Budget subcommittee approves transfer of cyber office, staffing changes and fee policy for DPS accounts

The joint subcommittees on Public Safety closed budgets for multiple Department of Public Safety accounts Thursday, approving a transfer of the Nevada Office of Cyber Defense Coordination to the Office of the Chief Information Officer, endorsing the agency’s proposed staffing methodology for Parole and Probation, and directing the Criminal History Repository to limit future general‑fund dependence while funding ongoing maintenance for the state criminal records system.

Tom Weber, program analyst with the Legislative Counsel Bureau’s Fiscal Analysis Division, led staff presentations and framed the choices the subcommittee faced across 14 DPS budget accounts. “The Office of the Chief Information Officer operates as an internal service fund,” Weber said, and the proposed transfer requires a funding mechanism so the OCIO can recover costs from customers rather than rely on direct general‑fund appropriations.

Why it matters: the meeting finalized repeated budget decisions that will shape how cybersecurity, corrections supervision, criminal‑records systems and fire‑safety programs are funded and staffed across Nevada for the 2025–2027 biennium. Several votes include directives for agencies to report back to the Interim Finance Committee with implementation plans and fee recommendations.

Cybersecurity office transfer

The subcommittee voted to recommend transferring the Nevada Office of Cyber Defense Coordination from the Department of Public Safety to the Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), and to provide a one‑time general‑fund loan to allow the office to relocate while a sustainable user‑fee rate and customer base are developed. Weber told the committee the OCIO argued centralizing cybersecurity “would streamline efforts, eliminate redundancies, and provide a more cohesive and effective response to cybersecurity threats.” The subcommittee also requested a letter of intent directing the agency to report to the Interim Finance Committee by July 1, 2026, on progress toward establishing a rate or assessment.

Parole and Probation staffing and caseload methodology

On the Division of Parole and Probation budget account, fiscal staff outlined several major closing issues driven by caseload projections and proposed changes to how staffing ratios are set. The debate centered on (1) updated caseload projections provided by James F. Austin and Associates (JFA), (2) the agency’s proposed shift to create non‑caseload driven administrative positions, and (3) Decision Unit E283, which would change staffing methodology.

After reviewing tables comparing the governor’s recommendation, agency proposals and JFA’s updated projections, the subcommittee voted to approve the agency’s option that included decision units M201, M206, M207, M204 and E283 (the staff summary labeled this “option 2”). Committee members were told the approved option would produce a net reduction in general‑fund appropriations compared with an earlier projection, while also increasing certain non‑caseload positions. The motion to approve the option was made by Chair Taylor and seconded by Assemblymember Brown May; the motion carried.

The subcommittee separately rejected the governor’s recommendation to fund one program officer and citation‑issuance software for the Division of Parole and Probation. Chair Taylor moved not to approve that decision unit; the motion passed.

Criminal history repository funding, fee policy and NCJIS maintenance

The Criminal History Repository’s budget produced the lengthiest policy discussion. Staff presented three options: (1) adopt a budget policy that limits general‑fund appropriations to the historical portion provided by court administrative assessment revenue (about 23% of the repository’s operating authority) phased in beginning in FY 2028; (2) the same 23% cap but applied beginning FY 2027 with fee changes implemented by July 1, 2026; or (3) approve the governor’s recommended general‑fund appropriations with no cap.

After discussion and a question from Senator Titus — “Will they be increasing their fees now or still evaluating that?” — the committee approved an alternative motion to adopt a 23% cap on general‑fund support beginning in FY 2027, require the agency to research and implement fee adjustments by July 1, 2026, and provide semiannual progress reports to the Interim Finance Committee. The motion also included directing the agency to include fee increase recommendations to support ongoing maintenance of the Nevada Criminal Justice Information System (NCJIS, referred to in the packet as Insigis) in the letter of intent previously approved.

