Carson City Board of Supervisors oppose marijuana lounge bill

The Board of Supervisors on Thursday reviewed a dozen bills of the 80th Session of the Nevada Legislature and voted to take positions on each.

The supervisors decided to oppose more than half the bills, including Assembly Bill 409.

“I’d like to go on record that this is one of the worst bills I’ve ever seen,” said Supervisor Brad Bonkowski, who moved to oppose it using the strongest language possible in the city letter to legislators.

The bill lays out requirements for counties or cities to issue licenses for marijuana lounges and for lounges to resell marijuana bought through retailers.

The board also opposed Senate Bill 281, which would let counties reimburse gas retailers at a disadvantage because they border other counties, but not to reimburse them via gas taxes.

“It opens a really crazy door about anti-competition and not using gas tax is really crazy,” said Supervisor Stacey Giomi.

The board opposed two similar bills, AB 146 and AB 296, which would establish the Nevada Office of the Inspector General that could audit or investigate local governments because it duplicates the auditing efforts of the city.

The supervisors voted against AB 344, a bill concerning discriminating against telecommunications providers.

“It conflicts with what we did this morning,” said Supervisor Lori Bagwell, referring to a proposed policy on small cell equipment installations the board approved earlier in the meeting.

The board opposed SB 340 having to do with public works and prevailing wage for certain workers, and it opposed AB 324 “as written.”

The latter bill creates an Office of the Nevada Statewide 911 Coordinator paid for in part by the transient occupancy tax. The board supported the concept, but opposed the methods, including the tax and the voting structure, which would give 15 rural counties one vote.

“Basically, Washoe and Clark (counties) would control this,” said Bonkowski.

The supervisors voted to support AB 406, which amends the law establishing the Carson City Airport Authority. It would, among other changes, allow members to serve successive terms on the authority.

The board decided to support SB 398 but the vote was 3-2 with Bonkowski and Supervisor John Barrette voting no.

The bill would allow counties to require residential developers to set aside a percentage of units for affordable housing or pay a fee in lieu.

“This gives us local control and I don’t think we should miss an opportunity to tell the Legislature we want local control,” said Giomi.

The board voted to remain neutral on three bills: AB 240 requiring Carson City and surrounding counties and cities to meet jointly; SB 388 which would protect individual confidentiality in public records requests; and SB 263 on regulation and taxation of certain tobacco and vapor products.