Reno Sparks Chamber of Commerce

Testimony Before the 2009 Legislature
  • Mergers and Acquisitions.  The Chamber testified against AB 95 on Feb. 4 before the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee, arguing that the bill would give the Attorney General’s office excessive power.
  • Rainy Day Fund. On Feb. 23, the Chamber testified in favor of AB 165, Speaker Buckley’s bill to require funding of the Rainy Day Fund, before the Assembly Ways & Means Committee.
  • Public Employee Benefits Reform. Jack Eastwick (Expert System Consultants), Dave Allen (Moana Nursery) and Tray Abney (Chamber) testified on the need for reforms to address unfunded liabilities in the area of public employee benefits, before on the Senate Government Affairs Committee on Feb. 25.
  • Staffing Requirements. The Chamber testified on Feb. 26 against AB 138 before the Assembly Transportation Committee. The bill would specify staffing requirements on a particular industry (in this case, railroads).
  • Long-Term Budget Reforms. On March 5, the Chamber urged the Joint Senate and Assembly Tax Committees to pursue long-term spending reforms before asking the business community, in the face of a deep recession and surging unemployment, to pay higher taxes.
  • Marriage License Fees. During a March 9 hearing on SB 14 in the Senate Finance Committee, the Chamber testified in favor of an amendment offered by our wedding chapel members.
  • K-12 Resereve Account for Education. The Chamber testified in support of a proposed K-12 reserve account for education funds (SB 150) before the Senate Finance Committee on March 9.
  • Mandated Health Benefits. Valerie Clark (Clark and Associates) testified against AB 162 in the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee on March 9. The bill would force small employers who do not participate in self-insured ERISA plans to provide coverage for autism – a benefit that other public and private sector health plans are not required to provide.
  • Unclaimed Property. The Chamber urged the Senate Judiciary Committee to pass an amendment to SB 167, a bill regarding unclaimed property, on March 11.
  • Mandated Health Benefits. The Chamber testified on March 11 against AB 167 before the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee. The bill would mandate that all insurance policies cover acupuncture. Mandated benefits drive up health costs and drive down health coverage.
  • Water.  The Chamber on March 16 testified against AB 119 in the Assembly Government Affairs Committee. The bill would implement the anti-growth WC-3 ballot measure that passed in November 2008.
  • Tax Policy.  On March 17, the Chamber opposed AB 255 and AB 277, bills that would dramatically increase the excise taxes on cigarettes and alcohol, respectively.  The Chamber believes that there should be a nexus between any tax and the purpose for that tax and that no industry should be singled out for the entire burden of a specific tax.
  • Lawsuits and Insurance Costs.  The Chamber opposed AB 224 in the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee hearing on March 18.  The bill invites controversy by introducing confusing language and would entitle lawyers to sue insurance companies for fees "without limitation."  Increased legal fees paid by insurance companies would be borne by all Nevada consumers and businesses.
  • Business Portal.  The Chamber strongly supported AB 146 in the Assembly Taxation Committee on March 19.  This bill will allow the Secretary of State to set up a one-stop-shop, where business owners will be able to take care of all of their state and local paperwork, permits, and fees on one website.
  • Tax Fairness.  Also on March 19 in Assembly Taxation, the Chamber testified in support of AB 275, which would repeal the higher payroll taxes that banks in Nevada pay and the $7000 dollar per-branch fee assessed on them.  The bill would allow banks to pay the same payroll tax that every other business in the state pays.  The Chamber believes that no specific industry should be singled out and penalized.
  • Protection Against Tax Increases. On March 25, the Chamber testified against SB 264. This bill would allow local governments, including counties, cities, and school districts, to increase taxes without having to get approval from the Legislature. The Chamber’s position is that a decision made by one local government can have unintended consequences for the rest of the state and the state’s general fund. There needs to be some type of ultimate authority on tax policy.
  • Chamber Fights for Highway Funding. The Chamber, along with Mayors Bob Caashell and Gino Martini, and Commissioner John Breternitz, strongly supported SB 201 in the Senate Taxation Committee on March 26. This bill would implement the voter-approved RTC-5 ballot measure and would create 3,000 jobs in our community.
  • The Rising Cost of Insurance for Small Businesses. AB 365 was heard in the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee on March 30 and was opposed by the Chamber. This is another insurance mandate bill that does not apply to large businesses with self-funded plans. AB 365 would require all small business insurance policies to cover treatment for eating disorders.
