Assembly Bill No. 284–Assemblymen Buckley, Parks, Gibbons, Leslie, Horne, Anderson, Beers, Brown, Carpenter, Claborn, Collins, Conklin, Geddes, Giunchigliani, Goicoechea, Goldwater, Griffin, Hardy, Hettrick, Koivisto, Mabey, Manendo, McClain, Oceguera, Ohrenschall, Perkins and Sherer

 

CHAPTER..........

 

AN ACT relating to property; prohibiting certain acts by lenders of home loans as unfair lending practices; providing for enforcement by the Attorney General; prohibiting a trustor from directing a trustee to exercise a power of sale of real property under certain circumstances; prohibiting certain agencies, boards, commissions or political subdivisions from regulating certain acts relating to lending; providing a penalty; and providing other matters properly relating thereto.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN

SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

 

    Section 1. Title 52 of NRS is hereby amended by adding

thereto a new chapter to consist of the provisions set forth as

sections 2 to 9, inclusive, of this act.

    Sec. 2.  As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise

requires, the words and terms defined in sections 3 to 6, inclusive,

of this act have the meanings ascribed to them in those sections.

    Sec. 3.  “Borrower” means a natural person who is a

mortgagor, grantor of a deed of trust or other debtor of a home

loan.

    Sec. 4.  “Home” means a dwelling or dwellings for not more

than four families, the principal use of which is for residential

purposes. The term includes, without limitation:

    1.  A dwelling on a farm.

    2.  A dwelling unit of a cooperative housing corporation.

    3.  A mobile home, as defined in NRS 489.120, with the

wheels removed and skirting added, when set on a foundation

located on land that the owner of the mobile home owns or

occupies pursuant to a tenancy with a term of 40 years or more.

    Sec. 5.  “Home loan” means a consumer credit transaction

that:

    1.  Is secured by a mortgage loan which involves real property

located within this state; and

    2.  Constitutes a mortgage under § 152 of the Home

Ownership and Equity Protection Act of 1994, 15 U.S.C. §

1602(aa), and the regulations adopted by the Board of Governors

of the Federal Reserve System pursuant thereto, including,

without limitation, 12 C.F.R. § 226.32.


    Sec. 6.  “Lender” means a mortgagee, beneficiary of a deed

of trust or other creditor who holds a mortgage, deed of trust or

other instrument that encumbers home property as security for the

repayment of a home loan.

    Sec. 7. 1.  It is an unfair lending practice for a lender to:

    (a) Require a borrower, as a condition of obtaining or

maintaining a home loan secured by home property, to provide

property insurance on improvements to home property in an

amount that exceeds the reasonable replacement value of the

improvements.

    (b) Knowingly or intentionally make a home loan to a

borrower based solely upon the equity of the borrower in the home

property and without determining that the borrower has the ability

to repay the home loan from other assets, including, without

limitation, income.

    (c) Finance a prepayment fee or penalty in connection with the

refinancing by the original borrower of a home loan owned by the

lender or an affiliate of the lender.

    (d) Finance, directly or indirectly in connection with a home

loan, any credit insurance.

    2.  As used in this section:

    (a) “Credit insurance” has the meaning ascribed to it in

NRS 690A.015.

    (b) “Prepayment fee or penalty” means any fee or penalty

imposed by a lender if a borrower repays the balance of a loan or

otherwise makes a payment on a loan before the regularly

scheduled time for repayment.

    Sec. 8.  1.  A lender who willfully engages in an unfair

lending practice described in this chapter is guilty of a

misdemeanor.

    2.  If a lender willfully engages in any unfair lending practice

described in this chapter in connection with a home loan, the

lender is liable to the borrower in an amount equal to the sum of:

    (a) Three times the amount of any actual damages sustained

by the borrower; and

    (b) If the borrower brings an action and is successful in

enforcing the liability imposed by paragraph (a) in the action, the

costs of bringing the action and reasonable attorney’s fees as

determined by the court.

    3.  The borrower has a defense against the unpaid obligation

of the home loan to the extent of any amount awarded by a court

pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection 2, and the court, in

addition to any other legal or equitable remedy, may cure any

existing default of the home loan and cancel any pending

foreclosure sale, trustee’s sale or other sale to enforce the home

loan.


