66-1285. Creation of the clean power plan implementation study committee; legislative review of proposed state plan; composition of committee. (a) (1) There is hereby established the clean power plan implementation study committee. The committee shall hold informational hearings and receive updates from the department of health and environment, the state corporation commission and the attorney general about the implications of the adoption of a state plan pursuant to docket EPA-HQ-OAR-2013-0602 concerning the impact to: (A) Electric ratepayers; (B) electric utilities; (C) the reliability of the electric grid in Kansas; and (D) the overall sovereignty of the state.

(2) Upon development of a state plan pursuant to K.S.A. 2016 Supp. 65-3031, and amendments thereto, the secretary of health and environment shall submit the plan to the study committee for review. Within 30 days of receiving any proposed state plan, the committee shall hold a committee meeting and review the impact of the plan pursuant to this section and may approve or disapprove the submission of the plan. If the study committee disapproves the submission of the plan, the committee shall provide the secretary the reasons for such disapproval.

(b) (1) The study committee shall be composed of 11 voting members. Five members shall be from the senate committee on utilities as follows: (A) The chairperson, vice-chairperson and ranking minority member; and (B) two members appointed by the president of the senate.

(2) Six members shall be from the house committee on energy and environment as follows: (A) The chairperson, vice-chairperson and ranking minority member; and (B) three members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.

(3) A quorum of the clean power plan implementation study committee shall be six members. All actions of the committee shall be taken by a majority of all of the members of the committee. Any vacancy in the membership of the committee shall be filled by appointment in the same manner prescribed by this section for the original appointment.

(c) Members shall be appointed to the study committee on or before July 1, 2015, for a term ending on June 30, 2017. On and after the first day of the regular legislative session in odd-numbered years, the chairperson of the study committee shall be the chairperson of the house committee on energy and environment and the vice-chairperson of the study committee shall be the chairperson of the senate committee on utilities and, after the first day of the regular legislative session in even-numbered years, the chairperson of the study committee shall be the chairperson of the senate committee on utilities and the vice-chairperson of the study committee shall be the chairperson of the house committee on energy and environment. The chairperson and vice-chairperson of the study committee shall serve in such capacities until the first day of the regular legislative session in the ensuing year. The vice-chairperson shall exercise all of the powers of the chairperson in the absence of the chairperson. The first meeting of the study committee shall be called by the chairperson of the committee following the conclusion of the 2015 regular session of the Kansas legislature. The committee shall have the authority to meet at any time and at any place within the state on the call of the chairperson.

(d) 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 clean power plan implementation study committee to the extent that the same do not conflict with the specific provisions of this act applicable to the study committee.

(e) Members of the clean power plan implementation study 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.

(f) The staff of the office of revisor of statutes, the legislative research department and the division of legislative administrative services shall provide such assistance as may be requested by the study committee.

(g) The provisions of this section shall expire on June 30, 2017.

History: L. 2015, ch. 74, § 2; June 4.