MINUTES OF THE meeting

of the

ASSEMBLY Committee on Transportation

 

Seventy-First Session

April 19, 2001

 

 

The Committee on Transportationwas called to order at 2:04 p.m. on Thursday, April 19, 2001.  Chairwoman Vonne Chowning presided in Room 3143 of the Legislative Building, Carson City, Nevada.  Exhibit A is the Agenda.  Exhibit B is the Guest List.  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 Chairman

Ms. Barbara Cegavske

Mr. John Carpenter

Mr. Jerry Claborn

Mr. Tom Collins

Mr. John J. Lee

Ms. Kathy McClain

Mr. John Oceguera

Mrs. Debbie Smith

 

COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT:

 

Mr. Don Gustavson

Mr. Dennis Nolan, excused

 

STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:

 

Paul Mouritsen, Committee Policy Analyst

Geri Mosey, Committee Secretary

 

OTHERS PRESENT:

 

Dennis Colling, Chief Administrator, Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety

Deb Cook, Fiscal Manager, Administrative Services Division, Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety

Karen Daly, Project Manager, Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety

Jim Parsons, Administrator of Management Services and Programs Division, Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety

 

Senate Bill 190:  Requires state board of examiners to determine amount of money to be deposited in motor vehicle revolving account. (BDR 43-562)

 

Dennis Colling, Chief of Administration for the Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety (DMV&PS), introduced Deb Cook, Fiscal Manager of the Administrative Services Division (DMV&PS), who presented testimony on S.B. 190.  Ms. Cook stated the motor vehicle revolving account was created for the purpose of providing change to customers in main and branch offices statewide.  It was last increased in the 1995 Legislative Session and has since been at $40,000.  The population of Nevada has grown tremendously; total department revenues increased by 30 percent and Highway Fund revenues increased 33 percent.  The DMV&PS acquired 100 additional employees and opened four new offices. 

 

Instead of requesting an increase to the motor vehicle revolving account, Ms. Cook explained, S.B. 190 asked the amount be established by the board of examiners to allow the management more flexibility in response to changing needs.  Changes in the amount could be sought when needed rather than waiting for the biennial session. 

 

Chairwoman Chowning stated the committee became nervous when they heard “allow the department flexibility” and “to determine whatever amount when needed.”  She asked Ms. Cook to make her feel a little better.  Ms. Cook affirmed the department would not set the amount; they could only request a change from the board of examiners.  But, Chairwoman Chowning, wondered, would that not normally go to the Interim Finance Committee?  Why the board of examiners?  Ms. Cook responded the DMV&PS was attempting to be in line with other agencies whose petty cash and revolving accounts were monitored by the board of examiners.  In the 1995 Session, the DMV&PS requested an increase in the account to open the Henderson office, but none was granted and it was necessary to take funds from other offices.  She felt with S.B. 190, when a new office opened, the DMV&PS could seek enough money to establish change banks.

 

Chairwoman Chowning asked whether it came up in the Senate, what other agencies received revolving funds from the board of examiners?  She wanted to know what agencies or departments of the state these were so that some uniformity might be established.  Ms. Cook said that did not come up when the Senate heard the bill.  The DMV&PS obtained the information from testimony at the 1995 session.  She would provide that information, but said their petty cash was a larger amount than most would have.  Yet, the $40,000 was not enough and DMV&PS anticipated a need for $60,000. 

 

Chairwoman Chowning inquired where the $40,000 to $60,000 was placed in the budget.  It was not in the budget, Ms. Cook replied.  It was a one-time appropriation from the Highway Fund, maintained at the department level.   Essentially, a one-time $20,000 appropriation would be from the Highway Fund. 

 

Dennis Colling clarified that the money was used to provide banks at the counter for each technicians to use.  The additional money was requested to compensate for growth.  With more registration windows opened and more technicians employed, more banks were needed.

 

Assemblyman Collins stated this was just a matter of having enough cash to make change.  “Instead of running to the bank with a bunch of twenties and buy change all the time, just give you a little bigger pot to play with to begin with.”  Ms. Cook affirmed this was correct. 

 

Assemblywoman McClain asked whether at some point the money went back to the bank.  Mr. Colling replied the money would go back only if DMV&PS ceased operations.  Ms. Chowning then surmised that if the department did not close, the money was constantly taken from the Highway Fund.  No, Mr. Colling replied.  It was maintained at the change bank to begin the day’s operations.  But when they went from $40,000 to $60,000, Chairwoman Chowning surmised, perhaps in a month they would want to increase to $80,000 or $100,000.  That was an additional $60,000 withdrawn from the highway fund.  For the record, Mr. Colling stated, “We will not need more than $60,000 for certainly the next two sessions unless there is a large increase in personnel.”