  • Court Costs and Attorney Fees. The Chamber opposed AB 381 on March 30 in the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee. This bill would do away with binding arbitration in various consumer contracts and would lead to attorney fees and court costs.
  • Prevailing Wage. The Chamber testified in strong support of AB 298 in front of the Assembly Government Affairs on March 31. This bill would make much-needed and long-overdue changes to the prevailing wage structure in this state by ensuring that more money actually goes to the laborer, more schools can be built, and more of your tax dollars are spent appropriately.
  • Public Employee Benefit Reform. The Chamber testified in strong support of SB 367 in front of the Senate Finance Committee on April 3. This bill was introduced by the Governor and implements reforms to the PERS system that were suggested by the SAGE Commission. It helps to ensure that our public employee benefits are brought more in line with private sector standards and ensures future funding for the system. The Chamber reiterated that this is a long-term spending reform that should be implemented before any taxes are increased.
  • Unionizing State Employees. On April 3, the Chamber appeared before the Assembly Government Affairs Committee to speak in opposition to AB 395. That bill would allow state employees to join unions, although they could not bargain over wages. The Chamber is opposed to public employee collective bargaining agreements and feels that this bill is a first step toward that goal.
  • Prevailing Wages Used to Determine Prevailing Wage. In the Senate Government Affairs Committee on April 3, the Chamber opposed SB 376. This bill would clarify that public construction projects are to be considered in the prevailing wage formula. The Chamber is opposed to all prevailing wage laws and believes that only private projects should be used to calculate the prevailing wage.
  • SAGE Commission for Education. The Senate Health and Education Committee held a hearing on April 3 on SB 275, which would create a separate spending and efficiency committee that will be charged with investigating our K-12 and higher education systems. This Chamber has strongly supported the SAGE Commission's efforts and we testified in favor of this important next step.
  • Kick Our Doctors Out of Nevada. The Chamber joined a large group of doctors and employers in opposing AB 495 on April 6 in the Assembly Judiciary Committee. This bill would roll back the medical malpractice reforms approved by almost 60% of Nevada voters in 2004 and allow more lawsuits to be filed against doctors. The Chamber is opposed to any bill that threatens to increase the costs of providing health insurance and therefore increases the chance of more uninsured or unemployed people.
  • Eliminating Exclusive Remedy in Workers Comp Law. AB 511, heard in the Assembly Commerce and Labor Committee on April 6, would drastically change Nevada's workers comp system by getting rid of our "exclusive remedy" system and allowing employees to sue for bad faith. The Chamber testified that instead of making a change that could dramatically increase the cost of every employers' workers comp insurance, the Legislature should focus on strengthening our regulatory agencies and putting teeth into the law to take care of the few bad actors.
  • Shifting the Burden of Proof on Workers Comp Claims. The Chamber opposed SB 366 on April 8 in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee. The original bill would have required the employer to prove than an employee’s injury did not happen at work, shifting the burden of proof from the employee. The bill was amended in Committee, but failed to pass.
  • Banning Plastic Bags. SB 397 would force retailers to charge 10 cents per plastic bag that they give to customers and would ban the use of all non-biodegradable plastic bags by 2013. The Chamber testified against this assault on consumer choice and grocery prices on April 8 in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee.
  • Tax on Trucks. On April 9, the Senate Taxation Committee held a hearing on SB 368. The original bill would have imposed a weight-distance tax of 12 cents per mile on all trucks over 55,000 pounds, but the sponsor amended the bill to include only a 12 cent increase in the diesel tax and study of the weight-distance tax. The Chamber opposed this bill and is opposed to any new tax that singles out a specific industry, especially one that would make all of our goods more expensive to consume.
  • Study of Nevada’s Tax Structure. On April 13, the Senate Finance Committee took testimony on SB 399, which would authorize a study of Nevada’s tax structure. The study would include the allocation of revenues between the state and local governments and between the local governments themselves. The Chamber testified in support of this measure and reiterated the importance of the SAGE Commission in this process.
  • SAGE Advice for Our Education System. The Senate Finance Committee heard SB 275 on April 22. This is the bill that was previously heard in the Senate Health and Education Committee and would create a separate spending and efficiency committee that will be charged with investigating our K-12 and higher education systems. This Chamber has strongly supported the SAGE Commission's efforts and we testified again in favor of this important next step.
