John Wilkerson of the Associated Press writes about Nevada Assembly Bill 282 in this article published in the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Excerpt:
CARSON CITY — A bill allowing police officers to decline lie detector tests when they’re accused of something was challenged Wednesday by a legislator who said lawmakers would be fools to approve it.
Assemblyman Wendell Williams, D-Las Vegas, said during an Assembly Government Affairs meeting on Assembly Bill 283 [sic, correct 282] that he would only consider voting for the measure if it’s amended to give the same rights of refusal to all citizens.
Williams added that citizens might not be required to take polygraph tests when they file complaints against police — but if they refuse, their complaint carries little weight.
The bill, introduced by Assembly Government Affairs Chairman Doug Bache, D-Las Vegas, would let officers refuse lie detector tests and prohibit internal affairs investigators from noting their refusal in later court reports.
“Polygraphs are Ouija Boards,” said Gary Wolff of the Nevada Highway Patrol Association, arguing for the bill. “Criminals have passed these things, and innocent people have failed them.”