Bills hurdle major deadline

(AP) - A deadline requiring that bills pass out of the house of origin or die had both the Nevada Senate and Assembly working late into the night on Monday.

Lawmakers approved bills dealing with industrial insurance, business licenses for grant writers, and pet ownership and care during the morning session.

A bill that would make it illegal to text while driving proved sticky. Senate Bill 140 also has provisions restricting GPS use, which brought up debate over what types of GPS modules would be permitted. Voice activated or mounted devices would be OK, while hand-held versions would not.

Sen. Ben Kieckhefer, R-Reno, said the bill's breadth caused him to reconsider his stance. "I would love if this bill just prohibited text messaging entirely. I would have no problem with that bill at all," he said.

Kieckhefer said the GPS language was an overreach.

In the Assembly, two bills aiding Nevada's foster children passed, including AB154, which establishes a bill of rights for foster children and garnered unanimous support.

The proposed law consolidates rights already guaranteed to the children, including the right to a safe place to live, the right to visit their siblings, and a right to attend or not attend religious services.

Another bill promoted by former Assembly Speaker Barbara Buckley funnels money to provide legal services for foster children. Buckley said the extra $2 fee for certain documents processed at a county recorder's office would ensure Nevada's children get a lawyer's help through their adoption cases, for example. The bill passed 32-10, with some Republican opposition.