SB12 reorganizes Nevada’s central state technology office by renaming the Office of the Chief Information Officer as the Governor’s Technology Office within the Office of the Governor. The bill updates the office’s internal structure, replacing the Administration Unit with a Director’s Office and renaming several units as divisions, including Client Services, Computing Services, and Network Services. It also creates a Unified Communications Unit and makes conforming changes throughout the Nevada Revised Statutes so that references to the former office and its units now point to the new office structure.
The bill also changes the status and responsibilities of the Deputy Chief of the Office of Information Security. Under SB12, that position moves from the classified to the unclassified service, although the bill preserves classified status for the incumbent in that position as of July 1, 2025 until the person leaves office. In addition, the bill shifts certain breach-response and notification duties from the Chief of Information Security to the Deputy Chief, updates membership on the Information Technology Advisory Board, and revises references in laws governing cybersecurity, telecommunications, records retention, hazardous materials communications, unmanned aerial vehicles, and data security to reflect the new office name and structure.
SB12’s practical impact is largely administrative and technical, but it affects a wide range of statutes that rely on the state technology office for cybersecurity standards, encryption guidance, network services, and information-system oversight. It also repeals obsolete statutory definitions tied to the former Division of Enterprise Information Technology Services, which had already been transferred into the office by prior legislation. The bill preserves continuity for existing regulations, contracts, and actions by providing that they remain valid after the renaming and transfer of responsibilities.
The overall sentiment reflected in the voting history is strongly supportive and noncontroversial: the bill passed the Senate 21-0 and the Assembly 42-0. No committee transcript excerpts were provided, and the unanimous votes suggest broad agreement that the measure is a housekeeping and modernization bill rather than a policy dispute. The lack of recorded opposition indicates the changes were generally viewed as administrative cleanup and organizational clarification.
There is little visible contention in the bill text itself, but the main substantive policy choice is the move of the Deputy Chief of Information Security from classified to unclassified service. That change could matter for hiring, removal, and executive control, even though the bill protects the current incumbent’s classified status until vacancy. Otherwise, the bill’s changes are mostly nomenclature, structural alignment, and cross-reference updates across state technology and cybersecurity laws.
SB12 amends and updates multiple chapters of Nevada law to reflect the creation of the Governor’s Technology Office and the transfer of duties from the former Office of the Chief Information Officer. It revises statutory references, board memberships, cybersecurity breach-response authority, telecommunications administration, data security standards, and related definitions, while also repealing obsolete provisions tied to the prior organizational structure. Existing regulations, contracts, and actions remain in force and are carried over to the new office.
The bill appears to have been broadly supported and noncontroversial. It passed both chambers unanimously, with a 21-0 Senate vote and a 42-0 Assembly vote. The available record suggests lawmakers viewed it as an administrative reorganization and statutory cleanup measure rather than a contested policy change.
The main potential point of contention is the change in status of the Deputy Chief of the Office of Information Security from classified to unclassified service, which can affect personnel protections and executive flexibility. A secondary issue is the redistribution of cybersecurity breach-response duties from the Chief to the Deputy Chief. No recorded committee debate or floor opposition is provided, and the unanimous votes indicate that any concerns did not generate visible resistance in the legislative process.