Internet sales safe zone bill close to becoming Nevada law
CARSON CITY — The Senate Government Affairs committee on Wednesday unanimously passed a bill that requires cities and counties to designate safe sites for people to complete online sales.
Assembly Bill 297 is intended to increase the safety for people meeting strangers to conduct transactions that begin from internet advertisements on Craigslist and similar websites.
The bill’s sponsor, Assemblywoman Sandra Jauregui, D-Las Vegas, cited examples of crimes when people have met to complete transactions, including one in Sparks where a woman was nearly sexually assaulted.
Cities and counties in Ohio, Florida and South Carolina have set up such safe zones.
The bill provides legal immunity to cities, counties, law enforcement agencies if an incident happens during the meetings. The bill has the support of local government agencies, including the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Clark County and Henderson.
The bill has unanimously passed the Assembly and next goes to the full Senate for a vote.
Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 775-461-0661. Follow @BenBotkin1 on Twitter.