The subcommittee approved general‑fund appropriations to fund ongoing NCJIS licensing and maintenance for the 2025–2027 biennium as presented in staff recommendations while adopting the policy cap and reporting requirements. The committee also approved eliminating previously authorized American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) coronavirus state fiscal recovery fund authority for NCJIS and replacing ongoing maintenance costs with the approved general‑fund appropriation in the short term, contingent on the agency’s fee study and the reporting schedule.

Staffing and transfers tied to NCJIS modernization were also approved. The subcommittee approved moving positions that supported NCJIS modernization into the DPS director’s office and approved continuation or transfer of business process analyst positions as outlined in staff materials; those moves are contingent on passage of supporting legislation when applicable.

Records, communications and dispatch support

For the Records, Communications and Compliance Division (which runs the CJIS repository and public‑safety dispatch centers), fiscal staff recommended continuing administrative positions added during the interim to relieve workload on dispatchers. The committee approved continuing two administrative assistant positions (the staff recommendation in the motion reduced the originally added four positions to two cost‑allocated positions to be continued) and authorized staff to make technical adjustments to budgets and start dates.

State Fire Marshal budget decisions

The subcommittee approved a range of actions for the State Fire Marshal budget account, including technical corrections to fee revenue projections and new positions to address investigations, inspections and training demand. Votes included funding, on a fee‑reimbursement or fee‑transfer basis, for:

- One new DPS officer position to conduct fire and explosion investigations in Carson City. - One additional fire‑and‑life‑safety inspector position to improve inspection coverage for state and rural facilities in Northern Nevada. - One training officer and one administrative assistant for the Fire Service Training Bureau (with a technical start‑date adjustment to align onboarding with fiscal schedules). - One Administrative Services Officer to manage the division’s fiscal operations and one administrative assistant for the Southern Command in Las Vegas.

Where the committee approved fee transfers or new fee projections, staff recommended technical adjustments to start dates and amounts; all such recommendations were adopted by voice vote and carried.

Other budget accounts and staff‑closed recommendations

Fiscal staff presented closing recommendations for nine additional DPS budget accounts for which the subcommittee had not held prior hearings, including the Child Volunteer Background Checks Trust Account, the State Emergency Response Commission, Capitol Police, Justice Assistance accounts, and the Parole Board. The committee approved closing recommendations for those accounts as presented by staff and authorized staff to make technical adjustments as necessary.

Votes at a glance

- Transfer Nevada Office of Cyber Defense Coordination to OCIO and provide a one‑time general‑fund loan; direct agency to report by July 1, 2026 — motion approved (mover: Chair Taylor; seconder: Assemblymember Brown May). - Approve Parole & Probation Option 2 (decision units M201, M206, M207, M204 and E283) — motion approved (mover: Chair Taylor; seconder: Assemblymember Brown May). - Do not approve one program officer and citation software for Parole & Probation — motion approved (mover: Chair Taylor; seconder: Assemblymember Brown May). - Adopt a budget policy capping general‑fund support for the Criminal History Repository at 23% beginning FY 2027, require fee research/implementation by July 1, 2026, and semiannual reporting — motion approved (mover: Chair Taylor; seconder: Assemblymember Brown May). - Approve NCJIS maintenance funding and eliminate ARPA authority for that project as described in staff documents — motion approved (mover: Chair Taylor; seconder: Assemblymember Brown May). - Approve multiple position additions and technical adjustments across the State Fire Marshal, Records/Communications, and other DPS accounts — motions approved (mover: Chair Taylor; seconder: Assemblymember Brown May).

What’s next

Several approvals are contingent on follow‑up actions: agencies were directed to develop fee recommendations for legislative consideration, the OCIO transfer requires developing a rate and customer base for OCIO recovery, and several staffing or transfer recommendations are contingent on associated legislation or future bill hearings. The subcommittee closed its business and moved to public comment; no members of the public provided testimony.

Ending

Committee leaders thanked staff and agency personnel for the work to prepare closing materials and directed agencies to follow the reporting timelines built into the motions.