Guinn signs Internet predator bill

A bill tightening laws dealing with predatory activity on the Internet has been signed into law by Nevada Gov. Kenny Guinn.

SB300 was pushed by Attorney General Brian Sandoval's office during legislative hearings that focused on the need to help police deal with obscene material sent over the Internet.

Chief Deputy Attorney General Kevin Higgins told lawmakers that current law makes it illegal to send such materials to minors, but the law is tough to enforce due to the subjectivity of the term "obscenity."

The new law changes "obscene" to "material that is harmful to minors."

Another provision updates Nevada law to keep it in line with a congressional act that lets police subpoena records from Internet service providers.

Also signed Tuesday were:

--AB253, sending $71.75 million in state revenue to public schools. The money covers an expected shortfall in state sales tax revenue that school districts will endure during the current fiscal year, which ends June 30.

Under Nevada law, the state must make up shortfalls to the schools when sales taxes don't reach projections made by the state's Economic Forum.

--AB105, which allows parolees to earn good-time credit while on the street. The new law grants 10 days of credit for each month people are in compliance with their parole requirements. The parolees must also be up to date in payment of fees to defray the costs of state supervision, as well as any court-ordered restitution.

Proponents of the law say it will encourage inmates to behave properly while on parole, and encourage them to make their required payments.

--AB74, which sets up a funding mechanism for programs to clean up polluted industrial sites known as brownfields.

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