Crossing The Las Vegas Strip? You Face Fine, Arrest If You Stop
It used to be that visiting Las Vegas would be a joy. Come to town, park for free, have a great meal at a decent price. There were no resort fees. Valet was free. It was heaven on Earth. Now we’ve gotten to the point where people crossing the Strip on one of the many pedestrian bridges can be fined or arrested for simply stopping.
It’s true. The Clark County Commission put down the law and finally dealt with those meddling pedestrians. Those legs better keep moving if they are crossing above the Las Vegas Strip. There is to be no stopping, standing or making other people stop on or near pedestrian bridges or any of the escalators, elevators or stairs connected to them. If you wanted to stop and stare at the beautiful city you’ve paid thousands to visit, you’ll have to do it up to 20 feet away from them.
What happens if you actually do stop or stand on a pedestrian bridge on the Las Vegas Strip?
The new ordinance, going into effect on January 16th, makes it a misdemeanor to do it. While the commission says stopping for a quick photo isn’t an issue, the rule is up to interpretation. You could be looking at a fine up to $1000 and/or up to six months in jail for violating it. Who determines when it has been too long? It’s up to the officer.
Wait, this can’t be Constitutional.
For the “Land Of The Free”, this is really sounding quite draconian. That’s how the American Civil Liberties Union sees it as well. A representative for the local chapter calls it “lunacy,” and the organization is weighing out legal options to reverse the ruling.
Chances are the ordinance has something to do with the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix and getting crowds in order who didn’t pay to see the race but wanted to get a view from the bridge above. Whatever the case, making “stopping” as a pedestrian a jailable offense is pretty next level.
7 New Laws In The State Of Nevada For 2024
SB330: Your Breast Cancer Screening Will Be Covered 100%
This seems like such a no brainer, and now it will be. Senate Bill 330 went into effect at midnight on January 1st. Now health insurance policies in the state will be required to provide coverage for breast cancer screening with no co-pays, deductibles or anything like that. Early detection is key, and there is no longer a financial burden to get that exam.
AB53: It'll Cost You A Lot More To Sell Cigarettes To Underage Smokers
Underage smoking has thankfully dropped pretty significantly in the last couple decades. The legal age rose from 18 to 21, but some stores were a little lax with their sale. With a written warning for the first two offenses and a $500 fine or every violation afterwards, there wasn’t a huge financial impact for breaking the rules.
That’s changing.
Now you’ll get fined $2500 for the very first violation. That doubles to $5000 for the second violation, and $7500 for the third. More than that? $10,000 each time you go over three violations within a two year period. Is it way pricier? Yes. Will it probably stop stores from being lax on their sales? Also, yes.
SB277: You Can Now Have Way More Weed
Grab a ton of packs of beer for your Super Bowl party and no one will bat a lash. Cannabis is treated a lot differently, and with this new law it’ll become a little more lax. Senate Bill 277 allows people to buy and have 2.5 ounces of the smelly green stuff. It used to be 1 ounce, so it is a considerable increase. Concentrate limits also doubled from 1/8th to 1/4th. Break out the lava lamps.
SB422: Your Food Delivery Robot Can't Be Porky And Fast
Why get off your keister and get your food when a helpful food delivery robot can bring the food to you. Senate Bill 422 makes it clear what these robots can do, how fast they can go and how much they can weigh. The “personal delivery device” can be up to 150 pounds and can travel as fast as 10 miles an hour. While it is allowed to drive on the sidewalk, it can’t “unreasonably interfere with pedestrians or vehicle traffic” so feel free to box out the robot for fun.
SB307 & AB286: Solitary Confinement Isn't Forever... And They Can Vote
Jails and prisons get a little love in the bill.
AB286 will require the state to allow jailed offenders to register to vote, and actually vote, while behind bars.
SB307 covers the bad boys and girls who might find themselves in solitary confinement. Prisoners can’t be in there for more than 15 days, and they can’t be in there if they are set to be released in a few months (or less). Plus, prisoners with major mental health issues are not permitted to be put in solitary unless a health care professional says it is necessary.
AB161: Your ID And Car Registration Will Let People Know You Have Communication Needs
Sometimes there are complications at traffic stops that can cause significant issues. Now those with communication issues (like the deaf, mute, etc) can opt in to having a special label on their driver’s license that will very officially tell an officer that you won’t be able to communicate as easily as others. Simple and helpful.
AB289: Your Dead Uncle Can Become A Tree
What are you going to do when you die? Get buried? Maybe you’ll be cremated? Well you can officially add a third option: human composting. This is the process of turning your body into soil. From that you could quite literally use your body to grow plants, trees and the like. Nevada is the 8th state to legalize it and it sounds pretty interesting.