 

Assemblyman Claborn asked how long they kept the money.  Mr. Colling explained the revolving account; the technicians started with perhaps a bank of $30 in the morning.  At the end of the day, they turned in the bank and all the money except the $30 was deposited into the Motor Vehicle Fund for transfer to the various accounts.  The $30 began the next day’s operations.

 

Chairwoman Chowning closed the hearing on S.B. 190. 

Senate Bill 260:  Revises provisions relating to drivers’ licenses and identification cards. (BDR 43-1170)

 

Karen Daly, Project Manager for the Digitized Driver’s License Project, Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety, stated the purpose of S.B. 260 was to address issues that had arisen since the beginning of the DMV&PS’ digitized driver’s license project in November 2000.  The revision of statutory language regarding the design of the driver’s license and identification cards would address the following (Exhibit C): 

 

• First, the specificity of the existing statutes that a licensee over 21 years of age have a front-view color photo and a licensee under 21 years of age must have a profile-view color photo.  When a database of images has been established, the DMV&PS might need to obtain face-finding software.  This software would be unable to locate the images within the profile views database.  Licensees under the age of 21 would have “vertical formatted” licenses rather than the profile-view image set forth in statute.   

 

• Second, the existing statute was specific regarding the color backgrounds required on drivers’ licenses for diabetic and epileptic persons.  The camera used by the project’s vendor caused the background colors, almond and tangerine, to fade out the image in the database.  DMV&PS requested this statute be changed.  S.B. 260 would permit the issuance of a diabetic or epileptic driver’s license with a specially designed border around the image.  Ms. Daly provided samples (Exhibit D) for the committee.

 

At this point, Chairwoman Chowning left the meeting to attend the Senate Transportation Committee meeting.  Vice Chairwoman Ohrenschall chaired the remainder of the meeting. 

 

Assemblyman Lee asked whether the identification of diabetics and epileptics was for the purpose of assisting a police officer to understand what might have happened in the event of an accident.  Ms. Daly affirmed he was correct.  Assemblyman Claborn inquired if the color-coding was in effect for the diabetics and epileptics.  Ms. Daly reiterated there were almond and tangerine backgrounds on those licenses.  A driver’s license applicant had the option of providing the information to have the background color on the license.  Mr. Claborn believed this was a good idea.  A police officer might observe unusual vehicle swerves and realize upon reviewing the license the person needed medical assistance. 

 

Vice Chairwoman Ohrenschall told Ms. Daly that the Assembly had just passed a bill (A.B. 500) urging the police to refrain from any type of profiling, be it racial, gender, people with disabilities, and so forth.  Would a license that specified a person’s disability not be a “subliminal invitation” for an arresting officer to assume this person was the one at fault? 

 

Jim Parsons, Administrator of Management Services and Programs Division, DMV&PS, responded to Ms. Ohrenschall’s question stating it was strictly upon an applicant’s request that the license was coded.  It was not required information. 

 

Assemblyman Carpenter asked if this license would be easier to duplicate.  Ms. Daly believed it would have an impact on fraud, but most states have discovered that whatever they produced could be replicated. There was nothing foolproof. 

 

Assemblyman Lee noticed on Exhibit D the social security number was shown.  He thought that had been eliminated.  Ms. Daly said the social security number would not show on the driver’s license unless the applicant requested it. 

 

Assemblywoman McClain proposed two “friendly” amendments.  She requested to change the language in Chapter 389 from “freshmen, sophomores and juniors that are taking Driver’s Ed” back to the age limit of 15 years old.  She also wished to amend into S.B. 260 the six-month learner’s permit.  Vice Chairwoman Ohrenschall said this bill did not deal with that chapter.  Paul Mouritsen, Committee Policy Analyst, was not certain, so Vice Chairwoman Ohrenschall could not accept a motion until that matter was researched.  Ms. McClain did not wish to interfere with the Senate’s bill, she stated, but there were some items in A.B. 8 which she liked.  To the committee, she asked if this was a good vehicle to put it in, and did they wish to do that? 

 

Assemblyman Lee queried the DMV&PS staff why the age cut off of 21 years rather than age 18.  Jim Parsons revealed it was for ease of identification in casinos and alcohol establishments. 

 

Assemblyman Claborn stated his question might not pertain to S.B. 260 but he showed a medical card he had had for 20 years, which contained his complete medical history on a microchip.  He wished to know if the DMV&PS might go this far with the driver’s license/identification cards.  Ms. Daly replied that was a few years away. 

 

Vice Chairwoman Ohrenschall closed the hearing on S.B. 260 and adjourned the meeting at 2:35 p.m.

 

RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:

 

 

 

Linda Lee Nary

Committee Secretary

 

 

 

APPROVED BY:

 

 

 

                       

Assemblywoman Vonne Chowning, Chairwoman

 

 

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