Latest news with #HowardWatts
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Bill to extend gas tax program moves through Nevada legislature
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A bill moving through the Nevada Legislature would address gas taxes, allowing a potential extension of the current fuel revenue indexing program before it goes back to the ballot in 2026. Fuel revenue indexing, which has been in place in Clark County since 2016, adjusts the gas tax rate to go up every year with inflation. About $1.11 per gallon goes to taxes. Approximately 23 cents goes to the state, 18.4 cents goes to the federal government and Clark County gets around 70 cents. Voters passed the 10 year program in 2016. Assembly Bill 530 would allow Clark County Commissioners to extend it with a two-thirds majority vote before it goes back to the ballot in 2026. This comes as gas prices see another hike in Southern Nevada. The average price per gallon in Las Vegas was recorded at $3.99 Thursday. That is a 20-cent jump from last week, according to AAA Nevada. This is connected to a normal shift to summer gas blends, industry experts said. However, some drivers told 8 News Now they worry it will continue to rise. 'I think prices are just going to keep going higher,' driver Nelson Borges said. 'No matter what.' AB530, which is sponsored by the Assembly Committee on Growth and Infrastructure, had a hearing Thursday. 'This has been a priority for leaders,' Democratic Assemblymember Howard Watts said during its proposal. 'Throughout the Southern Nevada community.' Assemblymember Howard and others backing the proposal said it is important to keep FRI going to fund road projects and create new jobs. Among those presenting the bill were representatives of the Regional Transportation Commission. They cited fuel revenue indexing as the main funding for 702 roadway projects, 20,400 jobs, and more than 78 small businesses in Southern Nevada. However, those who testified against AB530 believed the decision to extend the program should ultimately be up to voters. 'Are we afraid of a vote by the people? Do we believe in democracy?' Jenine Hansen of Nevada State Families for Freedom said. 'I think it's very important we have a vote from the people.' Drivers in Southern Nevada told 8 News Now while it's not ideal, they understand some price changes moving forward and will do their best to handle whatever happens. 'I would love cheaper gas prices,' Borges said. 'I just don't know if we can actually sustain that.' If AB530 does not pass the decision would go to Clark County voters on the ballot in 2026; the current FRI program expires on Dec. 31 of that year. A similar bill moved through the legislature in 2023, but Republican Governor Joe Lombardo vetoed it, saying the decision should go to voters. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Shocked': Lawmaker bristles at where funds come from to bury Nevada's indigent prisoners
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Sometimes it's the details that get under your skin. As state lawmakers went through a minor part of the Nevada Department of Corrections (NDOC) budget on Thursday, Democratic Assem. Howard Watts heard something he just didn't like. Prison stores do a good business, with close to $15 million in sales projected this year. That funds most of the budget for the 'Offenders' Store Fund,' and the standard markup for the items that are sold is between 50% and 60%. Vending machines bring in another big chunk, adding up to almost $200,000 last year. Inmates don't have a lot of other things to spend their money on. And there are currently 10,800 inmates in Nevada prisons. Red light cameras coming to Las Vegas? Lawmaker wants exception that would allow them Some of the money from the Offenders' Store Fund gets funneled to another budget, the inmate welfare account, which provides things that indigent inmates get for free. One of those things: burial when they die. The budget presentation continued, and Watts heard NDOC's requests for a weight bench, two stationary bicycles and a new scoreboard for the Lovelock prison. 'Recreational equipment, scoreboard for the basketball facility. To me, those are things that really benefit the welfare and provide benefits to the inmates,' Watts said. 'Frankly, shocked that markup on commissary items is being used to cover burials and cremations for inmates who pass away in our care,' he said. State budgets are complex, changing dramatically as leadership changes and government agencies tighten their belts. A past practice of paying for four positions out of the store fund is ending this year, and officials are trying to break even despite a big loss of revenue from phone commissions, something the federal government ordered. With the constant shuffle of how the government pays for things, budgets can become very strange. Nevada prisons director points to 4-mile fence, better staffing; inmate food issues persist Any suggestion that the state profits on the backs of inmates is hard for some lawmakers to stomach. They asked questions about how state money is being spent on everything presented Thursday by NDOC officials. Republican Minority Leader Sen. Robin Titus, a doctor, wanted more information on the state's effort to treat hepatitis C in the prison population, and she wanted assurances that female inmates were getting the medical care they needed. Democratic Sens. Rochelle Nguyen and Angie Taylor, along with Democratic Assem. Natha Anderson asked questions about how much prisoners were allowed to keep out of the wages they earned from prison jobs. They learned that 24.5% goes for room and board, 5% goes back to victims' funds, and other funds are directed for various other uses. There's a maximum cap of 50%, according to Bill Quenga, who runs NDOC's industrial programs. For inmates who do earn wages while they're in prison, the state takes part of that to pay for their burial. 