SECOND REGULAR SESSION
93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE PORTWOOD.
Read 1st time February 21, 2006 and copies ordered printed.
STEPHEN S. DAVIS, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To amend chapter 650, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to the Missouri homeland security advisory council.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 650, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 650.600, to read as follows:
650.600. 1. In accordance with executive order 05-20, there is hereby established within the department of public safety the "Missouri Homeland Security Advisory Council" to review and evaluate current state and local homeland security plans and make recommendations for changes to better protect Missourians and to review requests and provide recommendations on the appropriate use of homeland security grant moneys from the federal government so that such moneys are expended in a coordinated fashion ensuring the protection of the state as a whole.
2. The advisory council shall consist of the following eighteen members:
(1) The director of the department of public safety, who shall serve as chair of the council;
(2) The director of the division of homeland security, who shall serve as vice-chair of the council;
(3) The director of the state emergency management agency;
(4) The directors of the departments of health and senior services, transportation, agriculture, natural resources, and economic development;
(5) The chief information officer of the state;
(6) The state adjutant general;
(7) The superintendent of the Missouri highway patrol;
(8) The state fire marshal;
(9) The commission of the Missouri state water patrol;
(10) The chair of the public service commission;
(11) A school nurse, appointed by the governor; and
(12) Three members of the general public, appointed by the governor.
The governor may appoint additional ex officio members to the council.
3. Members of the council shall receive no compensation for their service on the council, but may be reimbursed for their reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as members of the council.
4. The director of the department of public safety or the director's designee shall be available to assist the council as necessary, and shall provide the council with any staff assistance that the council may require from time to time. All executive branch departments shall cooperate with the council and provide assistance to the council upon request.
5. The homeland security advisory council shall:
(1) Evaluate current state homeland security plans and make recommendations for modifications to ensure that Missouri's plans are properly equipped to respond to threats, whether foreseeable or unforeseeable;
(2) Work with municipal and county officials to ensure that localities are integrated into and participating in homeland security planning and preparation;
(3) Make recommendations for structural changes that will facilitate better cooperation and coordination between state and local homeland security and emergency responder personnel;
(4) Develop policies and procedures to ensure that homeland security plans remain up-to-date and capable of responding to emerging threats;
(5) Develop a system whereby the council or a subset of the council reviews homeland security grant requests and recommends to the homeland security director approval or denial of those requests based on whether the request furthers a local or state homeland security objective;
(6) Review the state homeland security grant reimbursement process and procedures and make recommendations for ways to better integrate local communities into the larger state homeland security readiness plan. The council shall include recommendations for improvements to the policies and procedures for submitting grant requests and providing feedback to localities regarding how they can better integrate their efforts with the state's efforts; and
(7) Make recommendations for the revision of the comprehensive statewide emergency preparedness, response, and recovery plan approved by the governor.
6. The advisory council established under this section shall operate in lieu of and not in addition to the advisory council established under executive order 05-20. The current members of the council shall not be required to be reappointed by the governor for purposes of this section; except that, the three public members and the school nurse member of the council shall each serve terms of two years. Of the three public members serving on the council on the effective date of this section, the governor shall designate two members to serve three-year terms and one member to serve a two-year term. All subsequent members appointed to the council shall serve two-year terms.
7. The council shall meet at least quarterly, with additional meetings called at the discretion of the chair.
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