Assembly Bill No. 503–Assemblyman Hettrick
March 12, 1999
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Joint Sponsor: Senator Jacobsen
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Referred to Committee on Transportation
SUMMARY—Expands information director of department of motor vehicles and public safety may release to licensed private investigator. (BDR 43-1176)
FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: No.
Effect on the State or on Industrial Insurance: No.
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EXPLANATION – Matter in
bolded italics is new; matter between brackets
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
1-1
Section 1. NRS 481.063 is hereby amended to read as follows: 481.063 1. The director may charge and collect reasonable fees for1-3
official publications of the department and from persons making use of1-4
files and records of the department or its various divisions for a private1-5
purpose. All money so collected must be deposited in the state treasury for1-6
credit to the motor vehicle fund.1-7
2. The director may release personal information from a file or record1-8
relating to the driver’s license, identification card or title or registration of1-9
a vehicle of a person if the requester submits a written release from the1-10
person who holds a lien on the vehicle, or an agent of that person, or the1-11
person about whom the information is requested which is dated not more1-12
than 90 days before the date of the request. The written release must be in1-13
a form required by the director.2-1
3. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, the director shall not2-2
release to any person who is not a representative of the welfare division of2-3
the department of human resources or an officer, employee or agent of a2-4
law enforcement agency or an agency of a local government which collects2-5
fines imposed for parking violations, who is not conducting an2-6
investigation pursuant to NRS 253.0415, 253.044 or 253.220,2-7
not authorized to transact insurance pursuant to chapter 680A of NRS2-8
or who is not licensed as a private investigator pursuant to chapter 648 of2-9
NRS:2-10
(a) A list which includes license plate numbers combined with any other2-11
information in the records or files of the department;2-12
(b) The social security number of any person, if it is requested to2-13
facilitate the solicitation of that person to purchase a product or service; or2-14
(c) The name, address, telephone number or any other personally2-15
identifiable information if the information is requested by the presentation2-16
of a license plate number.2-17
When such personally identifiable information is requested of a law2-18
enforcement agency by the presentation of a license plate number, the law2-19
enforcement agency shall conduct an investigation regarding the person2-20
about whom information is being requested or, as soon as practicable,2-21
provide the requester with the requested information if the requester2-22
officially reports that the motor vehicle bearing that license plate was used2-23
in a violation of NRS 205.240, 205.345, 205.380 or 205.445.2-24
4. Except as otherwise provided in subsections 2 and 5, the director2-25
shall not release any personal information from a file or record relating to a2-26
driver’s license, identification card or title or registration of a vehicle.2-27
5. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 6, if a person or2-28
governmental entity appears in person or by its representative, provides a2-29
description of the information requested and its proposed use and signs an2-30
affidavit to that effect, the director may release any personal information2-31
from a file or record relating to a driver’s license, identification card or2-32
title or registration of a vehicle for use:2-33
(a) By any governmental entity, including, but not limited to, any court2-34
or law enforcement agency, in carrying out its functions, or any person2-35
acting on behalf of a federal, state or local governmental agency in2-36
carrying out its functions. In addition, the director may, by regulation,2-37
establish a procedure whereby a governmental entity may retrieve such2-38
information electronically or by written request in lieu of appearing2-39
personally and complying with the other requirements of this subsection.2-40
(b) In connection with any civil, criminal, administrative or arbitration2-41
proceeding before any federal or state court, regulatory body, board,2-42
commission or agency, including, but not limited to, use for service of3-1
process, investigation in anticipation of litigation and execution or3-2
enforcement of judgments and orders, or pursuant to an order of a federal3-3
or state court.3-4
(c) In connection with matters relating to:3-5
(1) The safety of drivers of motor vehicles;3-6
(2) Safety and thefts of motor vehicles;3-7
(3) Emissions from motor vehicles;3-8
(4) Alterations of products related to motor vehicles;3-9
(5) An advisory notice relating to a motor vehicle or the recall of a3-10
motor vehicle;3-11
(6) Monitoring the performance of motor vehicles;3-12
(7) Parts or accessories of motor vehicles;3-13
(8) Dealers of motor vehicles; or3-14
(9) Removal of nonowner records from the original records of motor3-15
vehicle manufacturers.3-16
