REQUIRES TWO-THIRDS MAJORITY VOTE (§ 10)        exempt

                                                   (REPRINTED WITH ADOPTED AMENDMENTS)

                                                                                 FOURTH REPRINT    A.B. 460

 

Assembly Bill No. 460–Assemblyman Parks

 

March 19, 2001

____________

 

Referred to Committee on Transportation

 

SUMMARY—Creates legislative committee on transportation and revises provisions governing fees collected by short-term lessors of passenger cars. (BDR 17‑589)

 

FISCAL NOTE:            Effect on Local Government: No.

                                    Effect on the State: Yes.

 

~

 

EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted.

Green numbers along left margin indicate location on the printed bill (e.g., 5-15 indicates page 5, line 15).

 

AN ACT relating to transportation; creating the legislative committee on transportation; prescribing the membership, powers and duties of the committee; revising certain provisions concerning the board of directors of the department of transportation; revising provisions governing the remittance of fees by short-term lessors of passenger cars to the department of taxation; authorizing short-term lessors of passenger cars to charge a fee as reimbursement for payment of vehicle licensing fees and taxes; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

1-1    Section 1.  Chapter 218 of NRS is hereby amended by adding thereto

1-2  the provisions set forth as sections 2 to 7, inclusive, of this act.

1-3    Sec. 2. As used in sections 2 to 7, inclusive, of this act, unless the

1-4  context otherwise requires, “committee” means the legislative committee

1-5  on transportation.

1-6    Sec. 3.  1.  There is hereby created a legislative committee on

1-7  transportation. The committee consists of:

1-8    (a) Four members appointed by the majority leader of the senate, at

1-9  least two of whom must have served on the senate standing committee

1-10  which had jurisdiction of issues relating to transportation during the

1-11  immediately preceding session of the legislature.

1-12    (b) Four members appointed by the speaker of the assembly, at least

1-13  two of whom must have served on the assembly standing committee

1-14  which had jurisdiction of issues relating to transportation during the

1-15  immediately preceding session of the legislature.

1-16    2.  The members of the committee shall elect a chairman and vice

1-17  chairman from among their members. The chairman must be elected

1-18  from one house of the legislature and the vice chairman from the other


2-1  house. After the initial election of a chairman and vice chairman, each

2-2  of those officers holds office for a term of 2 years commencing on July 1

2-3  of each odd-numbered year. If a vacancy occurs in the chairmanship or

2-4  vice chairmanship, the members of the committee shall elect a

2-5  replacement for the remainder of the unexpired term.

2-6    3.  Any member of the committee who is not a candidate for

2-7  reelection or who is defeated for reelection continues to serve until the

2-8  convening of the next session of the legislature.

2-9    4.  Vacancies on the committee must be filled in the same manner as

2-10  the original appointments.

2-11    Sec. 4.  1.  The members of the committee shall meet at least

2-12  quarterly and at the times and places specified by a call of the chairman.

2-13  The director of the legislative counsel bureau or a person he has

2-14  designated shall act as the nonvoting recording secretary. Five members

2-15  of the committee constitute a quorum, and a quorum may exercise all the

2-16  power and authority conferred on the committee.

2-17    2.  Except during a regular or special session of the legislature, the

2-18  members of the committee are entitled to receive the compensation

2-19  provided for a majority of the members of the legislature during the first

2-20  60 days of the preceding session, the per diem allowance provided for

2-21  state officers and employees generally and the travel expenses provided

2-22  pursuant to NRS 218.2207 for each day or portion of a day of attendance

2-23  at a meeting of the committee and while engaged in the business of the

2-24  committee. The salaries and expenses of the members of the committee

2-25  and any other expenses incurred by the committee in carrying out its

2-26  duties must be paid from the state general fund from the money received

2-27  from short-term lessors pursuant to NRS 482.313, except that the

2-28  maximum amount that may be paid each fiscal year pursuant to this

2-29  subsection must not exceed $25,000. All claims pursuant to this

2-30  subsection must be paid as other claims against the state are paid.