    Sec. 8.3.  1.  If an action has been filed in a court of

competent jurisdiction claiming an unfair lending practice in

connection with a home loan, the lender who holds the home loan

may sell the home loan and recover damages and costs as provided

in this section if the lender did not:

    (a) Originate the home loan; and

    (b) Willfully engage in any unfair lending practice described

in this chapter in connection with the home loan.

    2.  The lender described in subsection 1 may require the

person from whom the lender purchased the home loan described

in subsection 1 to:

    (a) Repurchase the home loan for the amount the lender paid

for the home loan; and

    (b) Pay to the lender all damages and reasonable costs

incurred by the lender that are related to:

        (1) The purchase of the home loan by the lender from the

person;

        (2) Any damages awarded in the action described in

subsection 1;

        (3) Any costs related to the action described in

subsection 1;

        (4) The repurchase of the home loan by the lender if the

lender was required to repurchase the home loan from another

lender pursuant to this section; and

        (5) The repurchase of the home loan from the lender by the

person pursuant to this section.

    3.  The person described in subsection 2:

    (a) Shall repurchase the home loan and pay the damages and

costs as described in subsection 2; and

    (b) After repurchasing the home loan, may sell the home loan

and recover damages and costs as provided in this section if he is a

lender described in subsection 1.

    Sec. 8.7.  A mortgage, deed of trust or other instrument that

encumbers home property as security for repayment of a home

loan must expressly indicate in writing in the mortgage, deed of

trust or other instrument that the home loan is a home loan as

defined in section 5 of this act.

    Sec. 9.  1.  The Attorney General has primary jurisdiction to

investigate and prosecute violations of this chapter.

    2.  When acting pursuant to this section, the Attorney General

may commence his investigation and file a criminal action without

leave of court, and he has exclusive charge of the conduct of the

prosecution.

    3.  A local government shall not regulate any activity to which

the provisions of this chapter apply.


    Sec. 10.  Chapter 107 of NRS is hereby amended by adding

thereto a new section to read as follows:

    1.  With regard to a transfer in trust of an estate in real

property to secure the performance of an obligation or the

payment of a debt, the provisions of this section apply to the

exercise of a power of sale pursuant to NRS 107.080 only if:

    (a) The trust agreement becomes effective on or after

October 1, 2003; and

    (b) On the date the trust agreement is made, the trust

agreement is subject to the provisions of § 152 of the Home

Ownership and Equity Protection Act of 1994, 15 U.S.C. §

1602(aa), and the regulations adopted by the Board of Governors

of the Federal Reserve System pursuant thereto, including,

without limitation, 12 C.F.R. § 226.32.

    2.  The trustee shall not exercise a power of sale pursuant to

NRS 107.080 unless:

    (a) In the manner required by subsection 3, not later than 60

days before the date of the sale, the trustee causes to be served

upon the grantor a notice in the form described in subsection 3;

and

    (b) If an action is filed in a court of competent jurisdiction

claiming an unfair lending practice in connection with the trust

agreement, the date of the sale is not less than 30 days after the

date the most recent such action is filed.

    3.  The notice described in subsection 2 must be:

    (a) Served upon the grantor by personal service or, if personal

service cannot be timely effected, in such other manner as a court

determines is reasonably calculated to afford notice to the grantor;

and

    (b) In substantially the following form, with the applicable

telephone numbers and mailing addresses provided on the notice

and a copy of the promissory note attached to the notice:

 

NOTICE

YOU ARE IN DANGER OF LOSING YOUR HOME!

 

Your home loan is being foreclosed. In 60 days your home will be

sold and you will be forced to move. For help, call:

Consumer Credit Counseling ___________________

The Attorney General ______________________

TheDivision of Financial Institutions ______________________

Legal Services _________________________

Your Lender ______________________

Nevada Fair Housing Center ___________________

 

    4.  This section does not prohibit a judicial foreclosure.


    5.  As used in this section, “unfair lending practice” means an

unfair lending practice described in sections 2 to 9, inclusive, of

this act.

    Sec. 11.  NRS 107.080 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    107.080  1.  [Where] Except as otherwise provided in section

10 of this act, if any transfer in trust of any estate in real property is

made after March 29, 1927, to secure the performance of an

obligation or the payment of any debt, a power of sale is hereby

conferred upon the trustee to be exercised after a breach of the

obligation for which the transfer is security.

