Nevada Bills That Never Saw the Light of Day

Ward-only voting Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval vetoed legislation Tuesday that would have changed Reno’s and Sparks’ current voting system from citywide voting to ward-only voting, which would require voters to select the city council candidate who would represent the ward they live in. Carson City and Henderson also would have been affected by this legislation had it passed. Sandoval said he vetoed the legislation because it conflicted with the outcome of a voter question in Reno last year, which found 76 percent in favor of keeping the city’s current at-large voting system.

Sex education A bill that would have updated Nevada’s sex education programs in schools died before the end of the legislative session when it failed to gain enough support. Critics of the bill said that it didn’t change enough to make a difference, while others objected to the topics of abortion and birth control being brought into the classroom. The bill failed to get a final vote in the state Senate.

Motorcycle lane-splitting Legislation allowing motorcycles to drive between cars while traffic is stopped failed to get enough votes in the Senate to pass. Supporters of the measure said they wanted to improve safety for motorcyclists by preventing rear-end collisions between motorcycle and cars in heavy traffic. Opponents worried that lane-splitting would cause confusion for other drivers. While California unofficially permits the practice, Nevada would have been the first state to legalize motorcycle lane-splitting had it passed.

Live entertainment tax A live entertainment tax bill, which would have imposed an 8 percent tax on indoor and outdoor concert tickets and other events, such as Burning Man, failed to make it out of the Assembly. Many lawmakers felt they were wasting their time discussing the bill, given a likely veto. Assembly Speaker Marilyn Kirkpatrick, D-North Las Vegas, vowed to bring the legislation back in 2015.

Construction defects Legislation backed by Assemblyman Skip Daly, D-Sparks, that would have offered more protection to subcontractors in construction-defect lawsuits died without a vote in the Senate on the last day of the session. A simliar bill that would have redefined what’s considered a construction defect, pushed by GOP lawmakers, also died without a vote.

Campus carry A controversial bill that would have allowed students and faculty to carry firearms on university campuses died in an Assembly committee. The legislation had the support of Amanda Collins, a former University of Nevada, Reno student who was the victim of a rape while on campus. Collins said that having a firearm with her would have prevented the crime.

85 mph speed limit A bill that would have increased the speed limit on some Nevada highways to 85 mph died in the Assembly when no action was taken on it by deadline. It had already passed in the Senate.

Nutritional information on menus Sandoval vetoed legislation that would have required restaurants with 15 or more locations to post nutritional information on menus. He said the state law would have conflicted with federal regulations currently being developed.

Gun background checks Not officially dead but circling the drain, a bill that would require background checks on private gun sales is expected to be vetoed by Sandoval. The bill passed in both houses after heated debated by legislators. Much of the criticism focused on contentions that the bill would not prevent a mass shooting like the Carson City IHOP or Connecticut school slayings. Legislators who supported the bill said that they thought it would be a preventive measure against gun-related domestic violence.

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