Nevada Legislature discusses government watchdog agency

CARSON CITY — Nevada may get a new watchdog to investigate waste, fraud and abuse in government agencies.

Assembly Bill 404 would create an inspector general’s office, which would be charged with investigating all agencies that get state funding, including cities, counties and school districts.

The office would have law enforcement capabilities, with sworn peace officers and investigators and an inspector general who is free from political influence and meddling, Assemblywoman Brittney Miller, D-Las Vegas, the bill’s sponsor, told the Assembly Government Affairs Committee on Wednesday.

“The one thing we all agree on is, whatever the size and scope of government, we want the government to be accountable,” she said.

Miller did not dwell on examples of specific waste and abuse in her remarks, but the handout provided to audience members gave examples from news accounts.

Those examples include a Las Vegas Review-Journal article about a former Las Vegas Valley Water District employee who defrauded the agency of millions, along with a Review-Journal report published this week about the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority’s spending on wine, fancy meals and other perks.

The role of the inspector general is different from auditors, because the office would increase government accountability, restore public trust, resolve disputes, deter crime and save money, Miller said.

“The inspector general is really the people’s advocate, because they’re the ones governing government,” she said.

Independence needed

The independence of the inspector general is paramount, supporters say. The bill calls for the governor to appoint the inspector general to a four-year term, picking the person from a list of three candidates received from the Legislative Commission.

The inspector general can only be removed for malfeasance in office — a move intended to shield the office from outside political influence and meddling.

Lawmakers also heard from Louisiana and Ohio inspector generals, who stressed the independent authority they have and the ability to conduct investigations that save taxpayer money. Stephen Street, the inspector general of Louisiana, spoke of one case where the state wasted $28 for every 10-pound bag of ice collected during hurricane relief because it wasn’t properly stored and melted.

The majority of witnesses were supportive of the measure, saying government employees and the public need a venue for airing their concerns.

David Cherry, a lobbyist with the city of Henderson, said the city has concerns about language in the bill that could require a local government to make its employees available to the inspector general. He said the city has a “robust internal audit function.”

Miller later noted that there is a difference between an internal audit a government agency conducts and an investigation that an independent inspector general conducts.

The committee did not take action Wednesday on the bill.

Contact Ben Botkin at bbotkin@reviewjournal.com or 775-461-0661. Follow @BenBotkin1 on Twitter.