CHAPTER 189 HOUSE BILL No. 2337* An Act creating the Kansas advisory council on intergovernmental relations; prescribing the powers and duties thereof. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Kansas:

      Section  1. (a) There is hereby created a Kansas advisory council on
intergovernmental relations. The council shall be composed of 15 mem-
bers of whom 11 shall be appointed by the governor as follows: (1) Two
members shall be elected county officials of which, one shall be a member
of a board of county commissioners; (2) two members shall be elected
city officials; (3) one member shall be an elected township official; (4)
one member shall be an elected school board member; (5) two members
shall be executive branch officials; and (6) three members shall be private
citizens. Two members of the council shall be members of the Kansas
senate of which, one shall be appointed by the president of the senate
and one shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate. Two
members of the council shall be members of the Kansas house of rep-
resentatives of which, one shall be appointed by the speaker of the house
and one shall be appointed by the minority leader of the house.

      City, county and school board members shall be appointed from lists
of at least five nominees submitted by their respective state organizations.
Of the members appointed by the governor, no more than seven mem-
bers shall be from any one political party.

      (b) Of the first members appointed by the governor after the effective
date of this act, one member of each city and county, the township and
school board member, one executive branch member and one private
citizen shall hold office for terms of two years beginning July 1, 2002;
thereafter all appointments shall be for terms of four years. The remaining
members appointed by the governor shall be for terms of four years be-
ginning July 1, 2002. Legislative members shall be appointed to terms
which correspond to their terms of office. All members may be reap-
pointed. Should any member cease to be a member of the unit, body or
agency such person is appointed to represent, such person's membership
on the council shall terminate immediately and a new member shall be
appointed in the same manner as the predecessor to fill the unexpired
term.

      (c) Members shall serve without salary but may be reimbursed for
travel and other expenses actually and necessarily incurred in the per-
formance of their duties.

      (d) The council shall each year elect from its membership a chair-
person and a vice-chairperson, who shall serve in such capacities for one
year and until their successors have been elected. If both the chairperson
and vice-chairperson are absent from any meeting, the voting members
present shall elect a temporary chairperson by a majority vote.

      (e) Eight members of the council shall constitute a quorum. Meetings
and subcommittee meetings of the council shall be subject to the open
meetings law.

      Sec.  2. (a) It shall be the duty of the council to engage in continuous
study of the services provided by the various types and levels of govern-
ment within the state, the division of responsibility for providing and
financing governmental services, possibilities of improving the organiza-
tional structure and operational efficiency of the various governmental
units serving the citizens of the state; and the state and local tax structure
and the revenue requirements and fiscal policies of the state and its local
units of government. The council shall give particular attention to mod-
ernization of the structure of Kansas local government, the impact of
urbanization on the organization and functions of local government, the
impact of technology on the organization and functions of local govern-
ment and the relationships between state and local governments.

      (b) The council shall determine the manner in which the existing laws
of the state relating to the subjects of its study may be simplified, modi-
fied, rearranged, consolidated and revised to insure greater effectiveness
in the governmental practices of this state. The council shall make an
annual report in writing to the governor and legislature. Such report shall
be transmitted to the legislative coordinating council on or before De-
cember 1, for inclusion, as the coordinating council may determine, in its
annual report. All recommendations requiring statutory changes shall be
in legislative bill form. Recommendations requiring constitutional
changes shall contain the language of the proposed amendments and laws
to implement the recommendations. All such bills and proposed consti-
tutional amendments shall have received approval as to form by the re-
visor of statutes prior to transmission thereof to the legislative coordinat-
ing council.

      Sec.  3. Each officer, board, commission or department of state gov-
ernment or local unit of government, shall make available to the council
all facts, records, information and data requested by council and in all
ways cooperate with the council in carrying out its duties imposed by this
act.

      Sec.  4. The council shall meet as often as may be necessary to per-
form its duties and shall meet in each congressional district of the state
at least once in each biennium.

      Sec.  5. The council may accept moneys from grants, gifts, bequests,
contributions or other donations.

      Sec.  6. The council is hereby authorized to engage legal counsel and
expert advisors on the subject of taxation or governmental organization
and procedures as may be necessary to carry out the duties of the council.
Compensation for such counsel and advisors shall be determined by the
council within the limits of available funds.

      Sec.  7. Any member of the legislature, appointed state official or
elected public official shall have the right to attend any meeting of the
council; and may present such official's views on any subject which the
council may be considering. Such official shall not have the right to par-
ticipate in any decision which the council may make unless such official
is a member of the council.

      Sec.  8. The council may adopt such rules of procedure, consistent
with this act, as may be necessary to carry out the powers, duties and
functions of the council.

 Sec.  9. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its
publication in the statute book.

Approved May 30, 2002.
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