Existing law provides that in any county for all or part of which a streets and highways plan has been adopted as a part of the master plan by the county or regional planning commission, the board of county commissioners may by ordinance create a regional transportation commission. A commission may perform certain duties prescribed by law, such as operating a system of public transportation within its area of jurisdiction and using streets, roads, highways and other public rights-of-way for public transportation. (NRS 277A.170, 277A.270) Section 1 of this bill requires a regional transportation commission in a county whose population is 100,000 or more (currently Clark and Washoe Counties) to: (1) take certain actions to mitigate safety risks to transit operators, including, without limitation, installing and maintaining appropriate infrastructure and technology designed to mitigate safety risks to transit operators such as the use of barriers, panic buttons and other technology; and (2) install and maintain appropriate signage informing the public about the criminal penalties for certain crimes committed against transit operators or the public.
Existing law establishes an increased penalty for assault or battery committed upon a transit operator, which is defined as a person who operates a bus or other vehicle as part of a public mass transportation system, if the transit operator is performing his or her duty and the person charged knew or should have known that the victim was a transit operator. (NRS 200.471, 200.481) Section 2 of this bill: (1) authorizes a governmental entity that operates a public mass transportation system to petition the district court for a public transportation trespass order against a person who has been convicted of assault or battery against a transit operator; (2) sets forth requirements for the issuance, modification and termination of such an order; and (3) provides that violation of such an order is a misdemeanor.