SB265 - Revises provisions relating to governmental administration. (BDR 19-918)

S.B. 265 - *SB265* SENATE BILL NO. 265–SENATOR ROGICH MARCH 4, 2025 ____________ JOINT SPONSORS: ASSEMBLYMEMBERS NGUYEN; AND EDGEWORTH ____________ Referred to Committee on Government Affairs SUMMARY—Revises provisions relating to governmental administration. (BDR 19-918) FISCAL NOTE: Effect on Local Government: May have Fiscal Impact. Effect on the State: Yes. CONTAINS UNFUNDED MANDATE (§ 2) (NOT REQUESTED BY AFFECTED LOCAL GOVERNMENT) ~ EXPLANATION – Matter in bolded italics is new; matter between brackets [omitted material] is material to be omitted. AN ACT relating to governmental administration; imposing certain requirements and prohibitions on a state or local governmental agency that collects certain demographic information; and providing other matters properly relating thereto. Legislative Counsel’s Digest: Existing law regulates the collection of certain personal information by the 1 State and local governments. (See, e.g., chapter 239B of NRS) For example, 2 existing law authorizes certain criminal justice agencies, and requires other state 3 and local governmental agencies, that collect information from persons related to 4 their race or ethnicity to include a separate category for persons of Middle Eastern 5 or North African descent. (NRS 239B.028) Section 2 of this bill, with certain 6 exceptions, prescribes requirements for the collection and tabulation by a state or 7 local governmental agency, directly or by contract, of information concerning the 8 race or ethnicity of persons in this State who self-identify as Asian, Native 9 Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Specifically, section 2 requires such a governmental 10 agency to request any information concerning the race or ethnicity of such a person 11 in not more than one question. Section 2 also mandates that such a governmental 12 agency use separate categories for the collection and tabulation of the information, 13 including: (1) for the category of persons who self-identify as Asian, an option to 14 self-identify as Chinese, Vietnamese, Asian Indian, Korean, Filipino or Japanese or 15 to specify another subcategory; and (2) for the category of persons who self- 16 identify as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, an option to self-identify as Native 17 – 2 – - *SB265* Hawaiian, Samoan, Chamorro, Tongan, Fijian or Marshallese or to specify another 18 subcategory. 19 Additionally, section 2 requires that a governmental agency ensure that any 20 personally identifiable information in the information collected by the 21 governmental agency concerning the race or ethnicity of persons in this State who 22 self-identify as Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander be kept confidential. 23 With certain exceptions, section 2 also requires that the governmental agency: (1) 24 make such information collected by the governmental agency available to the 25 public by publishing the information on its Internet website; and (2) include such 26 information in any demographic report concerning the race or ethnicity of persons 27 in this State that is published by the governmental agency. Finally, section 2 28 prohibits the governmental agency from denying services or assistance to a person 29 who fails or refuses to provide such information. Section 1 of this bill makes a 30 conforming change to reflect that certain information collected by such a 31 governmental agency in accordance with section 2 is not a public record. 