    2.  The power of sale must not be exercised, however, until:

    (a) In the case of any trust agreement coming into force:

        (1) On or after July 1, 1949, and before July 1, 1957, the

grantor, or his successor in interest, a beneficiary under a

subordinate deed of trust or any other person who has a subordinate

lien or encumbrance of record on the property, has for a period of 15

days, computed as prescribed in subsection 3, failed to make good

the deficiency in performance or payment; or

        (2) On or after July 1, 1957, the grantor, or his successor in

interest, a beneficiary under a subordinate deed of trust or any other

person who has a subordinate lien or encumbrance of record on the

property, has for a period of 35 days, computed as prescribed in

subsection 3, failed to make good the deficiency in performance or

payment;

    (b) The beneficiary, the successor in interest of the beneficiary

or the trustee first executes and causes to be recorded in the office of

the recorder of the county wherein the trust property, or some part

thereof, is situated a notice of the breach and of his election to sell

or cause to be sold the property to satisfy the obligation; and

    (c) Not less than 3 months have elapsed after the recording of

the notice.

    3.  The 15- or 35-day period provided in paragraph (a) of

subsection 2 commences on the first day following the day upon

which the notice of default and election to sell is recorded in the

office of the county recorder of the county in which the property is

located and a copy of the notice of default and election to sell is

mailed by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested and

with postage prepaid to the grantor, and to the person who holds the

title of record on the date the notice of default and election to sell is

recorded, at their respective addresses, if known, otherwise to the

address of the trust property. The notice of default and election to

sell must describe the deficiency in performance or payment and

may contain a notice of intent to declare the entire unpaid balance

due if acceleration is permitted by the obligation secured by the

deed of trust, but acceleration must not occur if the deficiency in

performance or payment is made good and any costs, fees and


expenses incident to the preparation or recordation of the notice and

incident to the making good of the deficiency in performance or

payment are paid within the time specified in subsection 2.

    4.  The trustee, or other person authorized to make the sale

under the terms of the trust deed or transfer in trust, shall, after

expiration of the 3-month period following the recording of the

notice of breach and election to sell, and before the making of the

sale, give notice of the time and place thereof in the manner and for

a time not less than that required by law for the sale or sales of real

property upon execution. The sale itself may be made at the office

of the trustee, if the notice so provides, whether the property so

conveyed in trust is located within the same county as the office of

the trustee or not.

    5.  Every sale made under the provisions of this section and

other sections of this chapter vests in the purchaser the title of the

grantor and his successors in interest without equity or right of

redemption. The sale of a lease of a dwelling unit of a cooperative

housing corporation vests in the purchaser title to the shares in the

corporation which accompany the lease.

    Sec. 12.  NRS 244.335 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    244.335  1.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2, the

board of county commissioners may:

    (a) [Regulate] Except as otherwise provided in section 9 of this

act, regulate all character of lawful trades, callings, industries,

occupations, professions and business conducted in its county

outside of the limits of incorporated cities and towns.

    (b) Except as otherwise provided in NRS 244.3359 and 576.128,

fix, impose and collect a license tax for revenue or for regulation, or

for both revenue and regulation, on such trades, callings, industries,

occupations, professions and business.

    2.  The county license boards have the exclusive power in their

respective counties to regulate entertainers employed by an

entertainment by referral service and the business of conducting a

dancing hall, escort service, entertainment by referral service or

gambling game or device permitted by law, outside of an

incorporated city. The county license boards may fix, impose and

collect license taxes for revenue or for regulation, or for both

revenue and regulation, on such employment and businesses.

    3.  No license to engage in any type of business may be granted

unless the applicant for the license signs an affidavit affirming that

the business has complied with the provisions of chapter 364A of

NRS. The county license board shall provide upon request an

application for a business license pursuant to chapter 364A of NRS.

    4.  No license to engage in business as a seller of tangible

personal property may be granted unless the applicant for the license

presents written evidence that:


    (a) The Department of Taxation has issued or will issue a permit

for this activity, and this evidence clearly identifies the business by

name; or

    (b) Another regulatory agency of the State has issued or will

issue a license required for this activity.

