Senate Bill No. 476–Committee on Transportation

 

(On Behalf of the Taxicab Authority)

 

March 24, 2003

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Referred to Committee on Transportation

 

SUMMARY—Makes various changes relating to regulation of taxicabs. (BDR 58‑538)

 

FISCAL NOTE:  Effect on Local Government: No.

                           Effect on the State: No.

 

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

 

AN ACT relating to taxicabs; revising the provisions governing service as a member of the Taxicab Authority; increasing the amount of petty cash available for the support of undercover investigations conducted by the Taxicab Authority; revising the requirement for a physician’s certificate for employment as a driver of a taxicab; 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. NRS 706.8818 is hereby amended to read as

1-2  follows:

1-3  706.8818  1.  [A] The Taxicab Authority, consisting of five

1-4  members appointed by the Governor, is hereby created. [No] Except

1-5  as otherwise provided in NRS 232A.020, the term of each member

1-6  is 3 years and no member may serve for more than 6 years. No

1-7  more than three members may be members of the same political

1-8  party, and no elected officer of the State or any political subdivision

1-9  is eligible for appointment.

1-10      2.  Each member of the Taxicab Authority is entitled to receive

1-11  a salary of not more than $80, as fixed by the Authority, for each

1-12  day actually employed on work of the Authority.

2-1  3.  While engaged in the business of the Taxicab Authority,

2-2  each member and employee of the Authority is entitled to receive

2-3  the per diem allowance and travel expenses provided for state

2-4  officers and employees generally.

2-5  4.  The Taxicab Authority shall maintain its principal office in

2-6  the county or area of the State where it performs most of its

2-7  regulatory activity.

2-8  5.  The Taxicab Authority may adopt appropriate regulations

2-9  for the administration and enforcement of NRS 706.881 to 706.885,

2-10  inclusive, and , as it may deem necessary, for the conduct of the

2-11  taxicab business and for the qualifications of and the issuance of

2-12  permits to taxicab drivers, not inconsistent with the provisions of

2-13  NRS 706.881 to 706.885, inclusive. The regulations may include

2-14  different provisions to allow for differences among the counties to

2-15  which NRS 706.881 to 706.885, inclusive, apply. Local law

2-16  enforcement agencies and the Nevada Highway Patrol, upon request

2-17  of the Authority, may assist in enforcing the provisions of NRS

2-18  706.881 to 706.885, inclusive, and regulations adopted pursuant

2-19  thereto.

2-20      6.  Except to the extent of any inconsistency with the provisions

2-21  of NRS 706.881 to 706.885, inclusive, every regulation and order

2-22  issued by the Transportation Services Authority remains effective in

2-23  a county to which those sections apply until modified or rescinded

2-24  by the Taxicab Authority, and must be enforced by the Taxicab

2-25  Authority.

2-26      Sec. 2.  NRS 706.8825 is hereby amended to read as follows:

2-27      706.8825  1.  All fees collected pursuant to NRS 706.881 to

2-28  706.885, inclusive, must be deposited by the Administrator to the

2-29  credit of the Taxicab Authority Fund, which is hereby created as a

2-30  special revenue fund. The transactions for each county subject to

2-31  those sections must be accounted for separately within the Fund.

2-32      2.  The interest and income earned on the money in the Fund,

2-33  after deducting any applicable charges, must be credited to the

2-34  Fund.

2-35      3.  The revenues received pursuant to subsection 1 of NRS

2-36  706.8826 are hereby appropriated to defray the cost of regulating

2-37  taxicabs in the county or the city, respectively, making the deposit

2-38  under that subsection.

2-39      4.  The fees received pursuant to subsection 3 of NRS

2-40  706.8826, NRS 706.8827, 706.8841 , 706.8848, 706.8849 and

2-41  [706.8848 to 706.885, inclusive,] 706.885 are hereby appropriated

2-42  to defray the cost of regulating taxicabs in the county in which the

2-43  certificate holder operates a taxicab business.

2-44      5.  Any balance remaining in the Fund does not revert to the

2-45  State General Fund. The Administrator may transfer to the Aging

3-1  Services Division of the Department of Human Resources any

3-2  balance over $200,000 and any interest earned on the Fund, within

3-3  the limits of legislative authorization for each fiscal year, to

3-4  subsidize transportation for the elderly and the permanently

3-5  handicapped in taxicabs. The money transferred to the Aging

3-6  Services Division must be administered in accordance with

3-7  regulations adopted by the Administrator of the Aging Services

3-8  Division pursuant to NRS 427A.070.

3-9  6.  The Administrator may establish an Account for Petty Cash

3-10  not to exceed [$1,000] $2,000 for the support of undercover

3-11  investigation, and, if the Account is created, the Administrator shall

3-12  reimburse the Account from the Taxicab Authority Fund in the same

3-13  manner as other claims against the State are paid.

3-14      Sec. 3.  NRS 706.8842 is hereby amended to read as follows:

3-15      706.8842  1.  Before applying to a certificate holder for

3-16  employment as a driver, a person [shall] must obtain a physician’s

3-17  certificate with two copies thereof from a physician who is licensed

3-18  to practice in the State of Nevada.

3-19      2.  A physician shall issue the certificate and copies described

3-20  in subsection 1 if he finds that a prospective driver meets the health

3-21  requirements established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety

3-22  Regulations, 49 C.F.R. §§ 391.41 et seq.

3-23      3.  The certificate described in subsection 1 must state that the

3-24  physician has examined the prospective driver and has found that he

3-25  meets the health requirements described in subsection 2. The

3-26  certificate must be signed and dated by the physician.

3-27      4.  The physician’s certificate required by this section expires

3-28  [3] 2 years after the date of issuance and may be renewed.

3-29      Sec. 4.  This act becomes effective upon passage and approval.

 

3-30  H