32 THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEVADA, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEMBLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: Section 1. NRS 239.010 is hereby amended to read as follows: 1 239.010 1. Except as otherwise provided in this section and 2 NRS 1.4683, 1.4687, 1A.110, 3.2203, 41.0397, 41.071, 49.095, 3 49.293, 62D.420, 62D.440, 62E.516, 62E.620, 62H.025, 62H.030, 4 62H.170, 62H.220, 62H.320, 75A.100, 75A.150, 76.160, 78.152, 5 80.113, 81.850, 82.183, 86.246, 86.54615, 87.515, 87.5413, 6 87A.200, 87A.580, 87A.640, 88.3355, 88.5927, 88.6067, 88A.345, 7 88A.7345, 89.045, 89.251, 90.730, 91.160, 116.757, 116A.270, 8 116B.880, 118B.026, 119.260, 119.265, 119.267, 119.280, 9 119A.280, 119A.653, 119A.677, 119B.370, 119B.382, 120A.640, 10 120A.690, 125.130, 125B.140, 126.141, 126.161, 126.163, 126.730, 11 127.007, 127.057, 127.130, 127.140, 127.2817, 128.090, 130.312, 12 130.712, 136.050, 159.044, 159A.044, 164.041, 172.075, 172.245, 13 176.01334, 176.01385, 176.015, 176.0625, 176.09129, 176.156, 14 176A.630, 178.39801, 178.4715, 178.5691, 178.5717, 179.495, 15 179A.070, 179A.165, 179D.160, 180.600, 200.3771, 200.3772, 16 200.5095, 200.604, 202.3662, 205.4651, 209.392, 209.3923, 17 209.3925, 209.419, 209.429, 209.521, 211A.140, 213.010, 213.040, 18 213.095, 213.131, 217.105, 217.110, 217.464, 217.475, 218A.350, 19 218E.625, 218F.150, 218G.130, 218G.240, 218G.350, 218G.615, 20 224.240, 226.462, 226.796, 228.270, 228.450, 228.495, 228.570, 21 231.069, 231.1285, 231.1473, 232.1369, 233.190, 237.300, 22 239.0105, 239.0113, 239.014, 239B.026, 239B.030, 239B.040, 23 239B.050, 239C.140, 239C.210, 239C.230, 239C.250, 239C.270, 24 239C.420, 240.007, 241.020, 241.030, 241.039, 242.105, 244.264, 25 244.335, 247.540, 247.545, 247.550, 247.560, 250.087, 250.130, 26 250.140, 250.145, 250.150, 268.095, 268.0978, 268.490, 268.910, 27 269.174, 271A.105, 281.195, 281.805, 281A.350, 281A.680, 28 – 3 – - *SB265* 281A.685, 281A.750, 281A.755, 281A.780, 284.4068, 284.4086, 1 286.110, 286.118, 287.0438, 289.025, 289.080, 289.387, 289.830, 2 293.4855, 293.5002, 293.503, 293.504, 293.558, 293.5757, 293.870, 3 293.906, 293.908, 293.909, 293.910, 293B.135, 293D.510, 331.110, 4 332.061, 332.351, 333.333, 333.335, 338.070, 338.1379, 338.1593, 5 338.1725, 338.1727, 348.420, 349.597, 349.775, 353.205, 6 353A.049, 353A.085, 353A.100, 353C.240, 353D.250, 360.240, 7 360.247, 360.255, 360.755, 361.044, 361.2242, 361.610, 365.138, 8 366.160, 368A.180, 370.257, 370.327, 372A.080, 378.290, 378.300, 9 379.0075, 379.008, 379.1495, 385A.830, 385B.100, 387.626, 10 387.631, 388.1455, 388.259, 388.501, 388.503, 388.513, 388.750, 11 388A.247, 388A.249, 391.033, 391.035, 391.0365, 391.120, 12 391.925, 392.029, 392.147, 392.264, 392.271, 392.315, 392.317, 13 392.325, 392.327, 392.335, 392.850, 393.045, 394.167, 394.16975, 14 394.1698, 394.447, 394.460, 394.465, 396.1415, 396.1425, 396.143, 15 396.159, 396.3295, 396.405, 396.525, 396.535, 396.9685, 16 398A.115, 408.3885, 408.3886, 408.3888, 408.5484, 412.153, 17 414.280, 416.070, 422.2749, 422.305, 422A.342, 422A.350, 18 425.400, 427A.1236, 427A.872, 427A.940, 432.028, 432.205, 19 432B.175, 432B.280, 432B.290, 432B.4018, 432B.407, 432B.430, 20 432B.560, 432B.5902, 432C.140, 432C.150, 433.534, 433A.360, 21 439.4941, 439.4988, 439.5282, 439.840, 439.914, 439A.116, 22 439A.124, 439B.420, 439B.754, 439B.760, 439B.845, 440.170, 23 441A.195, 441A.220, 441A.230, 442.330, 442.395, 442.735, 24 442.774, 445A.665, 445B.570, 445B.7773, 449.209, 449.245, 25 449.4315, 449A.112, 450.140, 450B.188, 450B.805, 453.164, 26 453.720, 458.055, 458.280, 459.050, 459.3866, 459.555, 459.7056, 27 459.846, 463.120, 463.15993, 463.240, 463.3403, 463.3407, 28 463.790, 467.1005, 