    5.  Any license tax levied for the purposes of NRS 244.3358 or

244A.597 to 244A.655, inclusive, constitutes a lien upon the real

and personal property of the business upon which the tax was levied

until the tax is paid. The lien has the same priority as a lien for

general taxes. The lien must be enforced in the following manner:

    (a) By recording in the office of the county recorder, within 6

months after the date on which the tax became delinquent or was

otherwise determined to be due and owing, a notice of the tax lien

containing the following:

        (1) The amount of tax due and the appropriate year;

        (2) The name of the record owner of the property;

        (3) A description of the property sufficient for identification;

and

        (4) A verification by the oath of any member of the board of

county commissioners or the county fair and recreation board; and

    (b) By an action for foreclosure against the property in the same

manner as an action for foreclosure of any other lien, commenced

within 2 years after the date of recording of the notice of the tax

lien, and accompanied by appropriate notice to other lienholders.

    6.  The board of county commissioners may delegate the

authority to enforce liens from taxes levied for the purposes of NRS

244A.597 to 244A.655, inclusive, to the county fair and recreation

board. If the authority is so delegated, the board of county

commissioners shall revoke or suspend the license of a business

upon certification by the county fair and recreation board that the

license tax has become delinquent, and shall not reinstate the license

until the tax is paid. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 244.3357,

all information concerning license taxes levied by an ordinance

authorized by this section or other information concerning the

business affairs or operation of any licensee obtained as a result of

the payment of such license taxes or as the result of any audit or

examination of the books by any authorized employee of a county

fair and recreation board of the county for any license tax levied for

the purpose of NRS 244A.597 to 244A.655, inclusive, is

confidential and must not be disclosed by any member, officer or

employee of the county fair and recreation board or the county

imposing the license tax unless the disclosure is authorized by the

affirmative action of a majority of the members of the appropriate

county fair and recreation board. Continuing disclosure may be so

authorized under an agreement with the Department of Taxation for

the exchange of information concerning taxpayers.


    Sec. 13.  NRS 266.355 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    266.355  1.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 3, the

city council may:

    (a) [Regulate] Except as otherwise provided in section 9 of this

act, regulate all businesses, trades and professions.

    (b) Except as otherwise provided in NRS 576.128, fix, impose

and collect a license tax for revenue upon all businesses, trades and

professions.

    2.  The city council may establish any equitable standard to be

used in fixing license taxes required to be collected pursuant to this

section.

    3.  The city council may license insurance agents, brokers,

analysts, adjusters and managing general agents within the

limitations and under the conditions prescribed in NRS 680B.020.

    Sec. 14.  NRS 269.170 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    269.170  1.  Except as otherwise provided in NRS 576.128 [,]

and section 9 of this act, the town board or board of county

commissioners may in any unincorporated town:

    (a) Fix and collect a license tax on, and regulate, having due

regard to the amount of business done by each person so licensed,

and all places of business and amusement so licensed, as follows:

        (1) Artisans, artists, assayers, auctioneers, bakers, banks and

bankers, barbers, boilermakers, cellars and places where soft drinks

are kept or sold, clothes cleaners, foundries, laundries, lumberyards,

manufacturers of soap, soda, borax or glue, markets, newspaper

publishers, pawnbrokers, funeral directors and wood and coal

dealers.

        (2) Bootmakers, cobblers, dressmakers, milliners,

shoemakers and tailors.

        (3) Boardinghouses, hotels, lodginghouses, restaurants and

refreshment saloons.

        (4) Barrooms, gaming, manufacturers of liquors and other

beverages, and saloons.

        (5) Billiard tables, bowling alleys, caravans, circuses,

concerts and other exhibitions, dance houses, melodeons,

menageries, shooting galleries, skating rinks and theaters.

        (6) Corrals, hay yards, livery and sale stables and wagon

yards.

        (7) Electric light companies, illuminating gas companies,

power companies, telegraph companies, telephone companies and

water companies.

        (8) Carts, drays, express companies, freight companies, job

wagons, omnibuses and stages.

        (9) Brokers, commission merchants, factors, general agents,

mercantile agents, merchants, traders and stockbrokers.

        (10) Drummers, hawkers, peddlers and solicitors.


        (11) Insurance agents, brokers, analysts, adjusters and

managing general agents within the limitations and under the

conditions prescribed in NRS 680B.020.

    (b) Fix and collect a license tax upon all professions, trades or

business within the town not specified in paragraph (a).

