1. A public guardian may investigate the financial status, assets and personal and family history of any protected person for whom the public guardian has been appointed as guardian, without hiring or being licensed as a private investigator pursuant to chapter 648 of NRS. In connection with the investigation, the public guardian may require the protected person or any spouse, parent, child or other kindred of the protected person, to give any information and to execute and deliver any written requests or authorizations necessary to provide the public guardian with access to records, otherwise confidential, which are needed by the public guardian. The public guardian may obtain information from any public record office of the State or any of its agencies or subdivisions upon request and without payment of any fees.

2. In a county whose population is less than 100,000, a public guardian may petition a court to investigate the financial status, assets and personal and family history of any potential protected person for whom the public guardian has received a referral from the Aging and Disability Services Division of the Department of Health and Human Services, a law enforcement agency or a court in connection with a criminal or civil matter relating to the potential protected person, without hiring or being licensed as a private investigator pursuant to chapter 648 of NRS. In connection with the investigation, the public guardian may require the potential protected person or any spouse, parent, child or other kindred of the potential protected person, to give any information and to execute and deliver any written requests or authorizations necessary to provide the public guardian with access to records, otherwise confidential, which are needed by the public guardian. The public guardian may obtain information from any public record office of the State or any of its agencies or subdivisions upon request and without payment of any fees.

3. As used in this section:

(a) “Potential protected person” means any person, other than a minor, for whom a referral for investigation has been sent to the public guardian.

(b) “Protected person” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 159.0253.

(Added to NRS by 1977, 487; A 2007, 2491; 2009, 2273; 2019, 1757)