480.535, 480.545, 480.935, 480.940, 481.063, 29 481.091, 481.093, 482.170, 482.368, 482.5536, 483.340, 483.363, 30 483.575, 483.659, 483.800, 484A.469, 484B.830, 484B.833, 31 484E.070, 485.316, 501.344, 503.452, 522.040, 534A.031, 561.285, 32 571.160, 584.655, 587.877, 598.0964, 598.098, 598A.110, 33 598A.420, 599B.090, 603.070, 603A.210, 604A.303, 604A.710, 34 604D.500, 604D.600, 612.265, 616B.012, 616B.015, 616B.315, 35 616B.350, 618.341, 618.425, 622.238, 622.310, 623.131, 623A.137, 36 624.110, 624.265, 624.327, 625.425, 625A.185, 628.418, 628B.230, 37 628B.760, 629.043, 629.047, 629.069, 630.133, 630.2671, 38 630.2672, 630.2673, 630.2687, 630.30665, 630.336, 630A.327, 39 630A.555, 631.332, 631.368, 632.121, 632.125, 632.3415, 40 632.3423, 632.405, 633.283, 633.301, 633.427, 633.4715, 633.4716, 41 633.4717, 633.524, 634.055, 634.1303, 634.214, 634A.169, 42 634A.185, 634B.730, 635.111, 635.158, 636.262, 636.342, 637.085, 43 637.145, 637B.192, 637B.288, 638.087, 638.089, 639.183, 44 639.2485, 639.570, 640.075, 640.152, 640A.185, 640A.220, 45 – 4 – - *SB265* 640B.405, 640B.730, 640C.580, 640C.600, 640C.620, 640C.745, 1 640C.760, 640D.135, 640D.190, 640E.225, 640E.340, 641.090, 2 641.221, 641.2215, 641A.191, 641A.217, 641A.262, 641B.170, 3 641B.281, 641B.282, 641C.455, 641C.760, 641D.260, 641D.320, 4 642.524, 643.189, 644A.870, 645.180, 645.625, 645A.050, 5 645A.082, 645B.060, 645B.092, 645C.220, 645C.225, 645D.130, 6 645D.135, 645G.510, 645H.320, 645H.330, 647.0945, 647.0947, 7 648.033, 648.197, 649.065, 649.067, 652.126, 652.228, 653.900, 8 654.110, 656.105, 657A.510, 661.115, 665.130, 665.133, 669.275, 9 669.285, 669A.310, 670B.680, 671.365, 671.415, 673.450, 673.480, 10 675.380, 676A.340, 676A.370, 677.243, 678A.470, 678C.710, 11 678C.800, 679B.122, 679B.124, 679B.152, 679B.159, 679B.190, 12 679B.285, 679B.690, 680A.270, 681A.440, 681B.260, 681B.410, 13 681B.540, 683A.0873, 685A.077, 686A.289, 686B.170, 686C.306, 14 687A.060, 687A.115, 687B.404, 687C.010, 688C.230, 688C.480, 15 688C.490, 689A.696, 692A.117, 692C.190, 692C.3507, 692C.3536, 16 692C.3538, 692C.354, 692C.420, 693A.480, 693A.615, 696B.550, 17 696C.120, 703.196, 704B.325, 706.1725, 706A.230, 710.159, 18 711.600, and section 2 of this act, sections 35, 38 and 41 of chapter 19 478, Statutes of Nevada 2011 and section 2 of chapter 391, Statutes 20 of Nevada 2013 and unless otherwise declared by law to be 21 confidential, all public books and public records of a governmental 22 entity must be open at all times during office hours to inspection by 23 any person, and may be fully copied or an abstract or memorandum 24 may be prepared from those public books and public records. Any 25 such copies, abstracts or memoranda may be used to supply the 26 general public with copies, abstracts or memoranda of the records or 27 may be used in any other way to the advantage of the governmental 28 entity or of the general public. This section does not supersede or in 29 any manner affect the federal laws governing copyrights or enlarge, 30 diminish or affect in any other manner the rights of a person in any 31 written book or record which is copyrighted pursuant to federal law. 32 2. A governmental entity may not reject a book or record 33 which is copyrighted solely because it is copyrighted. 34 3. A governmental entity that has legal custody or control of a 35 public book or record shall not deny a request made pursuant to 36 subsection 1 to inspect or copy or receive a copy of a public book or 37 record on the basis that the requested public book or record contains 38 information that is confidential if the governmental entity can 39 redact, delete, conceal or separate, including, without limitation, 40 electronically, the confidential information from the information 41 included in the public book or record that is not otherwise 42 confidential. 