65-5733. State interoperability advisory committee; organization; duties. (a) For the purposes of this section:

(1) "Advisory committee" means the state interoperability advisory committee;

(2) "coordinator" means the statewide interoperability coordinator;

(3) "executive subcommittee" means the executive subcommittee of the advisory committee created in subsection (f); and

(4) "state emergency management director" or "director" means the adjutant general of the state of Kansas or the adjutant general's designee.

(b) (1) There is hereby created the state interoperability advisory committee, which shall provide input to the adjutant general's department for the development and deployment of centralized interoperable communications planning and implementation capacity for the state of Kansas. The advisory committee shall:

(A) Make policy recommendations to the adjutant general's department for increasing communications and interagency coordination for the purpose of safeguarding and informing the public of public safety risks and operations;

(B) assist with the development of policies and procedures that increase communications and interagency coordination for the purpose of enhancing public safety interoperable communications;

(C) provide input to the adjutant general's department on statewide contracts for public safety communications equipment, software and consulting services;

(D) make recommendations to the adjutant general's department regarding revisions to the state communications interoperability plan;

(E) make recommendations to the adjutant general's department for the assessment of institutions and organizations that benefit from services provided;

(F) make recommendations to the adjutant general's department concerning the development, release and review of requests for proposals and awarding contracts for public safety communications technology public-private partnerships; and

(G) make recommendations to the adjutant general's department to pursue other opportunities to improve public safety communications as the advisory committee deems appropriate.

(2) The advisory committee shall not have authority to:

(A) Require certification of public safety agencies or employees;

(B) require training or the establishment of mandatory training standards beyond what is necessary for the operation, care and security of interoperable communications systems and plans developed by the advisory committee; or

(C) limit local purchasing options for equipment compatible with the interoperablilty plan.

(c) (1) The advisory committee shall be overseen by the state emergency management director.

(2) The director shall appoint a statewide interoperability coordinator to administer the advisory committee's business, serve as the advisory committee's chairperson, and act on the advisory committee's behalf.

(3) The chairperson shall appoint the vice-chairperson of the advisory committee.

(d) The advisory committee shall consist of the following members:

(1) The director;

(2) the coordinator;

(3) the secretary of transportation or the secretary's designee;

(4) the superintendent of the highway patrol or the superintendent's designee;

(5) the executive branch chief information security officer or the executive branch chief information security officer's designee;

(6) one tribal representative appointed by the governor;

(7) the 911 coordinating council administrator or the administrator's designee;

(8) the chief executive officer of the state board of regents or the chief executive officer's designee;

(9) one member appointed by the Kansas association of public safety communications officials;

(10) one member appointed by the Kansas sheriffs' association;

(11) one member appointed by the emergency medical services board;

(12) one member appointed by the Kansas association of chiefs of police;

(13) one member appointed by the Kansas state association of fire chiefs;

(14) one member appointed by the mid-America regional council;

(15) one member appointed by the league of Kansas municipalities;

(16) one member appointed by the Kansas association of counties; and

(17) one member appointed by the Kansas emergency management association.

(e) (1) All members of the advisory committee shall be appointed by their respective appointing authority on or before August 1, 2018.

(2) Each executive branch member of the advisory committee shall serve until succeeded. Each non-executive branch member of the advisory committee shall serve for a three-year term, beginning on August 1, 2018, and shall be eligible to serve for more than one term. Members of the advisory committee may be removed, for cause, by a majority vote of the advisory committee or by their appointing or designating authority.

(3) Any vacancy on the advisory committee shall be filled in the same manner provided in this section for the original member.

(4) The first meeting of the advisory committee shall be held prior to September 1, 2018. The advisory committee shall meet once every quarter of the calendar year and may hold additional meetings at the call of the director or coordinator.

(5) A majority of the voting members of the advisory committee constitutes a quorum. Any action by the advisory committee shall be by motion adopted by a majority of voting members present when there is a quorum.

(f) (1) There is hereby established an executive subcommittee within the advisory committee to assist in the administration of the advisory committee's business when the full advisory committee is not meeting.

(2) The executive subcommittee shall be composed of the advisory committee members listed in subsection (d)(1) through (d)(4).

(3) The executive subcommittee may transact any business of the advisory committee that has been delegated to the executive subcommittee.

(g) (1) The chairperson may appoint and convene working groups to address specific interoperability and communications requirements, research topics and to make recommendations. In addition, the chairperson may add additional subject matter experts ad hoc to assist the working groups in carrying out their functions and responsibilities.

(2) Each established working group shall meet once every quarter of the calendar year and may hold additional meetings at the call of the director, coordinator or the working group's chairperson.

(3) Working groups shall make recommendations to the advisory committee regarding the following:

(A) Improving interagency communications, training and exercise coordination;

(B) improving effective receipt of information from and communicating information to the public;

(C) improving logistics coordination during on-site events;

(D) evaluating communication and communication protection technologies and recommending procurement standards;

(E) identifying and promoting anti-intrusion technologies for communications from individuals to public safety agencies;

(F) identifying methods to protect sensitive public safety operations from placement on social media sites that deliberately or inadvertently place public safety workers at risk;

(G) identifying and collecting relevant public safety communications systems and equipment performance metrics; and

(H) such other responsibilities as shall be assigned by the chairperson.

(h) The director shall provide staff support for the advisory committee and working groups from the office of the director.

History: L. 2018, ch. 85, § 1; July 1.