2-3902. Advisory board, establishment, membership; criminal history record checks of hemp employees. (a) The Kansas department of agriculture shall, by the adoption of rules and regulations, establish an advisory board within the department to provide input and information regarding the regulation and development of industrial hemp in the state of Kansas and any programs proposed or operated by the department. Such board shall include a minimum of six members, including members that represent the following:

(1) The Kansas legislature;

(2) crop research;

(3) industrial hemp production or processing;

(4) law enforcement;

(5) seed certification; and

(6) the state entity designated to regulate hemp processors.

(b) The state advisory board shall meet at least annually. Members shall receive no compensation but shall be paid subsistence allowances, mileage and other expenses as provided in K.S.A. 75-3223, and amendments thereto.

(c) The secretary of agriculture may require a hemp employee to be fingerprinted and to submit to a state and national criminal history record check in accordance with K.S.A. 2024 Supp. 22-4714, and amendments thereto.

(2) An individual who has been convicted of a felony violation of article 57 of chapter 21 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, and amendments thereto, or a substantially similar offense in another jurisdiction, within the immediately preceding 10 years, shall be disqualified from initial or continuing employment under this section.

(3) The individual seeking initial or continuing employment under this section shall pay the costs of fingerprinting and the state and national criminal history record checks.

History: L. 2018, ch. 62, § 2; L. 2019, ch. 37, § 8; L. 2022, ch. 69, § 24; L. 2024, ch. 15, § 5; July 1.