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AB 154

Relating to: use of certified seed potatoes in planting potatoes and providing a penalty. (FE)

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Jill Billings and 7 co-sponsors

Creates Nevada Office of the Inspector General to audit, investigate and review state/local programs, detect fraud, waste and abuse, with whistleblower protections.

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Bill Summary · AB 154

AB 154 — Creates the Nevada Office of the Inspector General (BDR 18‑334)

Status: Chaptered — Approved by Governor (Chapter 609, Statutes of 2025). Enacted October 11, 2025.

Main purpose

Establish an independent Nevada Office of the Inspector General (OIG) to audit, inspect, investigate, and review state and local government programs and operations with the goal of detecting and preventing fraud, waste, abuse, corruption, and other improper activities.

Key provisions and changes

  • Creates a new chapter in Title 18 NRS establishing the Nevada Office of the Inspector General (sections 2–17).
  • Office composition and appointment
    • The Office consists of the Inspector General (IG) and employees.
    • Governor appoints the IG to a 4‑year term (from a list of 3 candidates submitted by the Legislative Commission). IG may be reappointed. Appointment required on or before December 1, 2025.
    • IG must appoint a deputy inspector general and a special counsel (unclassified service); may hire classified staff and contract for professional services within available funds.
  • Powers, duties and reporting
    • IG administers statutory provisions governing the Office, conducts audits, investigations, inspections, and reviews.
    • IG must submit findings, conclusions, and recommendations to the Governor and Director of the Legislative Counsel Bureau at least quarterly or on request.
    • IG authorized to issue subpoenas.
  • Hotline and confidentiality
    • Transfers responsibility for a statewide telephone number (to receive information about abuse, fraud, waste) from the Division of Internal Audits to the IG.
    • Confidentiality protections for investigative records and whistleblower identities; annual OIG reports generally public.
  • Oversight and standards
    • Legislative Auditor must review a representative sample of OIG work for conformance with professional standards at least once every 3 years.
    • IG to receive reports from the Director of the Office of Finance regarding internal accounting and administrative controls.
  • Enforcement, protections, and personnel authority
    • Prohibits retaliation against persons who lawfully report fraud, waste, abuse or corruption; retaliation is a category E felony.
    • Willfully preventing or impeding IG duties is a category E felony.
    • Makes it a category E felony to use force or threats to prevent the IG or OIG employee from performing duties.
    • Increases penalties for assault or battery against the IG or OIG employees.
    • Investigators employed by the OIG are designated category II peace officers.
  • Finance
    • Creates the Nevada Office of the Inspector General’s Fund as a special revenue fund (no reversion to State General Fund).

Who is affected

  • All state agencies and local governments (must cooperate with OIG requests for assistance).
  • State and local employees, contractors, and entities subject to OIG audits/investigations.
  • Whistleblowers and persons reporting suspected misuse of public funds — receive confidentiality and criminal‑retaliation protections.
  • Counties/cities may see increased jail or detention exposure due to elevated felony/penalty provisions (per fiscal note).

Procedural / timeline notes

  • The bill requires the Governor to appoint the Inspector General by December 1, 2025.
  • The OIG is established immediately upon enactment (chaptered Oct 11, 2025). Subsequent duties, hiring, rulemaking and transfers (e.g., hotline) follow as the Office becomes operational and within available funding.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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