Legislators spotlighting outbreak

CARSON CITY -- Southern Nevadans can testify about their experiences with the hepatitis C outbreak during a special legislative meeting at 8 a.m. Saturday in room 4401 of the Sawyer Building in Las Vegas.

The Assembly Health and Human Services and the Senate Health and Education committees will hold the meeting to hear from residents and to discuss bills to prevent outbreaks.

Bills to be discussed include:

• Assembly Bill 10, which would prohibit discrimination against nurses who blow the whistle on unsafe medical practices.

• Assembly Bill 123, which would require physicians to acquire a permit and national accreditation before administering anesthesia at surgery centers.

• Senate Bill 70, which would require annual inspections of surgical centers, including unannounced inspections by the state Health Division.