2-31    Sec. 5.  The committee may:

2-32    1.  Evaluate, review and comment upon issues related to

2-33  transportation within this state.

2-34    2.  Monitor the money deposited in, and any expenditures made from:

2-35    (a) The state highway fund; and

2-36    (b) The state general fund or any other fund, to the extent that the

2-37  money deposited in the funds or expenditures made from the funds, or

2-38  both, are related to transportation.

2-39    3.  Consult with and make recommendations to the board of directors

2-40  of the department of transportation on matters concerning transportation

2-41  within this state.

2-42    4.  Conduct investigations and hold hearings in connection with

2-43  carrying out its duties pursuant to this section.

2-44    5.  Direct the legislative counsel bureau to assist in its research,

2-45  investigations, hearings and reviews.

2-46    6.  Recommend to the legislature as a result of the activities of the

2-47  committee any appropriate state legislation or corrective federal

2-48  legislation.


3-1    Sec. 6.  Each witness who appears before the committee by its order,

3-2  except a state officer or employee, is entitled to receive for his attendance

3-3  the fees and mileage provided for witnesses in civil cases in the courts of

3-4  record of this state. The fees and mileage must be audited and paid upon

3-5  the presentation of proper claims sworn to by the witness and approved

3-6  by the chairman of the committee.

3-7    Sec. 7.  1.  If the committee conducts investigations or holds

3-8  hearings pursuant to subsection 4 of section 5 of this act:

3-9    (a) The secretary of the committee or, in his absence, a member

3-10  designated by the committee may administer oaths.

3-11    (b) The secretary or chairman of the committee may cause the

3-12  deposition of witnesses, residing either within or outside this state, to be

3-13  taken in the manner prescribed by rule of court for taking depositions in

3-14  civil actions in the district courts.

3-15    (c) The chairman of the committee, upon recommendation of a

3-16  majority of the members of the committee, may issue subpoenas to

3-17  compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of books and

3-18  papers.

3-19    2.  If a witness refuses to attend or testify or produce books or papers

3-20  as required by the subpoena, the chairman of the committee may report

3-21  to the district court by a petition which sets forth that:

3-22    (a) Due notice has been given of the time and place of attendance of

3-23  the witness or the production of the books or papers;

3-24    (b) The witness has been subpoenaed by the committee pursuant to

3-25  this section; and

3-26    (c) The witness has failed or refused to attend or produce the books or

3-27  papers required by the subpoena before the committee, or has refused to

3-28  answer questions propounded to him.

3-29  The petition may request an order of the court compelling the witness to

3-30  attend and testify or produce the books and papers before the committee.

3-31    3.  Upon such a petition, the court shall enter an order directing the

3-32  witness to appear before the court at a time and place to be fixed by the

3-33  court in its order, the time to be not more than 10 days after the date of

3-34  the order, and to show cause why he has not attended or testified or

3-35  produced the books or papers before the committee. A certified copy of

3-36  the order must be served upon the witness.

3-37    4.  If it appears to the court that the subpoena was regularly issued by

3-38  the chairman of the committee, upon recommendation of a majority of

3-39  the members of the committee, the court shall enter an order that the

3-40  witness appear before the committee at the time and place fixed in the

3-41  order and testify or produce the required books or papers. Failure to obey

3-42  the order constitutes contempt of court.

3-43    Sec. 8. NRS 408.100 is hereby amended to read as follows:

3-44    408.100  Recognizing that safe and efficient highway transportation is

3-45  a matter of important interest to all the people of the state, and that an

3-46  adequate highway system is a vital part of the national defense, the

3-47  legislature hereby determines and declares that:

3-48    1.  An integrated system of state highways and roads is essential to the

3-49  general welfare of the state.


4-1    2.  Providing such a system of facilities, its efficient management,

4-2  maintenance and control is recognized as a problem and as the proper

4-3  prospective of highway legislation.