'There's every incentive to do nothing,' Nguyen commented. With no wages, you get your room and board for free, she said. Wages can go as high as $14 for welders, and other inmates make minimum wage. All participation in the state's prison industry program is voluntary. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Digital license plate bill could include a way for Nevadans to pay registration in installments
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — GPS features, no stickers and possibly a way to pay your vehicle registration in installments. Those were some of the reasons that digital license plates might get support at the Nevada Legislature. Democratic Assem. Howard Watts presented Assembly Bill 296 (AB296) Tuesday in Carson City, along with a representative of Reviver, one of two companies that are active in the digital license plate market. The bill would let the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles allow digital plates as an option on vehicles registered in the state. Regular metal plates would still be available for people who aren't interested in the move to digital. Digital license plates allowed under proposal in the Nevada Legislature Digital plates have screens similar to the display on a Kindle e-book. If the bill becomes law, Nevadans could purchase a plate from an approved vendor and use it on their vehicle. They wouldn't ever have to apply a new sticker, because the plate would update itself when the registration went through. The possibility that the bill will expand to include an option to pay vehicle registrations on installments had a lot of attention in the Assembly Committee on Growth and Infrastructure. 'I believe that we have some of the highest registration fees, total, in the country,' Watts said. 'And so it makes it more important for Nevada to kind of be a leader on this than others where those fees are a little bit lower.' Registration on a new vehicle can be more than $1,000, he said. That's a problem in many households if the bill comes due at a bad time. 'It is a struggle for folks. We know we're all annoyed by folks who don't have their cars registered to Nevada. We're all annoyed by folks that have expired registrations, and all the enforcement that causes to try and address that. For a lot of people, they simply cannot afford to pay,' Watts said. Sometimes, they decide to risk it, and delay registering their car. Watts is looking at options to form a partnership with a third party that would essentially become a lender, fronting the registration fee to the Nevada DMV and collecting from the customer in installments. But Watts doesn't want to allow it to work like most loans. He wants it to be fee-based rather than involving interest. That would be added to AB296 as an amendment. DUI punishments higher under 2 bills introduced Monday in Nevada Senate Currently, California, Colorado, Georgia, Arizona, Texas, Florida, Michigan and Illinois allow digital license plates. How soon could Nevada join that list? DMV representatives said it might take a while yet. If the bill passes, the effective date could be off in the future for a frustrating reason: The DMV's ancient computer system. DMV currently runs two systems, but the option for a digital plate would have to be set up in both systems. The cost of programming in the old system would be a major problem, so the DMV is asking for a delay in introducing digital plates. There's another important part of Watts' bill. The state needs information about how people use electric vehicles. A 2019 bill that allowed collection of mileage data is expiring in 2026, so Watt put in a provision to allow that collection to continue under AB296. That information will be critical when lawmakers go about setting up a structure for EV drivers to contribute to funds used to maintain highways. Right now, they pay nothing because they don't buy gasoline. The fuel tax that's part of every purchase at the pump goes toward road maintenance. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Digital license plates allowed under proposal in the Nevada Legislature
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — A new bill at the Nevada Legislature would allow the DMV to accept digital license plates purchased from an approved vendor. Democratic Assem. Howard Watts is sponsoring Assembly Bill 296 (AB296), which would be the start of digital license and registration displays in Nevada. And it doesn't stop there. AB296 would allow the DMV 'to replicate the appearance of certain special license plates or personalized prestige license plates.' The plates would be capable of displaying a banner that could show information such as information on an Amber Alert. There are limits. It would display only information approved by the DMV. A back plate is all that you'll need in the digital age. Digital plates have already arrived in California. AB296 also sets up a pilot program through the end of 2026 that would allow the DMV to gather data on the mileage of certain vehicles registered in the state. Other bills introduced at