Secretary

 

 

 

APPROVED BY:

 

 

 

 

                                     

Senator Randolph J. Townsend, Chairman

 

 

DATE:                                

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Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor

May 17, 1993

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