Twenty-two individuals have held the office of State Controller since statehood.

These disparate activities serve two objectives: foremost, to provide citizens, state agencies, local governments and legislators alike with accurate and impartial information on Nevada's financial condition; and second, to protect state funds by ensuring that they are properly accounted for and spent in the most efficient and cost effective manner at all times.

[3] In keeping with this function, the state controller prepares the state of Nevada's financial statements and schedule of expenditures of federal awards, which are in turn audited by external auditors approved by the Legislative Auditor.

[5] This mandate for accountability extends to the state controller's reports on the financial health of Nevada's Permanent School Fund, a permanent fund created at statehood and derived from the proceeds of liquidated State Trust Lands to support public schools throughout the state indefinitely.

The same reality holds true in Nevada, where the state controller (as chief fiscal officer) processes accounts payable while the state treasurer (as chief banker and investment officer) is responsible for cash management.