A code of ethical standards is hereby established to govern the conduct of public officers and employees:
1. A public officer or employee shall not seek or accept any gift, service, favor, employment, engagement, emolument or economic opportunity, for the public officer or employee or any person to whom the public officer or employee has a commitment in a private capacity, which would tend improperly to influence a reasonable person in the public officer’s or employee’s position to depart from the faithful and impartial discharge of the public officer’s or employee’s public duties.
2. A public officer or employee shall not use the public officer’s or employee’s position in government to secure or grant unwarranted privileges, preferences, exemptions or advantages for the public officer or employee, any business entity in which the public officer or employee has a significant pecuniary interest or any person to whom the public officer or employee has a commitment in a private capacity. As used in this subsection, "unwarranted" means without justification or adequate reason.
3. A public officer or employee shall not participate as an agent of government in the negotiation or execution of a contract between the government and the public officer or employee, any business entity in which the public officer or employee has a significant pecuniary interest or any person to whom the public officer or employee has a commitment in a private capacity.
4. A public officer or employee shall not accept any salary, retainer, augmentation, expense allowance or other compensation from any private source, for the public officer or employee or any person to whom the public officer or employee has a commitment in a private capacity, for the performance of the public officer’s or employee’s duties as a public officer or employee.
5. If a public officer or employee acquires, through the public officer’s or employee’s public duties or relationships, any information which by law or practice is not at the time available to people generally, the public officer or employee shall not use the information to further a significant pecuniary interest of the public officer or employee or any other person or business entity.
6. A public officer or employee shall not suppress any governmental report or other official document because it might tend to affect unfavorably a significant pecuniary interest of the public officer or employee or any person to whom the public officer or employee has a commitment in a private capacity.
7. Except for State Legislators who are subject to the restrictions set forth in subsection 8, a public officer or employee shall not use governmental time, property, equipment or other facility to benefit a significant personal or pecuniary interest of the public officer or employee or any person to whom the public officer or employee has a commitment in a private capacity. This subsection does not prohibit:
(a) A limited use of governmental property, equipment or other facility for personal purposes if:
(1) The public officer or employee who is responsible for and has authority to authorize the use of such property, equipment or other facility has established a policy allowing the use or the use is necessary as a result of emergency circumstances;
(2) The use does not interfere with the performance of the public officer’s or employee’s public duties;
(3) The cost or value related to the use is nominal; and
(4) The use does not create the appearance of impropriety;
(b) The use of mailing lists, computer data or other information lawfully obtained from a governmental agency which is available to members of the general public for nongovernmental purposes; or
(c) The use of telephones or other means of communication if there is not a special charge for that use.
If a governmental agency incurs a cost as a result of a use that is authorized pursuant to this subsection or would ordinarily charge a member of the general public for the use, the public officer or employee shall promptly reimburse the cost or pay the charge to the governmental agency.
8. A State Legislator shall not:
(a) Use governmental time, property, equipment or other facility for a nongovernmental purpose or for the private benefit of the State Legislator or any other person. This paragraph does not prohibit:
(1) A limited use of state property and resources for personal purposes if:
(I) The use does not interfere with the performance of the State Legislator’s public duties;
(II) The cost or value related to the use is nominal; and
(III) The use does not create the appearance of impropriety;
(2) The use of mailing lists, computer data or other information lawfully obtained from a governmental agency which is available to members of the general public for nongovernmental purposes; or
(3) The use of telephones or other means of communication if there is not a special charge for that use.
(b) Require or authorize a legislative employee, while on duty, to perform personal services or assist in a private activity, except:
(1) In unusual and infrequent situations where the employee’s service is reasonably necessary to permit the State Legislator or legislative employee to perform that person’s official duties; or
(2) Where such service has otherwise been established as legislative policy.
9. A public officer or employee shall not attempt to benefit a significant personal or pecuniary interest of the public officer or employee or any person to whom the public officer or employee has a commitment in a private capacity through the influence of a subordinate.
10. A public officer or employee shall not seek other employment or contracts for the public officer or employee or any person to whom the public officer or employee has a commitment in a private capacity through the use of the public officer’s or employee’s official position.
(Added to NRS by 1977, 1105; A 1987, 2094; 1991, 1595; 1993, 2243; 1997, 3324; 1999, 2736; 2003, 3388; 2009, 1053; 2013, 3771; 2017, 2493)
Structure Nevada Revised Statutes
Chapter 281A - Ethics in Government
NRS 281A.020 - Legislative findings and declarations.
NRS 281A.032 - "Adjudicatory hearing" defined.
NRS 281A.033 - "Advisory opinion" defined.
NRS 281A.035 - "Agency" defined.
NRS 281A.040 - "Business entity" defined.
NRS 281A.050 - "Candidate" defined.
NRS 281A.060 - "Commission" defined.
NRS 281A.065 - "Commitment in a private capacity" defined.
NRS 281A.070 - "Compensation" defined.
NRS 281A.080 - "Decision" defined.
NRS 281A.081 - "Declaration of candidacy" defined.
NRS 281A.082 - "Deferral agreement" defined.
NRS 281A.085 - "Domestic partner" defined.
NRS 281A.086 - "Domestic partnership" defined.
NRS 281A.088 - "Ethics complaint" defined.
NRS 281A.090 - "Executive Director" defined.
NRS 281A.100 - "Household" defined.
NRS 281A.105 - "Intentionally" defined.
NRS 281A.115 - "Knowingly" defined.
NRS 281A.119 - "Local agency" defined.
NRS 281A.125 - "Member of a local legislative body" defined.
NRS 281A.135 - "Opinion" defined.
NRS 281A.139 - "Pecuniary interest" defined.
NRS 281A.145 - "Political subdivision" defined.
NRS 281A.150 - "Public employee" defined.
NRS 281A.160 - "Public officer" defined.
NRS 281A.161 - "Request for an advisory opinion" defined.
NRS 281A.162 - "Review panel" defined.
NRS 281A.163 - "State agency" defined.
NRS 281A.165 - "State Legislator" or "Legislator" defined.
NRS 281A.170 - "Willful violation" defined.
NRS 281A.185 - Abrogation of common-law privileges and immunities; exceptions.
NRS 281A.190 - Computation of time.
NRS 281A.210 - Chair; meetings; compensation; facilities.
NRS 281A.265 - Discretionary-function immunity for members and employees of Commission.
NRS 281A.275 - Authority to apply for and accept grants, contributions, services and money.
NRS 281A.280 - Jurisdiction; statute of limitations.
NRS 281A.350 - Establishment; functions; limitations on powers; confidentiality.
NRS 281A.400 - General requirements; exceptions.
NRS 281A.665 - Opinions of Commission may include guidance to public officer or employee.
NRS 281A.705 - Legal defense of state officer or employee subject to ethics complaint.
NRS 281A.735 - Inapplicability of Open Meeting Law to proceedings of review panel.
NRS 281A.760 - Inapplicability of Open Meeting Law to certain proceedings of Commission.