1. Every peace officer upon issuing a traffic citation to an alleged violator of any provision of the motor vehicle laws of this State or of any traffic ordinance of any city or town shall file manually or, if the provisions of subsection 2 are satisfied, file electronically the original or a copy of the traffic citation with a court having jurisdiction over the alleged offense or with its traffic violations bureau.

2. A copy of a traffic citation that is prepared electronically and issued to an alleged violator of any provision of the motor vehicle laws of this State or of any traffic ordinance of any city or town may be filed electronically with a court having jurisdiction over the alleged offense or with its traffic violations bureau if the court or traffic violations bureau, respectively:

(a) Authorizes such electronic filing;

(b) Has the ability to receive and store the citation electronically; and

(c) Has the ability to physically reproduce the citation upon request.

3. Upon the filing of the original or a copy of the traffic citation with a court having jurisdiction over the alleged offense or with its traffic violations bureau, the traffic citation may be disposed of only by trial in that court or other official action by a judge of that court, including forfeiture of the bail, or by the deposit of sufficient bail with, or payment of a fine to, the traffic violations bureau by the person to whom the traffic citation has been issued by the peace officer.

4. It is unlawful and official misconduct for any peace officer or other officer or public employee to dispose of a traffic citation or copies of it or of the record of the issuance of a traffic citation in a manner other than as required in this section.

5. The chief administrative officer of every traffic enforcement agency shall require the return to him or her of a physical copy or electronic record of every traffic citation issued by an officer under his or her supervision to an alleged violator of any traffic law or ordinance and of all physical copies or electronic records of every traffic citation which has been spoiled or upon which any entry has been made and not issued to an alleged violator.

6. The chief administrative officer shall also maintain or cause to be maintained a record of every traffic citation issued by officers under his or her supervision. The record must be retained for at least 2 years after issuance of the citation.

7. As used in this section, “officer” includes a volunteer appointed to a traffic enforcement agency pursuant to NRS 484B.470.

(Added to NRS by 1967, 1213; A 1979, 37; 1999, 1148) — (Substituted in revision for NRS 484.813)