LEGISLATIVE BRIEFS

• A Senate panel heard testimony Wednesday on a bill to let police ticket cab passengers for not wearing seat belts, and also ticket cabbies who don't ensure that children riding in their taxis are buckled up.

Senate Bill 145 would make failure to wear seat belts in cabs a primary offense. Violators would be fined $25 for the first offense, and $50 for repeat offenses. The citations wouldn't count as moving violations. Cabbies also would have to post signs advising passengers they must wear seat belts.

• Measures enabling local governments to more easily raise taxes faced strong opposition Wednesday, while a plan to step up state debt collection efforts raised slim hopes for more revenue.

Representatives from Nevada counties argued during an Assembly Government Affairs Committee hearing they need to raise revenue, in part because the state has asked counties to pay for programs it can no longer support.

But lawmakers, who reviewed two tax-related bills, received hundreds of e-mails from constituents who said any tax increase could put them over the edge.

Assembly Bill 67 would let county commissioners, by a two-thirds vote, increase property taxes by 10 cents for every $100 of assessed valuation to pay the cost of public safety, health and welfare services.

Also, counties could raise taxes beyond the capped amount of $3.64 for each $100 of assessed property value.

Wes Henderson of the Nevada Association of Counties said Washoe and White Pine counties, already tax at the maximum amount.