4-4    3.  Inadequate highways and roads obstruct the free flow of traffic,

4-5  resulting in undue cost of motor vehicle operation, endangering the health

4-6  and safety of the citizens of the state, depreciating property values, and

4-7  impeding general economic and social progress of the state.

4-8    4.  In designating the highways and roads of the state as provided in

4-9  this chapter, the legislature places a high degree of trust in the hands of

4-10  those officials whose duty it is, within the limits of available funds, to plan,

4-11  develop, operate, maintain, control and protect the highways and roads of

4-12  this state, for present as well as for future use.

4-13    5.  To this end, it is the express intent of the legislature to make the

4-14  board [of directors of the department of transportation] , in consultation

4-15  with the legislative committee on transportation created pursuant to

4-16  section 3 of this act, custodian of the state highways and roads and to

4-17  provide sufficiently broad authority to enable the board to function

4-18  adequately and efficiently in all areas of appropriate jurisdiction, subject to

4-19  the limitations of the constitution and the legislative mandate proposed in

4-20  this chapter.

4-21    6.  The legislature intends:

4-22    (a) To declare, in general terms, the powers and duties of the board , [of

4-23  directors,] leaving specific details to be determined by reasonable

4-24  regulations and declarations of policy which the board may promulgate.

4-25    (b) By general grant of authority to the board [of directors] to delegate

4-26  sufficient power and authority to enable the board to carry out , in

4-27  consultation with the legislative committee on transportation created

4-28  pursuant to section 3 of this act, the broad objectives contained in this

4-29  chapter.

4-30    7.  The problem of establishing and maintaining adequate highways

4-31  and roads, eliminating congestion, reducing accident frequency and taking

4-32  all necessary steps to ensure safe and convenient transportation on these

4-33  public ways is no less urgent.

4-34    8.  The legislature hereby finds, determines and declares that this

4-35  chapter is necessary for the preservation of the public safety, the promotion

4-36  of the general welfare, the improvement and development of facilities for

4-37  transportation in the state, and other related purposes necessarily included

4-38  therein, and as a contribution to the system of national defense.

4-39    9.  The words “construction,” “maintenance” and “administration” used

4-40  in section 5 of Article 9 of the constitution of the State of Nevada are broad

4-41  enough to be construed to include and as contemplating the construction,

4-42  maintenance and administration of the state highways and roads as

4-43  established by this chapter and the landscaping, roadside improvements

4-44  and planning surveys of the state highways and roads.

4-45    Sec. 9. NRS 408.203 is hereby amended to read as follows:

4-46    408.203  The director shall:

4-47    1.  Compile a comprehensive report outlining the requirements for the

4-48  construction and maintenance of highways for the next 10 years, including

4-49  anticipated revenues and expenditures of the department, and submit it to


5-1  the legislative committee on transportation created pursuant to section 3

5-2  of this act and to the director of the legislative counsel bureau for

5-3  transmittal to the chairmen of the senate and assembly standing committees

5-4  on transportation.

5-5    2.  Compile a comprehensive report of the requirements for the

5-6  construction and maintenance of highways for the next 3 years, including

5-7  anticipated revenues and expenditures of the department, no later than

5-8  October 1 of each even-numbered year, and submit it to the legislative

5-9  committee on transportation created pursuant to section 3 of this act and

5-10  to the director of the legislative counsel bureau for transmittal to the

5-11  chairmen of the senate and assembly standing committees on

5-12  transportation.

5-13    3.  Report to the legislature by February 1 of odd-numbered years the

5-14  progress being made in the department’s 12-year plan for the resurfacing of

5-15  state highways. The report must include an accounting of revenues and

5-16  expenditures in the preceding 2 fiscal years, a list of the projects which

5-17  have been completed, including mileage and cost, and an estimate of the

5-18  adequacy of projected revenues for timely completion of the plan.

