Session of 1998
                   
HOUSE BILL No. 2996
         
By Committee on Appropriations
         
2-26
            9             AN ACT concerning the department of health and environment; relating
10             to qualifications for certain officers; creating the office of epidemio-
11             logical services; amending K.S.A. 75-5603 and repealing the existing
12             section.
13            
14       Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:
15           New Section 1. (a) There is hereby established within and as a part
16       of the department of health and environment an office of epidemiological
17       services, the head of which shall be the state epidemiologist. Under the
18       supervision of the secretary of health and environment, the state epide-
19       miologist shall administer the office of epidemiological services.
20           (b) The state epidemiologist (1) shall be either a physician holding a
21       valid license to practice medicine and surgery, or shall have a doctorate
22       in a professional medical field, epidemiology or public health;
23           (2) shall have experience in a state or a large local government health
24       department; and
25           (3) shall have training in disease outbreak investigation.
26           (c) The secretary of health and environment shall appoint the state
27       epidemiologist. The state epidemiologist shall be in the unclassified serv-
28       ice and shall receive an annual salary fixed by the secretary and approved
29       by the governor.
30           Sec. 2. K.S.A. 75-5603 is hereby amended to read as follows: 75-
31       5603. There is hereby established within and as a part of the department
32       of health and environment a division of health, the head of which shall
33       be the director of the division of health. Under the supervision of the
34       secretary of health and environment, the director of the division of health
35       shall administer the division of health. The director shall be a physician,
36       hold a valid license to practice medicine and surgery, and have experience
37       and educational training in the field of public health. The secretary of
38       health and environment shall appoint the director of the division of
39       health. The first person appointed to such office after the effective date
40       of this act shall be appointed subject to confirmation by the senate as
41       provided in K.S.A. 75-4315b and amendments thereto and shall serve for
42       a term of four years from and after the date of such appointment, and
43       thereafter at the pleasure of the secretary. In the case of a vacancy in the

HB 2996

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  1       office of the director of the division of health, the secretary of health and
  2       environment shall appoint a successor to fill the vacancy for the unexpired
  3       term. The director shall be in the unclassified service and shall receive
  4       an annual salary fixed by the secretary and approved by the governor.
  5           Sec. 3. K.S.A. 75-5603 is hereby repealed.
  6           Sec. 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
  7       publication in the statute book.
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