    2.  No license to engage in business as a seller of tangible

personal property may be granted unless the applicant for the license

presents written evidence that:

    (a) The Department of Taxation has issued or will issue a permit

for this activity, and this evidence clearly identifies the business by

name; or

    (b) Another regulatory agency of the State has issued or will

issue a license required for this activity.

    3.  Any license tax levied for the purposes of NRS 244A.597 to

244A.655, inclusive, constitutes a lien upon the real and personal

property of the business upon which the tax was levied until the tax

is paid. The lien must be enforced in the same manner as liens for ad

valorem taxes on real and personal property. The town board or

other governing body of the unincorporated town may delegate the

power to enforce such liens to the county fair and recreation board.

    4.  The governing body or the county fair and recreation board

may agree with the Department of Taxation for the continuing

exchange of information concerning taxpayers.

    Sec. 15.  Section 2.140 of the Charter of the City of Caliente,

being chapter 31, Statutes of Nevada 1971, at page 60, is hereby

amended to read as follows:

    Sec. 2.140  Powers of City Council: Licensing,

regulation and prohibition of businesses, trades and

professions.

    1.  The City Council may:

    (a) [Regulate] Except as otherwise provided in section 9

of this act, regulate all businesses, trades and professions.

    (b) Fix, impose and collect a license tax for revenue upon

all businesses, trades and professions.

    2.  The City Council may establish any equitable

standard to be used in fixing license taxes required to be

collected pursuant to this section.

    Sec. 16.  Section 2.150 of the Charter of the City of Carlin,

being chapter 344, Statutes of Nevada 1971, at page 608, is hereby

amended to read as follows:

    Sec. 2.150  Powers of Board of Councilmen: Licensing,

regulation and prohibition of businesses, trades and

professions.

    1.  The Board of Councilmen may:

    (a) [Regulate] Except as otherwise provided in section 9

of this act, regulate all businesses, trades and professions.


    (b) Fix, impose and collect a license tax for revenue upon

all businesses, trades and professions.

    2.  No person licensed by an agency of the State of

Nevada to practice any trade or profession except gaming

may be denied a license to conduct his profession.

    3.  The Board of Councilmen may establish any equitable

standard to be used in fixing license taxes required to be

collected pursuant to this section.

    Sec. 17.  Section 2.260 of the Charter of the City of Carson

City, being chapter 213, Statutes of Nevada 1969, as amended by

chapter 96, Statutes of Nevada 1997, at page 181, is hereby

amended to read as follows:

    Sec. 2.260  Power of Board: Licensing, regulation and

prohibition of trades, professions and businesses.

    1.  [The] Except as otherwise provided in section 9 of

this act, the Board may fix, impose and collect a license tax

for revenue upon, or regulate:

    (a) Or both, all trades, callings, professions and

businesses, conducted in whole or in part within Carson City,

except that no person licensed by an agency of the State of

Nevada to practice any profession except gaming may be

denied a license to conduct his profession or required to pay a

license tax except for revenue.

    (b) Or both, all businesses selling alcoholic liquors at

wholesale or retail, or prohibit or suppress such businesses.

    (c) Or prescribe the location of all gaming establishments,

or any combination of these, or may prohibit gambling and

gaming of all kinds, and all games of chance.

    2.  The Board may provide for the issuance of all licenses

authorized in this section and the time and manner in which

they will be issued.

    3.  The Board may establish any equitable standard to be

used in fixing license taxes required to be collected pursuant

to this section.

    4.  The Board may, for just cause, suspend, cancel or

revoke any business license.

    Sec. 18.  Section 2.150 of the Charter of the City of Elko,

being chapter 276, Statutes of Nevada 1971, as amended by chapter

51, Statutes of Nevada 2001, at page 454, is hereby amended to read

as follows:

    Sec. 2.150  Powers of City Council: Licensing,

regulation and prohibition of businesses, trades and

professions.

    1.  The City Council may:

    (a) [Regulate] Except as otherwise provided in section 9

of this act, regulate all businesses, trades and professions.


    (b) Fix, impose and collect a license tax for revenue upon

all businesses, trades and professions.

    2.  The City Council may establish any equitable

standard to be used in fixing license taxes collected pursuant

to this section.

    Sec. 19.  Section 2.130 of the Charter of the City of Henderson,

being chapter 266, Statutes of Nevada 1971, at page 407, is hereby

amended to read as follows:

    Sec. 2.130  Powers of City Council: Licensing,

regulation and prohibition of businesses, trades and

professions.

