46-3001. Joint committee on children's issues; members; appointment; qualifications; terms; meetings; compensation; powers and duties. (a) There is hereby created the joint committee on children's issues which shall be within the legislative branch of state government and which shall be composed of 10 members. Five members shall be members of the house of representatives and five members shall be members of the senate. Three of the members who are representatives shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, three members who are senators shall be appointed by the president of the senate, two members who are representatives shall be appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives and two members who are senators shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate. At least one member of the committee from the house of representatives shall be a member of the committee on insurance, one member shall be a member of the committee on health and human services and one member shall be a member of the committee on appropriations. At least one member of the committee from the senate shall be a member of the committee on financial institutions and insurance, one member shall be a member of the committee on public health and welfare and one member shall be a member of the committee on ways and means.

(b) All members of the joint committee on children's issues shall serve for terms of two years ending on the first day of the regular session of the legislature commencing in the first odd-numbered year after the year of appointment, except that the first members shall be appointed on the effective date of this act and shall serve for terms ending on the first day of the regular session of the legislature commencing in 1999. If a vacancy occurs in the office of any member of the joint committee on children's issues, a successor shall be appointed in the same manner as the original appointment for the remainder of the term. The chairperson shall be appointed for a term of one year which ends on the first day of the next occurring regular session of the legislature. The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint the first chairperson on the effective date of this act and shall appoint the chairperson for the term commencing on the first day of the regular session of the legislature commencing in 1999 for a one-year term to end on the first day of the regular session of the legislature commencing in the year 2000. The president of the senate shall appoint the next chairperson on the first day of the regular session of the legislature commencing in the year 2000 for a one-year term which ends on the first day of the next occurring regular session of the legislature. Thereafter the appointment of the chairperson shall continue to alternate between the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate with each subsequent chairperson being appointed for a one-year term ending on the first day of the regular session of the legislature in the next occurring regular session of the legislature after the year of appointment. If a vacancy occurs in the office of the chairperson, a member of the joint committee who is a member of the same house of the legislature as the member who vacated the office shall be appointed by the speaker of the house or president of the senate, depending on the house membership of the vacating member, to fill such vacancy.

(c) A quorum of the joint committee on children's issues shall be six. All actions of the joint committee shall be taken by a majority of all of the members of the joint committee.

(d) The joint committee on children's issues shall have the authority to meet at any time and at any place within the state on the call of the chairperson.

(e) The provisions of the acts contained in article 12 of chapter 46 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto, applicable to special committees shall apply to the joint committee on children's issues to the extent that the same do not conflict with the specific provisions of this act applicable to the joint committee.

(f) Members of the committee shall receive compensation, travel expenses and subsistence expenses as provided in K.S.A. 75-3212, and amendments thereto, when attending meetings of the committee.

(g) The joint committee on children's issues shall have the services of the legislative research department, the office of revisor of statutes and other central legislative staff service agencies.

(h) The joint committee on children's issues shall study children's issues as the committee deems necessary.

History: L. 1998, ch. 125, § 8; L. 2008, ch. 164, § 14; July 1.