MINUTES OF THE
SENATE Committee on Transportation
Seventy-First Session
February 27, 2001
The Senate Committee on Transportationwas called to order by Chairman William R. O'Donnell, at 1:35 p.m., on Tuesday, February 27, 2001, in Room 2149 of the Legislative Building, 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:
Senator William R. O'Donnell, Chairman
Senator Mark Amodei, Vice Chairman
Senator Raymond C. Shaffer
Senator Terry Care
Senator Maggie Carlton
COMMITTEE MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Lawrence E. Jacobsen (Excused)
Senator Maurice Washington (Excused)
STAFF MEMBERS PRESENT:
Donald O. Williams, Committee Policy Analyst
Joan Moseid, Committee Secretary
OTHERS PRESENT:
Michael E. Hood, Chief, Nevada Highway Patrol Division, Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety
Dennis R. Colling, Chief, Administrative Services Division, Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety
Deborah Cook, Administrative Services Officer, Fiscal Accounting Bureau, Administration Services Division, Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety
Chairman O'Donnell opened the hearing on Senate Bill (S.B.) 130.
SENATE BILL 130: Revises provisions governing suspension of driver’s license under certain circumstances. (BDR 43-405)
Michael E. Hood, Chief, Nevada Highway Patrol Division, Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety (dmv/ps), spoke on behalf of S.B. 130. Mr. Hood asked the committee members if S.B. 130 could be held and submitted at a later date because the intent had changed and he would like to take another look at the provisions.
Chairman O'Donnell concurred and closed the hearing on S.B. 130.
Chairman O'Donnell opened the hearing on S.B. 190.
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 R. Colling, Chief, Administrative Services Division, Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety, and Deborah Cook, Administrative Services Officer, Fiscal Accounting Bureau, Administrative Services Divisions, Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety, came forth to testify in support of S.B. 190. Ms. Cook stated that she was here today to answer any questions on S.B. 190 concerning the “Motor Vehicle Revolving Account.”
Ms. Cook testified that the Motor Vehicle Revolving Account was created for the purpose of providing change to customers, the main branch, and other branch offices statewide. She expounded that this account had received its last increase of $40,000 in the 1995 Legislative Session. And since that time the population of the state of Nevada has increased tremendously. Ms. Cook stated that the total department revenues had increased by 37 percent and highway fund revenues had increased by 33 percent. The department has increased staff relating to customers service by over 100 positions and opened four new offices.
Ms. Cook commented, “Instead of requesting an increase to the Motor Vehicle Revolving Account, we are requesting that the amount of this account be established by the State Board of Examiners, and the Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety, to allow management greater flexibility in response to changing needs. This would allow the department the opportunity to propose changes in the amount when it is needed, rather than waiting to revise the statutes every 2 years.”
Ms. Cook stated that she and Mr. Colling would be happy to answer any questions that the committee might have.
Senator Care asked, “What would be the criteria used to determine what the amount should be, and if the amount is more or less? Would it be a practical matter?” He reconfirmed that 6 years ago, the amount for the Motor Vehicle Revolving Account was $40,000, and wanted to know what the amount would be now.
Mr. Colling responded that it would be DMV/PS’s desired result to increase the amount to approximately $60,000. He said that since 1995, in addition to the over 100 additional personnel on the counters working with the public, DMV/PS had added four offices in the Las Vegas areas: Henderson, Laughlin, Pahrump and Mesquite. Mr. Colling stated that these additions have cut down the amount of money that DMV/PS had in the bank that the technicians at the counters used. He mentioned that the technicians have to stop their actual processing of the customer(s), so that they may leave the counters to get the correct change. Mr. Colling explained that over an hour’s time period between 4 and 5 p.m. in the Reno office, for example, he had observed seven technicians leaving their counters to go and get correct change. Mr. Colling pointed out that this process slows down the processing of the customers who are in the lines.
Mr. Colling stated that the DMV/PS is asking for a 50 percent increase in the maximum amount of money in the account. He stressed that the new office in Pahrump took a big cut, and the base amount in most of the DMV/PS offices is $30, some may have $35, and in others there could be anywhere from $2 to $5 in change, which he said is insufficient.
Chairman O’Donnell responded that Mr. Colling’s testimony seemed to be straightforward and asked for other questions.
Chairman O'Donnell closed the hearing on S. B. 190 and requested a motion to introduce Bill Draft Request (BDR) 43-1170.
BILL DRAFT REQUEST 43-1170: Revises provisions governing design of drivers’ licenses and identification cards. (Later introduced as Senate Bill 260.)
SENATOR AMODEI MOVED TO INTRODUCE BDR 43-1170.
SENATOR CARLTON SECONDED THE MOTION.
THE MOTION CARRIED. (SENATORS JACOBSEN AND WASHINGTON WERE ABSENT FOR THE VOTE.)
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There being no further business, the hearing was adjourned at 1:43 p.m.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED:
Joan Moseid,
Committee Secretary
APPROVED BY:
Senator William R. O'Donnell, Chairman
DATE: