Green energy bills, others signed by governor

Several "green energy" measures were among dozens of bills signed into law Saturday by Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons.

The signed measures include AB522, which renews tax abatements that were set to expire in July. Geothermal energy companies were originally left out of the bill but were later included.

Gibbons also signed SB358, creating a Nevada energy commissioner who will help renewable energy companies set up shop in Nevada. With 86 percent of the state's land controlled by the federal government, one task will be to help such companies get through the cumbersome process of leasing and developing such land.

Other energy bills include SB73, which revises local government roles in enforcing energy conservation and efficiency standards; and SB165, directing the state Public Utilities Commission to revise its rules to ensure that NV Energy's business planning takes into consideration future carbon emission prices that could add up to a lot of money.

Also signed was SB114, which ensures a homeowner association can't restrict a homeowner's right to install and use solar energy systems.

The governor also signed AB238, which makes it a felony to solicit a child for an act of prostitution. The new law goes after the clients of minor prostitutes, and require that a person who intentionally seeks to hire a child prostitute be subject to lifetime supervision.

Gibbons also signed AB325, requiring that as a condition of lifetime supervision a sex offender can't have any contact with a victim of the offense or a witness who testified against the defendant.

The governor also signed SB162, which moves the date of Nevada's mid-August primary elections to early June; and SB128, which requires that a foreclosure sale must be recorded with the county recorder in a timely manner, to help keep track of the owner of a foreclosed home.

Other measures signed by Gibbons include:

" SB408, which authorizes payments from a relief account to Nevada National Guard members home from combat duty.

" SB160, which makes each house of the Legislature the final arbiter of whether lawmakers' votes, vote abstentions or disclosures concerning their ability to vote on the Assembly or Senate floor or in committee violated any ethical standards.

" AB111, to prevent senior care facilities from renting vacant rooms to people who aren't seniors and wouldn't qualify to stay in such facilities in the first place.

" AB10, which protects nurses against retaliation for disclosing problems that endanger patients at hospitals or other medical facilities.

" AB87, updating the way that the controller's office collects debts owed to state agencies.

" AB152, which requires loan modification officers and consultants to be licensed, to help avoid scams.

" AB227, which requires licensing for an agency that assists another agency in providing child welfare services such as foster care.

" AB497, requiring the state's criminal history repository to facilitate the exchange of crime-related information among various criminal justice agencies in Nevada.

" SB227, which requires that personal data that is transmitted electronically be encrypted to prevent identity theft.

" SB317, which requires financial literacy classes that students in public high schools would have to complete in order to graduate.