2006 Kansas Code - 73-1210a

      73-1210a.   Officers and employees of commission; appointment; powers, duties and functions; rights and benefits preserved. (a) Except as otherwise provided by law, and subject to the Kansas civil service act, the executive director of the Kansas commission 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 officers 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 designated 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 veterans affairs shall appoint such subordinate officers and employees, subject to the approval of the Kansas commission on veterans affairs, as shall be necessary to enable the commission to exercise or perform its functions, powers and duties pursuant to the provisions of article 19 of chapter 76 of Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto. All such subordinate officers and employees shall be within the classified service under the Kansas civil service act, shall perform such duties and exercise such powers as the commission, the executive director of the commission, the superintendent of the Kansas soldiers' home and the superintendent 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, 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 honorably 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 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 securing 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.

      History:   L. 1986, ch. 278, § 5; L. 1997, ch. 28, § 1; L. 1998, ch. 150, § 1; July 1.