Nevada Code § 41.0397

Prohibition against engaging in certain patterns or practices; investigation by Attorney General; civil action; venue; issuance of subpoenas; confidentiality of investigation; issuance of report by Attorney General; reprisal or retaliation prohibited; Attorney General required to participate and cooperate with federal investigation
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1. A state governmental authority, any agent
thereof or any person acting on behalf of a state governmental authority shall
not engage in a pattern or practice of conduct by peace officers, officials or
employees of any state law enforcement agency or officials or employees of any
governmental authority with responsibility for the administration of juvenile
justice or the detention of juveniles that deprives persons of rights,
privileges or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of
the United States or this State.
2. The Attorney General may investigate
any violation of subsection 1. If the Attorney General has reasonable cause to
believe that a violation of subsection 1 has occurred, the Attorney General
must, before filing a civil action, notify the governmental authority and
provide the factual basis that supports his or her reasonable cause to believe
that a violation of subsection 1 has occurred. The governmental authority may
respond to the notification at any time within 30 days after the date on which
the governmental authority receives the notification.
3. The Attorney General may, in accordance
with the requirements of this section, file a civil action against the
governmental authority, for or in the name of the State of Nevada:
(a) To obtain any and all appropriate equitable
and declaratory relief to eliminate the identified pattern or practice if the
Attorney General and the governmental authority cannot reach an agreement
regarding the course of action for the governmental authority to take to
remedy, change or eliminate the identified pattern or practice within 60 days
after the last day on which the governmental authority may respond to the
notification; or
(b) To enforce the terms of any such agreement
that is reached by the Attorney General and the governmental authority.
4. Any civil action filed by the Attorney
General pursuant to subsection 3 must be filed in the district court of the
county where the governmental authority maintains its headquarters.
5. For the purpose of carrying out an
investigation pursuant to the provisions of this section, the Attorney General
or his or her designee may issue a subpoena to compel the attendance or
testimony of a witness or the production of any relevant evidence, including,
without limitation, books, papers, documents, records, photographs, recordings,
reports and tangible objects maintained by the governmental authority. If a
witness refuses to attend, testify or produce materials as required by the
subpoena, the Attorney General may report to the district court by petition,
setting forth that:
(a) Due notice has been given of the time and
place of attendance or testimony of the witness or the production of materials;
(b) The witness has been subpoenaed pursuant to
this section; and
(c) The witness has failed or refused to attend,
testify or produce materials as required by the subpoena, or has refused to
answer questions propounded to him or her,
and asking
for an order of the court compelling the witness to attend, testify or produce
materials. Upon receipt of such a petition, the court shall enter an order
directing the witness to appear before the court at a time and place to be
fixed by the court in its order, the time to be not more than 10 days after the
date of the order, and then and there show cause why the witness has not
attended, testified or produced materials. A certified copy of the order must
be served upon the witness. If it appears to the court that the subpoena was
properly issued by the Attorney General or his or her designee, the court shall
enter an order that the witness appear at a time and place fixed in the order
and testify or produce materials, and that upon failure to obey the order, the
witness must be dealt with as for contempt of court.
6. Except as otherwise provided in NRS 239.0115 , the content of any
investigation, including, without limitation, the identity of a witness, any
procedure, testimony taken, document or other tangible evidence produced, or
any answer made under this section is confidential and not subject to
disclosure as a public book or record unless and until the filing of a civil
action pursuant to this section, except if:
(a) Confidentially is waived by the person upon
whom the investigative demand is made;
(b) Disclosure is authorized by the district
court; or
(c) Disclosure is made by a federal court or
federal agency.
7. At the conclusion of an investigation
by the Attorney General pursuant to this section, the Office of the Attorney
General shall issue:
(a) A report that includes a determination that
the governmental authority did not engage in a pattern or practice of conduct
that deprives persons of rights, privileges or immunities secured or protected
by the Constitution or laws of the United States or this State;
(b) A report that includes a determination that
the allegations that the governmental authority engaged in a pattern or
practice of conduct that deprives persons of rights, privileges or immunities
secured or protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States or this
State could not be substantiated; or
(c) A report that includes:
(1) A determination that the governmental
authority engaged in a pattern or practice of conduct that deprives persons of
rights, privileges or immunities secured or protected by the Constitution or
laws of the United States or this State; and
(2) The course of action mutually agreed
upon by the Attorney General and the governmental authority to remedy, change
or eliminate the identified pattern or practice, or a copy of the civil action
filed against the governmental authority pursuant to paragraph (a) of
subsection 3.
8. Any state officer, state employee,
local officer or local employee who discloses a pattern or practice of conduct
prohibited by subsection 1 must be afforded all protections against reprisal or
retaliation as provided by NRS 281.611 to 281.671 , inclusive.
9. In addition to the requirements set
forth in this section, the Attorney General shall participate and cooperate in
any investigation by the United States Department of Justice regarding whether
the Office of the Attorney General has engaged in a pattern or practice of
conduct that deprives persons of rights, privileges or immunities secured or
protected by the Constitution or laws of the United States or this State.
10. As used in this section:
(a) Law enforcement agency has the meaning
ascribed to it in NRS 289.010 .
(b) Peace officer means a person upon whom some
or all of the powers of a peace officer are conferred pursuant to NRS 289.150 to 289.360 , inclusive.
(c) Relevant evidence has the meaning ascribed
to it in NRS 48.015 .

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