    1.  The City Council may:

    (a) [Regulate] Except as otherwise provided in section 9

of this act, regulate all businesses, trades and professions.

    (b) Fix, impose and collect a license tax for revenue upon

all businesses, trades and professions.

    2.  The City Council may establish any equitable

standard to be used in fixing license taxes required to be

collected pursuant to this section.

    Sec. 20.  Section 2.150 of the Charter of the City of Las Vegas,

being chapter 517, Statutes of Nevada 1983, at page 1398, is hereby

amended to read as follows:

    Sec. 2.150  Powers of City Council: Licensing,

regulation and prohibition of businesses, trades and

professions.

    1.  The City Council may:

    (a) Except as is otherwise provided in subsection 2 [,] and

section 9 of this act, license and regulate all lawful

businesses, trades and professions.

    (b) Fix, impose and collect a license tax for regulation or

for revenue, or both, upon all businesses, trades and

professions and provide an equitable standard for fixing those

license taxes.

    (c) Suspend or revoke the license of any business, trade or

profession for failing to comply with any regulation of the

City in such manner as may be prescribed by ordinance.

    2.  No person, firm or corporation which is licensed by

an agency of the State to conduct or practice any business,

trade or profession, except as is otherwise provided in

subsection 3, may be denied a license to conduct or practice

that business, trade or profession, nor may the license be

suspended or revoked, if:

    (a) That person, firm or corporation complies with all of

the regulations which are established by that agency and pays

to the City such license taxes and related fees and posts such

bond or bonds as may be prescribed by ordinance; and


    (b) The location of the business, trade or profession

complies with all of the requirements of all of the zoning,

building, plumbing, electrical, safety and fire prevention

codes or regulations of the City.

    3.  The City Council may provide, by ordinance,

regulations which restrict the number, location and method of

operation of and the qualifications for ownership in:

    (a) Liquor-dispensing or gaming establishments, or both;

    (b) Businesses which are engaged in the manufacture or

distribution, or both, of liquor or gaming devices; and

    (c) Such other businesses, trades and professions as may

be declared by ordinance to be privileged,

and regulations which prescribe the circumstances under and

the manner in which licenses with respect to those

establishments, businesses, trades and professions may be

denied, limited, suspended or revoked.

    Sec. 21.  Section 2.140 of the Charter of the City of North Las

Vegas, being chapter 573, Statutes of Nevada 1971, at page 1215, is

hereby amended to read as follows:

    Sec. 2.140  Powers of City Council: Licensing,

regulation and prohibition of businesses, trades and

professions.

    1.  The City Council may:

    (a) [Regulate] Except as otherwise provided in section 9

of this act, regulate all businesses, trades and professions.

    (b) Fix, impose and collect a license fee for revenue upon

all businesses, trades and professions.

    2.  The City Council may establish any equitable

standard to be used in fixing license fees required to be

collected pursuant to this section.

    Sec. 22.  Section 2.140 of the Charter of the City of Reno,

being chapter 662, Statutes of Nevada 1971, as last amended by

chapter 416, Statutes of Nevada 2001, at page 2105, is hereby

amended to read as follows:

    Sec. 2.140  General powers of City Council.

    1.  Except as otherwise provided in subsection 2 and

section 2.150, the City Council may:

    (a) Acquire, control, improve and dispose of any real or

personal property for the use of the City, its residents and

visitors.

    (b) [Regulate] Except as otherwise provided in section 9

of this act, regulate and impose a license tax for revenue

upon all businesses, trades and professions.

    (c) Provide or grant franchises for public transportation

and utilities.


    (d) Appropriate money for advertising and publicity and

for the support of a municipal band.

    (e) Enact and enforce any police, fire, traffic, health,

sanitary or other measure which does not conflict with the

general laws of the State of Nevada. An offense that is made

a misdemeanor by the laws of the State of Nevada shall also

be deemed to be a misdemeanor against the City whenever

the offense is committed within the City.

    (f) Fix the rate to be paid for any utility service provided

by the City as a public enterprise. Any charges due for

services, facilities or commodities furnished by any utility

owned by the City is a lien upon the property to which the

service is rendered and is perfected by filing with the County

Recorder a statement by the City Clerk of the amount due and

unpaid and describing the property subject to the lien. Any

such lien is:

        (1) Coequal with the latest lien upon the property to

secure the payment of general taxes.

