New laws take effect today

A total of 229 new laws take effect today with the start of the new fiscal year.

Among them are the five major and dozen or so smaller pieces of legislation which implement the state's $6.2 billion General Fund and $17.9 billion total state budget.

Others on the list implement the changes in the employee benefits program and retirement benefits for new hires.

A number of those new laws contain pieces of the education reform proposals agreed to by both lawmakers and the governor's office including Assembly Bill 225 which calls for creation of an evaluation system for K-12 teachers and administrators and sets up rules that can put a teacher with repeat negative evaluations back on probation. Assembly Bill 229 establishes a pay for performance program for teachers to reward good teachers and extends the probationary period for teachers from one to three years. It also bars school districts from laying off educators solely based on seniority. Assembly Bill 230 streamlines and simplifies the path for teachers to get licensed and Assembly Bill 224 creates a program to help get parents more involved in their children's education.

Senate Bill 276 attempts to ban bullying and harassment in public schools.

Senate Bill 197 completely redesigns the existing state board of education, converting it from a completely elected body to one consisting of both elected and appointed members. It also gives the governor the power to hire and fire the Superintendent of Education, taking it from the board.

There also are measures dealing with higher education, encouraging the university system to thoroughly evaluate the programs and services offered on the various campuses and another directing a study of how the system is funded by the state.

The Nevada trades bill enables the state to establish inland port zones in Nevada to bring more new investment and create more jobs by emphasizing better logistics.

The Nevada Jobs and Economic Growth Plan creates a cabinet level position reporting to the governor and contains provisions to increase research, development and economic growth.

Senate Bill 98 makes modest changes to Nevada's local government collective bargaining statutes including requiring contracts to have a clause reopening negotiations in case of severe economic downturns.

Senate Bill 251 mandates creation of a sunset commission to review boards and commissions and see if they should be kept, modified or eliminated.

Finally, Senate Bill 323 sharply increases the fines that can be imposed for not having auto liability insurance. The bill replaces to flat $250 fine with a tiered system of fees that can cost a repeat offender up to $1,750 and a suspended driver's license.

Of the total taking effect July 1, 95 are Senate bills and 134 are Assembly measures.

More new laws will take effect Oct. 1, including when warnings will be handed out for drivers who are using hand-held mobile devices to talk or text. The full law goes into effect on Jan. 1 along with other legislation.