1. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 5, a public administrator may appoint as many deputies as the public administrator deems necessary to perform fully the duties of his or her office. A deputy so appointed may perform all duties required of the public administrator and has the corresponding powers and responsibilities. Before entering upon the discharge of his or her duties each deputy must take and subscribe to the constitutional oath of office. The appointment of a deputy must not be construed to confer upon that deputy policymaking authority for the office of the county public administrator or the county by which the deputy is employed.

2. Each appointment must be in writing and recorded with the oath of office of that deputy in the office of the county recorder. Any revocation or resignation of an appointment must be recorded in the office of the county recorder.

3. The public administrator is responsible on his or her official bond for any official malfeasance or nonfeasance of his or her deputies and may require a bond for the faithful performance of the official duties of his or her deputies.

4. Every deputy appointed pursuant to this section must:

(a) Be a qualified elector of the county;

(b) Be at least 21 years of age;

(c) Not have been convicted of a felony for which his or her civil rights have not been restored; and

(d) Not have been found liable in a civil action involving a finding of fraud, misrepresentation, material omission, misappropriation, theft or conversion.

5. The provisions of this section do not apply if the office of public administrator is abolished pursuant to NRS 253.125.

(Added to NRS by 1983, 1596; A 2001, 1746; 2005, 682; 2015, 1911; 2019, 1536)