Senate Bill No. 476–Committee on Transportation

 

CHAPTER..........

 

AN ACT relating to taxicabs; revising the provisions governing service as a member of the Taxicab Authority; increasing the amount of petty cash available for the support of undercover investigations conducted by the Taxicab Authority; revising the requirement for a physician’s certificate for employment as a driver of a taxicab; 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. NRS 706.8818 is hereby amended to read as

follows:

    706.8818  1.  [A] The Taxicab Authority, consisting of five

members appointed by the Governor, is hereby created. [No] Except

as otherwise provided in NRS 232A.020, the term of each member

is 3 years and no member may serve for more than 6 years. No

more than three members may be members of the same political

party, and no elected officer of the State or any political subdivision

is eligible for appointment.

    2.  Each member of the Taxicab Authority is entitled to receive

a salary of not more than $80, as fixed by the Authority, for each

day actually employed on work of the Authority.

    3.  While engaged in the business of the Taxicab Authority,

each member and employee of the Authority is entitled to receive

the per diem allowance and travel expenses provided for state

officers and employees generally.

    4.  The Taxicab Authority shall maintain its principal office in

the county or area of the State where it performs most of its

regulatory activity.

    5.  The Taxicab Authority may adopt appropriate regulations

for the administration and enforcement of NRS 706.881 to 706.885,

inclusive, and , as it may deem necessary, for the conduct of the

taxicab business and for the qualifications of and the issuance of

permits to taxicab drivers, not inconsistent with the provisions of

NRS 706.881 to 706.885, inclusive. The regulations may include

different provisions to allow for differences among the counties to

which NRS 706.881 to 706.885, inclusive, apply. Local law

enforcement agencies and the Nevada Highway Patrol, upon request

of the Authority, may assist in enforcing the provisions of NRS

706.881 to 706.885, inclusive, and regulations adopted pursuant

thereto.

    6.  Except to the extent of any inconsistency with the provisions

of NRS 706.881 to 706.885, inclusive, every regulation and order

issued by the Transportation Services Authority remains effective in

a county to which those sections apply until modified or rescinded

by the Taxicab Authority, and must be enforced by the Taxicab

Authority.

    Sec. 2.  NRS 706.8825 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    706.8825  1.  All fees collected pursuant to NRS 706.881 to

706.885, inclusive, must be deposited by the Administrator to the

credit of the Taxicab Authority Fund, which is hereby created as a

special revenue fund. The transactions for each county subject to

those sections must be accounted for separately within the Fund.

    2.  The interest and income earned on the money in the Fund,

after deducting any applicable charges, must be credited to the

Fund.

    3.  The revenues received pursuant to subsection 1 of NRS

706.8826 are hereby appropriated to defray the cost of regulating

taxicabs in the county or the city, respectively, making the deposit

under that subsection.

    4.  The fees received pursuant to subsection 3 of NRS

706.8826, NRS 706.8827, 706.8841 , 706.8848, 706.8849 and

[706.8848 to 706.885, inclusive,] 706.885 are hereby appropriated

to defray the cost of regulating taxicabs in the county in which the

certificate holder operates a taxicab business.

    5.  Any balance remaining in the Fund does not revert to the

State General Fund. The Administrator may transfer to the Aging

Services Division of the Department of Human Resources any

balance over $200,000 and any interest earned on the Fund, within

the limits of legislative authorization for each fiscal year, to

subsidize transportation for the elderly and the permanently

handicapped in taxicabs. The money transferred to the Aging

Services Division must be administered in accordance with

regulations adopted by the Administrator of the Aging Services

Division pursuant to NRS 427A.070.

    6.  The Administrator may establish an Account for Petty Cash

not to exceed [$1,000] $2,000 for the support of undercover

investigation, and, if the Account is created, the Administrator shall

reimburse the Account from the Taxicab Authority Fund in the same

manner as other claims against the State are paid.

    Sec. 3.  NRS 706.8842 is hereby amended to read as follows:

    706.8842  1.  Before applying to a certificate holder for

employment as a driver, a person [shall] must obtain a physician’s

certificate with two copies thereof from a physician who is licensed

to practice in the State of Nevada.

    2.  A physician shall issue the certificate and copies described

in subsection 1 if he finds that a prospective driver meets the health

requirements established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety

Regulations, 49 C.F.R. §§ 391.41 et seq.

    3.  The certificate described in subsection 1 must state that the

physician has examined the prospective driver and has found that he

meets the health requirements described in subsection 2. The

certificate must be signed and dated by the physician.

    4.  The physician’s certificate required by this section expires

[3] 2 years after the date of issuance and may be renewed.

    Sec. 4.  This act becomes effective upon passage and approval.

 

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