  • Gutting Exclusive Remedy. AB 511, heard in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee on April 22, would drastically change Nevada’s workers comp system by getting rid of our “exclusive remedy” system and allowing employees to sue for bad faith. The Chamber repeated its testimony from the Assembly and stated that instead of making a change that could dramatically increase the cost of every employers’ workers comp insurance, the Legislature should focus on strengthening our regulatory agencies and putting teeth into the law to take care of the few bad actors.
  • Autism Mandate Discriminates Against Small Businesses. The Chamber once again testified against AB 162 on May 1, this time in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee. This bill has been changed to exclude all large ERISA health plans, all Taft-Hartley labor union plans, all Medicaid recipients, and all state and local government employees. The only ones left holding the bag are small-business owners. The Chamber opposes all new health care mandates, especially ones that target only one portion of our membership and do not even cover a majority of those diagnosed with the problem, as AB 162 does.
  • Enhanced Collection of Fines. One of the Chamber's identified long-term spending reforms is the enhanced collection of uncollected fines and fees owed to our state and local governments. On May 6, the Chamber testified in support of AB 271 before the Senate Judiciary Committee. That bill would implement a more structured process for collecting fines owed by convicted persons by ensuring that our various agencies work together, using private sector collection methods, to enhance collection of those fines.
  • Opposition to Prevailing Wage. The Chamber repeated its opposition to prevailing wage laws in front of the Senate Government Affairs Committee on May 6. The Chamber testified against AB 467, which would expand the type of construction projects on which prevailing wage would have to be paid.
  • Additional Hurdles to Debt Collection. The Senate Judiciary Committee heard AB 491 on May 7. That bill would allow debtors to exempt even more money in their bank accounts from collection by creditors. The Chamber pointed out that these types of laws affect all kinds of businesses, even our small members who extend credit to their customers. We expressed our concern about the potential for debtors to hide what should be non-exempt money in several different bank accounts.
  • Banning Binding Arbitration. The Chamber once-again opposed AB 381 on May 11 in the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee. This bill would do away with binding arbitration in various consumer contracts, including insurance policies, and would lead to attorney fees and court costs.
  • Chamber Continues Fight For Highway Funding. The Chamber, along with Mayor Geno Martini, Norm Dianda of Q&D Construction, and Skip Daily with the Laborers union, strongly supported SB 201 in the Assembly Transportation Committee on May 12. This bill would implement the voter-approved RTC-5 ballot measure and would create 3,000 jobs in our community.
  • Making Nevada a Logistics Hub. On May 12, the Chamber testified in support of ACR 30 in the Assembly Elections, Procedures, and Ethics Committee. Speaker Barbara Buckley’s bill would authorize a study on the feasibility, impediments, and opportunities of creating logistics centers and hubs in Nevada.
  • Unionizing State Employees. On May 13, the Chamber appeared before the Senate Legislative Operations and Elections Committee to speak in opposition to AB 395. That bill would allow state employees to join unions, although they could not bargain over wages. The Chamber is opposed to public employee collective bargaining agreements and feels that this bill is a first step toward that goal.
  • The Tax Man Cometh. The Legislature finally got around to the subject of tax increases on May 14, when the Assembly and Senate Taxation Committees met in a joint session to discuss further bifurcation of the payroll tax. The plan is to give every business a tax cut on the first $250,000 in annual payroll, while increasing the tax to an as-yet undetermined amount on payroll above that figure. The Chamber was one of only two business groups that stepped up to the table and opposed any tax increases until long-term spending reforms are implemented.
  • Sunset Commission. The Legislature finally got around to the subject of tax increases on May 14, when the Assembly and Senate Taxation Committees met in a joint session to discuss further bifurcation of the payroll tax. The plan is to give every business a tax cut on the first $250,000 in annual payroll, while increasing the tax to an as-yet undetermined amount on payroll above that figure. The Chamber was one of only two business groups that stepped up to the table and opposed any tax increases until long-term spending reforms are implemented.
  • Binding Arbitration Moves Forward Despite Chamber's Opposition. The Senate Government Affairs Committee passed AB 395, the state employee collective bargaining bill, on May 15, despite the Chamber’s opposition. The Chamber remains opposed to public employee collective bargaining and believes that it will make the state hiring and firing process more cumbersome and expensive.
  • Another Attack on the Trucking Industry. In a meeting on May 15, the Senate Taxation Committee amended AB 235 to include the text of SB 201, which the Chamber supported, and a 7-cent increase in diesel fuel, which the Chamber opposed. The Chamber’s position on gas taxes is that all users of our roads and highways should pay for them, not only truckers. We are opposed to punishing a single-industry in our tax code.