5-19    Sec. 10.  NRS 482.313 is hereby amended to read as follows:

5-20    482.313  1.  Upon the lease of a passenger car by a short-term lessor

5-21  in this state, the short-term lessor [shall] :

5-22    (a) Shall charge and collect from the short-term lessee a fee of 6

5-23  percent of the total amount for which the passenger car was leased,

5-24  excluding any taxes or other fees imposed by a governmental entity.

5-25    (b) May charge and collect from the short-term lessee a fee of 3.5

5-26  percent of the total amount for which the passenger car was leased,

5-27  excluding any taxes or other fees imposed by a governmental entity, as

5-28  reimbursement for vehicle licensing fees and taxes paid by the short-term

5-29  lessor.

5-30  The amount of [the] any feecharged pursuant to this subsection must be

5-31  indicated in the lease agreement.

5-32    2.  The fees due from a short-term lessor to the department of

5-33  taxation pursuant to this subsection are due on the last day of each

5-34  calendar quarter. On or before [January 31 of each year,] the last day of

5-35  the month following each calendar quarter, the short-term lessor shall:

5-36    (a) File with the department of taxation and the department of motor

5-37  vehicles and public safety, on a form prescribed by the department of

5-38  taxation, a report indicating the total amount of:

5-39      (1) Fees collected by the short-term lessor during the immediately

5-40  preceding [year] calendar quarter pursuant to this section; and

5-41      (2) Vehicle licensing fees and taxes paid by the short-term lessor

5-42  during the immediately preceding [year] calendar quarter pursuant to this

5-43  chapter.

5-44    (b) Remit to the department of taxation [:

5-45      (1) One third of] the fees collected by the short-term lessor pursuant

5-46  to paragraph (a) of subsection 1 during the immediately preceding [year

5-47  pursuant to this section; and

5-48      (2) Of the remainder of those fees, any amount in excess of the total

5-49  amount of vehicle licensing fees and taxes paid by the short-term lessor


6-1  during the immediately preceding year pursuant to this chapter.]calendar

6-2  quarter.

6-3    3.  The department of taxation shall deposit all money received from

6-4  short-term lessors pursuant to the provisions of this section with the state

6-5  treasurer for credit to the state general fund.

6-6    4.  To ensure compliance with this section, the department of taxation

6-7  may audit the records of a short-term lessor.

6-8    5.  The provisions of this section do not limit or affect the payment of

6-9  any taxes or fees imposed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

6-10    6.  The department of motor vehicles and public safety shall, upon

6-11  request, provide to the department of taxation any information in its

6-12  records relating to a short-term lessor that the department of taxation

6-13  considers necessary to collect the fee required by this section.

6-14    7.  As used in this section, “vehicle licensing fees and taxes” means:

6-15    (a) The fees paid by a short-term lessor for the registration of, and the

6-16  issuance of certificates of title for, the passenger cars leased by him; and

6-17    (b) The basic and supplemental governmental services taxes paid by the

6-18  short-term lessor with regard to those passenger cars.

6-19    Sec. 11. Notwithstanding the amendatory provisions of section 10 of

6-20  this act to the contrary, the reports required and fees due from a short-term

6-21  lessor for the calendar year 2001 are governed by the provisions of NRS

6-22  482.313, as that section existed on December 31, 2001.

6-23    Sec. 12.  The legislative committee on transportation created pursuant

6-24  to section 3 of this act shall:

6-25    1.  Monitor and evaluate the effects of the amendatory provisions of

6-26  section 10 of this act; and

6-27    2.  On or before January 31 of each odd-numbered year, submit a report

6-28  of its evaluation to the director of the legislative counsel bureau for

6-29  transmittal to the next regular session of the legislature.

6-30    Sec. 13. 1.  This section and sections 1 to 9, inclusive, of this act

6-31  become effective on July 1, 2001.

6-32    2.  Sections 10, 11 and 12 of this act become effective on January 1,

6-33  2002.

 

6-34  H