Legislative Briefly 6/3

Smoking ban bill revived in part

(AP) " A last-minute maneuver to revive part of an indoor smoking bill succeeded on Monday, the final day of the 2009 Nevada legislature.

The plan to roll back a voter-approved smoking ban so that tobacco trade conventions are exempted was amended into AB309, which deals with the crime of stalking. The change was approved by the Assembly and the Senate after many rounds of negotiations. The measure now goes to Gov. Jim Gibbons for final approval.

The original bill, SB372, would have softened the Nevada Clean Indoor Air Act, passed by voters in 2006, by fine-tuning just where smoking should be prohibited. Lobbyists wanted to allow smoking in bars that serve food as long as minors are restricted from entry, but the bill died in the Assembly Judiciary Committee.

Bill bars texting while driving

(AP) " A plan to prohibit motorists, including police and emergency personnel, from text-messaging on cell phones while driving was resurrected Monday, the last day of the 2009 Nevada Legislature, but wound up being shelved as the session ended.

The Senate voted 19-2 for SB309, a motorcycle-moped bill rewritten to include wording from SB136, the text-messaging plan that died earlier. The plan then moved to the Assembly, where it died several hours later as lawmakers adjourned their 2009 session.

Lawmakers bury Real ID bill

(AP) " A bill to bring the state into line with the federal Real ID Act, seen by critics as a possible "Orwellian" intrusion into Nevadans' privacy, died late Monday as the Assembly adjourned its 2009 session.

The Senate had voted 12-9 for SB52 earlier Monday, but there was no action on the bill in the Assembly prior to its adjournment just before midnight. The Senate adjourned about half an hour later.

States have until the end of the year to meet the federal requirements, but could get extensions until May 2011.