(d) By any insurer, self-insurer or organization that provides assistance3-17
or support to an insurer or self-insurer or its agents, employees or3-18
contractors, in connection with activities relating to the rating,3-19
underwriting or investigation of claims or the prevention of fraud.3-20
(e) In providing notice to the owners of vehicles that have been towed,3-21
repossessed or impounded.3-22
(f) By an employer or its agent or insurer to obtain or verify3-23
information relating to a holder of a commercial driver’s license who is3-24
employed by or has applied for employment with the employer.3-25
(g) By a private investigator, private patrolman or security consultant3-26
who is licensed pursuant to chapter 648 of NRS, for any use permitted3-27
pursuant to this section.3-28
(h) By a reporter or editorial employee who is employed by or affiliated3-29
with any newspaper, press association or commercially operated federally3-30
licensed radio or television station for a journalistic purpose. The3-31
department may not make any inquiries regarding the use of or reason for3-32
the information requested other than whether the information will be used3-33
for a journalistic purpose.3-34
(i) In connection with an investigation conducted pursuant to NRS3-35
253.0415, 253.044 or 253.220.3-36
(j) In activities relating to research and the production of statistical3-37
reports, if the personal information will not be published or otherwise3-38
redisclosed, or used to contact any person.3-39
(k) In the bulk distribution of surveys, marketing material or3-40
solicitations, if the director has adopted policies and procedures to ensure3-41
that:4-1
(1) The information will be used or sold only for use in the bulk4-2
distribution of surveys, marketing material or solicitations;4-3
(2) Each person about whom the information is requested has clearly4-4
been provided with an opportunity to prohibit such a use; and4-5
(3) If the person about whom the information is requested prohibits4-6
in a timely manner such a use, the bulk distribution will not be directed4-7
toward that person.4-8
6. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (j) of subsection 5, a4-9
person who requests and receives personal information may sell or disclose4-10
that information only for a use permitted pursuant to subsection 5. Such a4-11
person shall keep and maintain for 5 years a record of:4-12
(a) Each person to whom the information is provided; and4-13
(b) The purpose for which that person will use the information.4-14
The record must be made available for examination by the department at4-15
all reasonable times upon request.4-16
7. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, the director may deny4-17
any use of the files and records if he reasonably believes that the4-18
information taken may be used for an unwarranted invasion of a particular4-19
person’s privacy.4-20
8. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 485.316, the director shall not4-21
allow any person to make use of information retrieved from the data base4-22
created pursuant to NRS 485.313 for a private purpose and shall not in any4-23
other way release any information retrieved from that data base.4-24
9. The director shall adopt such regulations as he deems necessary to4-25
carry out the purposes of this section. In addition, the director shall, by4-26
regulation, establish a procedure whereby a person who is requesting4-27
personal information and has personally appeared before an employee of4-28
the department at least once may establish an account with the department4-29
to facilitate his ability to request information electronically or by written4-30
request if he has submitted to the department proof of his employment or4-31
licensure, as applicable, and a signed and notarized affidavit4-32
acknowledging:4-33
(a) That he has read and fully understands the current laws and4-34
regulations regarding the manner in which information from the4-35
department’s files and records may be obtained and the limited uses which4-36
are permitted;4-37
(b) That he understands that any sale or disclosure of information so4-38
obtained must be in accordance with the provisions of this section;4-39
(c) That he understands that a record will be maintained by the4-40
department of any information he requests; and4-41
(d) That he understands that a violation of the provisions of this section4-42
is a criminal offense.5-1
10. It is unlawful for any person to:5-2
(a) Make a false representation to obtain any information from the files5-3
or records of the department.5-4
(b) Knowingly obtain or disclose any information from the files or5-5
records of the department for any use not permitted by the provisions of5-6
this chapter.5-7
11. As used in this section, "personal information" means information5-8
that reveals the identity of a person, including , without limitation, his5-9
photograph, social security number, driver’s license number, identification5-10
card number, name, address, telephone number or information regarding a5-11
medical condition or disability. The term does not include the zip code of a5-12
person when separate from his full address, information regarding5-13
vehicular accidents or driving violations in which he has been involved or5-14
other information otherwise affecting his status as a driver.~