NV SB407

Executive Director of the Department of Indigent Defense Services will serve a 4-year term at the pleasure of the Board on Indigent Defense Services rather than the Governor, with removal only for good cause or by the Governor in extraordinary circumstances involving criminal conduct or malfeasance.

State Public Defender appointment authority transfers from the Governor to the Executive Director, with the position serving a 4-year term with eligibility for reappointment.

Qualification requirements for both the Executive Director and State Public Defender change from being "licensed to practice law" to being a member of the State Bar of Nevada in good standing or otherwise authorized to practice law under Supreme Court rules.

Current officeholders are protected: the sitting State Public Defender may complete their existing term, and the current Executive Director is deemed to have begun a 4-year term on July 1, 2026.

Effective date is July 1, 2025, with the stated purpose of ensuring indigent defense system independence consistent with American Bar Association principles.