Legislative Briefly

Senator seeks to outlaw 'cyber-bullying'

Sen. Valerie Wiener, D-Las Vegas, has introduced legislation that would require public schools to ban cyber-bullying.

SB163 says schools should add computer intimidation to the list of prohibitions in the mandate that all school districts provide a safe and respectful learning environment free of harassment and intimidation.

The legislation would include developing policies for the ethical, safe and secure use of computers and other electronic devices.

Moving primary back two months proposed

Sen. Joyce Woodhouse, D-Las Vegas, wants to move Nevada's primary election date back another two months.

The primary date was moved two years ago from the first Tuesday in September back to the 12th Tuesday before the general election in each even-

numbered year. That put the

primary on Aug. 12 last year.

SB162 would move the primary to the second Tuesday in June. The bill was referred to Legislative Operations and Elections for study.

Bill mandates lead tests for children

Legislation mandating tests for lead poisoning on children receiving services from the Department of Health and Human Services was introduced in the Assembly Monday.

AB219 was sponsored by Assemblyman and physician Joe Hardy, R-Las Vegas, and Senate Majority Leader Steven Horsford, D-Las Vegas.

It would require testing when a child reaches 12 months,

24 months and at least once more before the child reaches age 6. The bill mandates that any test for lead on a child be reported to health authorities.

AB219 was referred to the Committee on Health and Human Services.

Republicans seek to up Rainy Day Fund

All 14 Assembly Republicans have signed on to a bill that would increase state contributions to the Rainy Day Fund.

AB221 would require the controller to put 1 percent of any revenue projected by the Economic Forum into the emergency fund before the budget for that year is built. In addition, if actual revenues exceed projections by 5 percent or less, 25 percent of the excess would go to the Rainy Day Fund. If actual revenues were more than 5 percent above projections, that amount plus 50 percent of the amount above the 5 percent level would go to the fund.

AB221 also would allow the fund to grow to 20 percent of total appropriations from the General Fund in a year.

The bill was referred to the Assembly Ways and Means Committee

Autism task force restored by bill

The Ways and Means Committee has introduced legislation that would recreate the Nevada Autism Task Force and appropriates money to fund it.

The task force was created by the 2007 Legislature but disbanded in this cycle because of the budget crisis.

AB222 recreates the task force composed of four lawmakers and 10 non-legislators selected by the governor. It also contains a

$2 million appropriation to help parents pay the cost of treating autism. The task force would develop recommendations to improve the state's delivery and coordination of autism services.

Ways and Means members will hear the proposal.

Bill would give veterans preference

The Assembly has received a bill that would give businesses owned by disabled veterans preference over other bidders in getting state contracts.

AB223 would apply not only to smaller public works projects " those under $100,000 " but other state contracts for services and purchases.

It would give those businesses a 5 percent preference over other bidders, meaning they could come in that much more expensive than other businesses and still get the contract.

The proposal was authored by Assemblywoman Debbie Smith, D-Sparks.

It was referred to the Government Affairs Committee for study.