the Nevada Legislature: EMERGENCY MEDICAID: Senate Bill 234 (SB234) would expand emergency Medicaid coverage for people who are in the country illegally. The bill provides coverage for emergency medical transport, emergency room treatment, some inpatient services directly related to the emergency medical condition, some kidney disease/cancer treatment and any follow-up treatments that are included in the emergency care. It excludes elective surgery, preventive care, physical/occupational/speech therapy, prosthetics, dental care, hospice care and substance use disorder care. It lists restrictions on prenatal care. SB234 is sponsored by seven Democrats, three from the Senate and four from the Assembly. AGE VERIFICATION ONLINE: AB294 requires websites and internet services that have material harmful to minors to use age verification systems to control access. Violations carry a $10,000 civil fine, and the bill provides for civil lawsuits. The bill has bipartisan support, sponsored by Democratic Assem. Elaine Marzola and Republican Assem. Toby Yurek. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
NV lawmakers unanimously advance bill designed to help lower the price of eggs
The bill would allow temporary suspension of Nevada's cage-free egg law during national shortages caused by disease outbreaks or natural disasters. (Photo:) In a bid to lower the price of eggs for consumers, Nevada legislators voted unanimously Monday to advance a bill that would temporarily suspend certain regulations related to the sale and transport of eggs. Supply chain issues created by the H5N1 bird flu virus have significantly increased egg prices and reduced availability across Nevada, causing lawmakers to rethink a law banning the sale of caged eggs in the state. Nevada lawmakers are now quickly pushing through Assembly Bill 171, a measure that would grant the State Quarantine Officer the authority to temporarily suspend Nevada's cage-free egg law during national shortages caused by disease outbreaks or natural disasters. Lawmakers said the bill would help lower egg prices in Nevada by opening additional markets that can't be accessed due to the state's ban on caged eggs. Nevada banned the sale of caged eggs in 2021 with the unanimous support of state Democrats and a handful of Republicans. 'One thing that we didn't perceive was this massive bird flu pandemic and the impact that it's had on the supply chain. As a result, there is not flexibility to adjust some of those standards when we're facing an emergency situation,' said Assemblymember Howard Watts, D-Las Vegas, who sponsored the bill with Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager, D-Las Vegas. The Assembly Committee on Natural Resources voted Monday to advance the bill to the full Nevada Assembly, where it is expected to pass without issue before moving to the Nevada Senate. Under the bill, the temporary suspension of regulations would last no more than 120 consecutive days, with up to two suspensions per calendar year. The bill also includes a provision requiring a report on the discrepancy of egg prices from store to store within 60 days. The bill is not limited to Nevada's cage-free egg law. It would also give the Nevada Department of Agriculture the flexibility to secure eggs from atypical sources during shortages, including smaller producers and Grade B egg vendors. Grade B eggs meet all health and safety standards, but are considered lower quality due to superficial cosmetic issues. 'We have no commercial scale egg producers here in the state of Nevada, but we have small operators. So if there are ways that we can help get those eggs onto the shelves, we want to look at that as well,' Watts said. Nevada Department of Agriculture Director J.J. Goicoechea said the agency is already working on certifying and inspecting smaller producers to get more eggs on the shelf. 'There is a population that we can source additional eggs from in a time of emergency, and that is all we are asking for,' Goicoechea said. Goicoechea emphasized the agency's commitment to protecting the health and safety of the food supply, while also trying to increase egg availability and reduce prices. 'At no time can we, nor would we, import any product, whether it was a meat product, a live animal or, in this case, eggs, into the state that was not inspected and had gone through that inspection process,' Goicoechea said. 'There is no way we're going to do anything that would risk or jeopardize the health of Nevada citizens. Absolutely not,' he continued. The virus has also affected other parts of the food supply in Nevada. About 36,000 dairy cows in Nye and Churchill counties have been placed under quarantine since December after the Nevada Department of Agriculture detected Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI). Until now, the strain detected in Fallon dairy farms in Churchill County has mainly been found in wild birds across all North American flyways. 'This has never been seen before in dairy cattle anywhere. Why it chose Fallon, we do not know. We do have a lot of interface with wildlife and wild fowl there,' Goicoechea said. However, Goicoechea assured Nevadans it was safe to consume milk purchased in grocery stores, adding that the milk pasteurization process in Nevada 'renders the virus inactive.' 'I will not sit here and lie to you. We will be in this for months. We have a long ways to go,' Goicoechea said. 'We are very concerned about… where else it may already be that they haven't found.'
