1. The Attorney General has primary jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute any alleged criminal violations of NRS 616D.200, 616D.220, 616D.240, 616D.300, 616D.310, 616D.350 to 616D.440, inclusive, and any fraud in the administration of chapter 616A, 616B, 616C, 616D or 617 of NRS or in the provision of compensation required by chapters 616A to 617, inclusive, of NRS.

2. For this purpose, the Attorney General shall establish within his or her office a Fraud Control Unit for Industrial Insurance. The Unit must consist of such persons as are necessary to carry out the duties set forth in this section, including, without limitation, an attorney, an auditor and an investigator.

3. The Attorney General, acting through the Unit established pursuant to subsection 2:

(a) Is the single state agency responsible for the investigation and prosecution of any alleged criminal violations of NRS 616D.200, 616D.220, 616D.240, 616D.300, 616D.310, 616D.350 to 616D.440, inclusive, and any fraud in the administration of chapter 616A, 616B, 616C, 616D or 617 of NRS or in the provision of compensation required by chapters 616A to 617, inclusive, of NRS;

(b) Shall cooperate with the Division of Industrial Relations of the Department of Business and Industry, self-insured employers, associations of self-insured public or private employers, private carriers and other state and federal investigators and prosecutors in coordinating state and federal investigations and prosecutions involving violations of NRS 616D.200, 616D.220, 616D.240, 616D.300, 616D.310, 616D.350 to 616D.440, inclusive, and any fraud in the administration of chapter 616A, 616B, 616C, 616D or 617 of NRS or in the provision of compensation required by chapters 616A to 617, inclusive, of NRS;

(c) Shall protect the privacy of persons who are eligible to receive compensation pursuant to the provisions of chapter 616A, 616B, 616C, 616D or 617 of NRS and establish procedures to prevent the misuse of information obtained in carrying out this section; and

(d) May, upon request, inspect the records of any self-insured employer, association of self-insured public or private employers, or private carrier, the Division of Industrial Relations of the Department of Business and Industry and the State Contractors’ Board to investigate any alleged violation of any of the provisions of NRS 616D.200, 616D.220, 616D.240, 616D.300, 616D.310, 616D.350 to 616D.440, inclusive, or any fraud in the administration of chapter 616A, 616B, 616C, 616D or 617 of NRS or in the provision of compensation required by chapters 616A to 617, inclusive, of NRS.

4. When acting pursuant to this section or NRS 228.175 or 228.410, the Attorney General may commence an investigation and file a criminal action without leave of court, and has exclusive charge of the conduct of the prosecution.

5. The Attorney General shall report the name of any person who has been convicted of violating any of the provisions of NRS 616D.200, 616D.220, 616D.240, 616D.300, 616D.310, 616D.350 to 616D.440, inclusive, to the occupational board or other entity that issued the person’s license or certificate to provide medical care, remedial care or other services in this State.

6. The Attorney General shall establish a toll-free telephone number for persons to report information regarding alleged violations of any of the provisions of NRS 616D.200, 616D.220, 616D.240, 616D.300, 616D.310, 616D.350 to 616D.440, inclusive, and any fraud in the administration of chapter 616A, 616B, 616C, 616D or 617 of NRS or in the provision of compensation required by chapters 616A to 617, inclusive, of NRS.

7. As used in this section:

(a) “Association of self-insured private employers” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 616A.050.

(b) “Association of self-insured public employers” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 616A.055.

(c) “Private carrier” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 616A.290.

(d) “Self-insured employer” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 616A.305.

(Added to NRS by 1993, 773; A 1993, 799; 1995, 649, 1878, 2038; 1997, 579; 1999, 1808; 2011, 844; 2017, 4237)