46-2601. Confirmation oversight committee; membership; appointment; meetings; vacancies; authority of committee; members of board of regents. (a) There is hereby established the confirmation oversight committee which shall have six members. Except as provided by this subsection, members of the confirmation oversight committee shall be appointed in the manner provided by senate rule for the appointment of members of standing committees of the senate. The two major political parties shall have proportional representation on such committee. In the event application of the preceding sentence results in a fraction, the party having a fraction exceeding .5 shall receive representation as though such fraction were a whole number. One of the members of the committee shall be the majority leader, or the majority leader's designee, who shall be the chairperson. One of the members of the committee shall be the minority leader, or the minority leader's designee, who shall be the vice-chairperson. The committee shall meet on the call of the chairperson or any three members of the committee.

(b) If a vacancy occurs in an office or in the membership of a board, commission, council, committee, authority or other governmental body and the appointment to fill such vacancy is subject to confirmation by the senate as provided in K.S.A. 75-4315b, and amendments thereto, the confirmation oversight committee may authorize, by a majority vote thereof, the person appointed to fill such vacancy to exercise the powers, duties and functions of the office until such appointment is confirmed by the senate in the manner provided by K.S.A. 75-4315b, and amendments thereto, at the next regular or special session of the legislature.

Prior to authorizing any person to exercise the powers, duties and functions of an office pursuant to this section, the confirmation oversight committee shall require such person to appear before the committee unless such person is being re-appointed to the same position.

(c) (1) If the confirmation oversight committee authorizes a person appointed to fill a vacancy to exercise the powers, duties and functions of an office as provided by this section, such person shall not be subject to confirmation by the senate if at the time of such person's appointment there is less than six months in the unexpired term of such.

(2) The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to appointments to the state board of regents.

History: L. 1995, ch. 241, § 1; L. 2007, ch. 177, § 18; L. 2008, ch. 121, § 5; July 1.