5-504.   Advisory council on dispute resolution; members; terms, election ofofficers.(a) The advisory council on dispute resolution is herebycreated.The council shall be comprised of individuals from a variety of disciplines whoare trained and knowledgeable in dispute resolution and shallbe selected to berepresentative ofthe geographical and cultural diversity of the state and to reflect balancedgender representation.The council shall consist of no more than 19 voting members. The voting members shall includenot more than six persons who arelicensed to practice law inKansas. The council shall beappointed by the chief justice of the supreme court in accordancewith this section. The chief justice shall solicit nominations fromKansas judges, dispute resolutionorganizations, legal and mental health professional organizations, social andlegal services agencies, domestic violence advocacy groups,state and local governmentagencies, business organizations, consumer organizations, court serviceofficers, social workers, mental health professionals, educators and otherinterested groups or individuals. The chief justice is not restricted to thesolicited lists of nominees in making such appointments.

      (b)   The initial members of the council shall be appointed for terms of one,two or three years so that the terms of not more than four voting members shallexpire during the same calendar year. All successor appointments shall be madefor termsof three years. Any vacancy on the council shall be filled in the same mannerin which the original appointment was made and for the duration of the termvacated.

      (c)   The council annually shall elect a chairperson, a vice-chairperson andsuch other officers as deemed necessary by the council.

      History:   L. 1994, ch. 217, § 4;L. 1996, ch. 140, § 4; July 1.