The Committee on Transportation was called to order at 1:30 p.m., on Thursday, February 11, 1999. Chairwoman Vonne Chowning presided at the Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety, 555 Wright Way, Carson City, Nevada. Exhibit A is the Agenda. Exhibit B is the Attendance Roster. All Exhibits are available and on file at the Research Library of the Legislative Counsel Bureau.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:

Mrs. Vonne Chowning, Chairwoman

Ms. Genie Ohrenschall, Vice Chairwoman

Mr. John Carpenter

Mr. Jerry Claborn

Mr. Don Gustavson

Ms. Kathy McClain

Mrs. Bonnie Parnell

Mr. Kelly Thomas

COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT:

Mr. Doug Bache

Mrs. Barbara Cegavske

Mr. Tom Collins

Mr. Dennis Nolan

Mr. David Parks

GUEST LEGISLATORS PRESENT:

Mrs. Sharron Angle

STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:

DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES AND PUBLIC SAFETY STAFF PRESENT:

The committee convened outside the Department of Motor Vehicles and

Public Safety, (DMV & PS). Dennis Colling, Chief of Administrative Services, DMV & PS and Linda Gentry, Facilities Manager, DMV & PS, welcomed the committee and gave a brief overview of the areas scheduled to tour.

Chairwoman Chowning asked that special attention be given to certain areas of DMV & PS that pertained to driver’s license registration, titles, license plates, fiscal items and other important issues to be brought before the committee.

The committee toured the newly remodeled area for processing title production, title research, license review, insurance verification and driver’s license documentation. The area of processing was designed and planned to provide efficiency of employees at a reduced remodeling cost. Approximately 78 modular cubicles were constructed and placed in the newly remodeled area.

The next area toured was the evidence room. An outside entrance was provided for after-hour seizure of narcotics, weapons and other physical evidence to be stored. The area provided outside lockers which allowed evidence to be placed in a locker by key only. An attendant on the other side of the lockers collected the evidence and placed it into its appropriate location until needed. The area was a secured area and was accessible for Nevada Highway Patrol (NHP), Fire Marshal and Capitol Police.

The committee then viewed the remodeled main lobby, which was located on the ground floor of the DMV building. The area contained a large conference room for department and public use, a department hearing room for the Administration Law Judge, a briefing room, and a testing room. The DMV lobby consisted of seventeen windows for customer service, sixteen of the seventeen would be available for motor vehicle technicians and one for Capitol Police.

The committee visited the computer facility and Donna West, Manager of Project Genesis, pointed out the open working area. She explained that the benefit of placing employees in that open space maximized working resources. Cross training of employees on multiple programs through Project Genesis, allowed employees to maximize work time by helping in other needed areas. Reorganization would benefit DMV by taking certain areas and making them into their own division allowing staff to focus on excellence.

The next area toured was a temporary placement of personnel and motor carrier together with public safety and technology. Alan Rogers, Data Processing Manager, DMV & PS, gave a brief overview of the criminal justice computer center. He explained that it was built for department programmers and allowed law enforcement to receive all the information for registration and drivers license. He explained program analysts worked with criminal justice information systems as well as federal, state and regional programs. The National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and California Department of Justice worked as a primary Nevada connection that enabled access to wanted persons, warrants, and criminal history. He stated Project Genesis would help create more space and eliminate the space for record storage.

Mr. Rogers continued to explain the computer system was year 2000 compliant and then complimented the committee for funding made available for the backup system. The backup system operated 99 percent of the time and Las Vegas became the "hot site" for backup in the event of disasters.

The committee viewed the personnel working area which displayed the type and size of modular furniture to be used in the data processing area on the ground floor. Ms. Gentry, Facilities Manager, pointed out the workspace and the privacy each worker obtained from the use of cubicles.

The committee proceeded upstairs to a working area which consisted of data from the processing of documented material related to traffic school, convictions, license background information, and microfiche documentation. That area displayed extensive water damage from past storms and Ms. Gentry commented about the significance of the remodeling.

Assemblywoman Parnell asked how long employees had to work under these conditions. Ms. Gentry replied that this would be a temporary location until July and the area was scheduled for remodeling in August.

Stan Shafer, Fingerprint Technician, Nevada Highway Patrol Division, gave an extensive overview of the fingerprinting process. He showed, step-by-step, how the fingerprint procedure began and explained the intricate functions of the computer technology and how it obtained a correct match of the fingerprint to the person’s name. That system was shared with California and was part of the Western Identification Network. The network allowed the computer to scan other surrounding western states to correctly identify the fingerprint. The results were checked to see if the information was an exact match. If there was a discrepancy, the technician then scanned the fingerprint into the system which closely examined the images and compared them with the correct identification.

The committee then proceeded to the criminal history and point of sale area. Mr. Shafer gave a brief explanation about background checks and how they were necessary in order to purchase a firearm. A newly developed program for sex offender notification was also being processed in that area.

The committee briefly met with Chief Michael Hood. He complimented the committee from last session regarding the implementation of an inspection team. He commented the team had provided the Nevada Highway Patrol with the best assistance it has had over the past 15 years. The team helped with internal audits which had improved the efficiency of Biweekly Time Sheet (BTA) reports and increased activity reporting. He stated currently they were going through audit report forms that provided statewide consistency. He spoke about the fiscal office and how it pertained to the NHP budget and how they prepared for questions that are needed by the LCB or the Legislature. He pointed out a computer printer that specialized in the production of an organizational chart among other charts of the NHP. That organizational chart contained every name, every division, and all 28 substations statewide. He stated the chart becomes updated on a regular basis and continues to help keep track of the NHP organization statewide.

The committee continued on and visited the title production area. Ms. Gentry explained the process of entering the data and the response time. She informed the committee that this would be one of the groups to be relocated in the newly remodeled processing area. She expressed how the new area would improve work morale and would offer a more comfortable working environment for DMV employees.

Chairwoman Chowning asked if there was title duplication in Las Vegas or only in Carson City. Ms. Gentry answered affirmatively, that all titles were duplicated in Carson City with the exception of a title window in the Flamingo and Henderson offices.

Ms. West stated the number of title windows would be expanded and Project Genesis was designed to help alleviate the concerns with decentralization. Title information windows would be added at the Sahara and Carey locations in Las Vegas and possibly some in Reno to help with processing time.

The tour concluded with a brief introduction of John Drew, Director, Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety. He complimented the committee on last session’s success for DMV & PS and noted the many bills that would be introduced during the current legislative session.

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

Christine Cole,

Committee Secretary

APPROVED BY:

Assemblywoman Vonne Chowning, Chairwoman

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