43 4. If requested, a governmental entity shall provide a copy of a 44 public record in an electronic format by means of an electronic 45 – 5 – - *SB265* medium. Nothing in this subsection requires a governmental entity 1 to provide a copy of a public record in an electronic format or by 2 means of an electronic medium if: 3 (a) The public record: 4 (1) Was not created or prepared in an electronic format; and 5 (2) Is not available in an electronic format; or 6 (b) Providing the public record in an electronic format or by 7 means of an electronic medium would: 8 (1) Give access to proprietary software; or 9 (2) Require the production of information that is confidential 10 and that cannot be redacted, deleted, concealed or separated from 11 information that is not otherwise confidential. 12 5. An officer, employee or agent of a governmental entity who 13 has legal custody or control of a public record: 14 (a) Shall not refuse to provide a copy of that public record in the 15 medium that is requested because the officer, employee or agent has 16 already prepared or would prefer to provide the copy in a different 17 medium. 18 (b) Except as otherwise provided in NRS 239.030, shall, upon 19 request, prepare the copy of the public record and shall not require 20 the person who has requested the copy to prepare the copy himself 21 or herself. 22 Sec. 2. Chapter 239B of NRS is hereby amended by adding 23 thereto a section to read as follows: 24 1. Except as otherwise prohibited by state or federal law, a 25 governmental agency that directly or by contract collects 26 information concerning the race or ethnicity of persons in this 27 State who self-identify as Asian, Native Hawaiian or Pacific 28 Islander shall: 29 (a) Request any information concerning the race or ethnicity 30 of such a person in not more than one question; 31 (b) When requesting information concerning the race or 32 ethnicity of such a person, use separate categories for the 33 collection and tabulation of the information which include, 34 without limitation: 35 (1) For the category of persons who self-identify as Asian, 36 an option for a person to self-identify as Chinese, Vietnamese, 37 Asian Indian, Korean, Filipino or Japanese or specify another 38 subcategory, including, without limitation, Pakistani, Hmong or 39 Afghan; and 40 (2) For the category of persons who self-identify as Native 41 Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, an option for a person to self- 42 identify as Native Hawaiian, Samoan, Chamorro, Tongan, Fijian 43 or Marshallese or specify another subcategory, including, without 44 limitation, Chuukese, Palauan or Tahitian; 45 – 6 – - *SB265* (c) If applicable, use separate categories for the collection and 1 tabulation of information concerning the primary language 2 spoken in the person’s home; 3 (d) In collecting the information described in this section, 4 collaborate with: 5 (1) Community-based organizations; and 6 (2) Persons with expertise in issues relating to the 7 collection of demographic data, including, without limitation, best 8 practices for, and barriers to, the collection of demographic data; 9 (e) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (f) or by state or 10 federal law: 11 (1) Make the information collected pursuant to this section 12 available to the public by publishing the information on the 13 Internet website of [Text truncated for display. 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