        (2) Not subject to extinguishment by the sale of any

property on account of the nonpayment of general taxes.

        (3) Prior and superior to all liens, claims,

encumbrances and titles other than the liens of assessments

and general taxes.

    2.  The City Council:

    (a) Shall not sell telecommunications service to the

general public.

    (b) May purchase or construct facilities for providing

telecommunications that intersect with public rights of way if

the governing body:

        (1) Conducts a study to evaluate the costs and benefits

associated with purchasing or constructing the facilities; and

        (2) Determines from the results of the study that the

purchase or construction is in the interest of the general

public.

    3.  Any information relating to the study conducted

pursuant to subsection 2 must be maintained by the City

Clerk and made available for public inspection during the

business hours of the Office of the City Clerk.

    4.  Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of

subsection 2, an airport may sell telecommunications service

to the general public.

    5.  As used in this section:

    (a) “Telecommunications” has the meaning ascribed to it

in 47 U.S.C. § 153(43), as that section existed on July 16,

1997.


    (b) “Telecommunications service” has the meaning

ascribed to it in 47 U.S.C. § 153(46), as that section existed

on July 16, 1997.

    Sec. 23.  Section 2.090 of the Charter of the City of Sparks,

being chapter 470, Statutes of Nevada 1975, as last amended by

chapter 129, Statutes of Nevada 1993, at page 230, is hereby

amended to read as follows:

    Sec. 2.090  Powers of City Council: General areas.  

The City Council may exercise any power specifically

granted in this Charter or by any of the provisions of Nevada

Revised Statutes not in conflict with this Charter, in order to:

    1.  [License] Except as otherwise provided in section 9

of this act, license all businesses, trades and professions for

purposes of regulation and revenue.

    2.  Enact and enforce fire ordinances.

    3.  Regulate the construction and maintenance of any

building or other structure within the City.

    4.  Provide for safeguarding of public health in the City.

    5.  Zone and plan the City, including the regulation of

subdivision of land, as prescribed by chapter 278 of NRS.

    6.  Acquire, control, lease, dedicate, sell and convey

rights of way, parks and other real property.

    7.  Regulate vehicular traffic and parking of vehicles.

    8.  Establish and maintain a sanitary sewer system.

    9.  Condemn property within the territorial limits of the

City, as well as property outside the territorial limits of the

City, in the manner prescribed by chapter 37 of NRS.

    10.  Regulate, prescribe the location for, prohibit or

suppress all businesses selling alcoholic liquors at wholesale

or retail.

    11.  Regulate, prescribe the location for, prohibit or

suppress gaming of all kinds.

    Sec. 24.  Section 2.150 of the Charter of the City of Wells,

being chapter 275, Statutes of Nevada 1971, at page 463, is hereby

amended to read as follows:

    Sec. 2.150  Powers of Board of Councilmen: Licensing,

regulation and prohibition of businesses, trades and

professions.

    1.  The Board of Councilmen may:

    (a) [Regulate] Except as otherwise provided in section 9

of this act, regulate all businesses, trades and professions.

    (b) Fix, impose and collect a license tax for revenue upon

all businesses, trades and professions.

    2.  No person licensed by an agency of the State of

Nevada to practice any trade or profession except gaming

may be denied a license to conduct his profession.


    3.  The Board of Councilmen may establish any equitable

standard to be used in fixing license taxes required to be

collected pursuant to this section.

    Sec. 25.  Section 2.140 of the Charter of the City of Yerington,

being chapter 465, Statutes of Nevada 1971, at page 906, is hereby

amended to read as follows:

    Sec. 2.140  Powers of City Council: Licensing,

regulation and prohibition of businesses, trades and

professions.

    1.  The City Council may:

    (a) [Regulate] Except as otherwise provided in section 9

of this act, regulate all businesses, trades and professions.

    (b) Fix, impose and collect a license tax for revenue upon

all businesses, trades and professions.

    2.  The City Council may establish any equitable standard to be

used in fixing license taxes required to be collected pursuant to this

section.

    Sec. 26.  The amendatory provisions of sections 1 to 9,

inclusive, of this act do not apply to a loan that is entered into before

October 1, 2003.

 

20~~~~~03