HOUSE BILL No. 3030

      An Act concerning the Kansas commission on veterans affairs; relating to officers and
      employees; amending K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 73-1210a and repealing the existing section;
      also repealing K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 73-1210b.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:

    Section 1. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 73-1210a is hereby amended to read
as follows: 73-1210a. (a) Except as otherwise provided by law, and subject
to the Kansas civil service act, the executive director of the Kansas com-
mission on veterans affairs shall appoint such subordinate officers and
employees, subject to the approval of the commission, as are necessary
to enable the commission to exercise or perform its functions, powers
and duties pursuant to the provisions of article 12 of chapter 73 of Kansas
Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto. All such subordinate offi-
cers and employees shall be within the classified service under the Kansas
civil service act, shall perform such duties and exercise such powers as
the Kansas commission on veterans affairs and the executive director of
the commission may prescribe and such duties and powers as are desig-
nated by law, and shall act for and exercise the powers of the commission
and the executive director to the extent authority to do so is delegated by
such commission or director.

    (b) Except as otherwise provided by law, and subject to the Kansas
civil service act, the executive director of the Kansas commission on vet-
erans affairs shall appoint such subordinate officers and employees, sub-
ject to the approval of the Kansas commission on veterans affairs, as shall
be necessary to enable the commission to exercise or perform its func-
tions, powers and duties pursuant to the provisions of article 19 of chapter
76 of Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto. All such sub-
ordinate officers and employees shall be within the classified service un-
der the Kansas civil service act, shall perform such duties and exercise
such powers as the commission, the executive director of the commission
and, the superintendent of the Kansas soldiers' home and the superin-
tendent of the Kansas veterans' home may prescribe and such duties and
powers as are designated by law, and shall act for and exercise the powers
of the commission, the executive director of the commission and, the
superintendent of the Kansas soldiers' home and the superintendent of
the Kansas veterans' home to the extent authority to do so is delegated
by such commission, executive director or superintendent.

    (c) Any veterans service representative appointed by the executive
director of the Kansas commission on veterans affairs shall be an hon-
orably discharged veteran or retired from the United States armed forces.

    Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to affect the status, rights
or benefits of any officer or employee of the Kansas veterans' commission
on veterans affairs employed by such commission on the effective date
of this act.

    For the purpose of this subsection, ``veterans service representative''
means any officer or employee appointed pursuant to this section whose
primary duties include:

    (1) Assisting and representing veterans and their dependents in se-
curing benefits from the federal government and the state of Kansas.

    (2) Providing information and assistance to veterans and dependents
in obtaining special services and benefits based on knowledge of federal
and state laws, policies and regulations pertaining to veterans benefits
and services.

    (d) Nothing in this act shall be construed to affect the status, rights
or benefits of any officer or employee of the Kansas veterans' commission
employed by such commission on the effective date of this act.

    Sec. 2. K.S.A. 1997 Supp. 73-1210a and 73-1210b are hereby re-
pealed.

    Sec. 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the statute book.

I hereby certify that the above Bill originated in the House,
and passed that body

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Speaker of the House.

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Chief Clerk of the House.

Passed the Senate __________________________

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President of the Senate

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Secretary of the Senate.

Aproved __________________________________

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Governor.