2023 Kansas Statutes › Chapter 32 - Wildlife, Parks And Recreation › Article 8 - Department Of Wildlife, Parks And Tourism › 32-807 Powers of secretary.

32-807. Powers of secretary.
The secretary of wildlife and parks shall have the power to:
(a) Adopt, in accordance with K.S.A. 32-805, and amendments thereto, such rules and regulations as necessary to implement, administer and enforce the provisions of the wildlife and parks laws of this state;
(b) enter into such contracts and agreements as necessary or incidental to the performance of the powers and duties of the secretary;
(c) employ or contract for, and fix the compensation of, consulting engineers, attorneys, accountants and construction and financial experts, all of whom shall be in the unclassified service under the Kansas civil service act;
(d) designate an official seal and alter it at the secretary's pleasure;
(e) sue, be sued, plead and be impleaded in the name of the department;
(f) purchase, lease, accept gifts or grants of or otherwise acquire in the name of the state such water, water rights, easements, facilities, equipment, moneys and other real and personal property, and interests therein, including any property abandoned on department lands and waters, and maintain, improve, extend, consolidate, exchange and dispose of such property, as the secretary deems appropriate to carry out the intent and purposes of the wildlife and parks laws of this state;
(g) acquire, establish, develop, construct, maintain and improve state parks, state lakes, recreational grounds, wildlife areas and sanctuaries, fish hatcheries, natural areas, physical structures, dams, lakes, reservoirs, embankments for impounding water, roads, landscaping, habitats, vegetation and other property, improvements and facilities for the purposes of wildlife management, preservation of natural areas and historic sites and providing recreational or cultural opportunities and facilities to the public and for such other purposes as suitable to carry out the intent and purposes of wildlife and parks laws of this state;
(h) operate and regulate the use of state parks, state lakes, recreational grounds, wildlife areas and sanctuaries, fish hatcheries, natural areas, historic sites and other lands, waters and facilities under the jurisdiction and control of the secretary, so as to promote the public health, safety and decency and the purposes for which such lands, waters and facilities are maintained and operated and to protect and safeguard such lands, waters and facilities, including but not limited to:
(1) Regulating the demeanor, actions and activities of persons using or within such lands, waters and facilities;
(2) providing for the inspection of boats, the issuance of permits for operation of watercraft of all kinds and the charging and collection of fees for the inspection and operation of such craft;
(3) prescribing the type, style, location and equipment of all wharves, docks, anchorages, pavilions, restaurants and other structures or buildings that may be constructed along the shores or upon the water of any body of water or land controlled by the department, and providing for the licensing, inspection and supervision of such structures or buildings;
(4) granting and imposing charges for permits and for all commercial uses or purposes for which any of the properties of the department may be used;
(5) charging fees to use special facilities provided for the public or giving written authorization to lessees of the department to charge such fees; and
(6) operating, renting or leasing any such lands, waters and facilities which in the judgment of the secretary are necessary or desirable for the use and pleasure of visitors or for management of such lands, waters and facilities and fixing and collecting reasonable fees, tolls, rentals and charges for the use or operation thereof. All contracts or leases for the exercise of any concession shall be entered into only upon the basis of sealed proposals that shall be made and let by the secretary except that:
(A) Where a concessionaire has an existing lease with the secretary or any agency of the federal government that the secretary desires to renew, renegotiate or acquire and sublease, such lease or sublease may be negotiated directly in accordance with rules and regulations of the secretary and without compliance with the requirements of this paragraph;
(B) any such contract or lease for a term of 30 days or less may be made by the secretary directly in accordance with rules and regulations of the secretary; and
(C) the secretary shall have authority to reject any or all proposals;
(i) have exclusive administrative control over state parks, state lakes, recreational areas, wildlife areas and sanctuaries, fish hatcheries, natural areas and other lands, waters and facilities under the jurisdiction of the secretary;
(j) provide for protection against fire and storm damage to the lands, waters and facilities under the jurisdiction of the secretary;
(k) contract with the federal government pursuant to public law 89-72 in order to acquire land by purchase, lease, agreement or otherwise on El Dorado and Hillsdale reservoir project lands;
(l) apply for, receive and accept from any federal agency any federal grants available for the purposes of the wildlife and parks laws of this state;
(m) have authority, control and jurisdiction over all matters relating to the development and conservation of wildlife and recreation resources of the state insofar as it pertains to forests, woodlands, public lands, submarginal lands, prevention of soil erosion, habitats and the control and utilization of waters, including all lakes, streams, reservoirs and dams, except that this subsection shall not prohibit any political subdivision of the state or private corporation from having full control of any lake now constructed and owned by it;
(n) conduct research in matters relating to the purposes of the wildlife and parks laws of this state and disseminate information relating thereto for the public use and benefit;
(o) publicize to the citizens of this and other states the natural resources and facilities existing in Kansas and encourage people to visit Kansas by disseminating available information as to the natural resources and recreational advantages of the state;
(p) develop public recreation as related to natural resources and implement a state recreational plan that may include, but not be limited to, the general location, character and extent of state lands, waters and facilities for public recreational purposes and methods for better use of lands, waters and facilities are within the scope of the plan or the purpose of the wildlife and parks laws of this state but, before implementation of such plan or any part thereof, the secretary shall submit it to any state agency affected thereby for such agency's advice and recommendations;
(q) provide for the preservation, protection, introduction, distribution, restocking and restoration of wildlife, and the public use thereof, in this state, including, but not limited to:
(1) Establishing, by rules and regulations adopted in accordance with K.S.A. 32-805, and amendments thereto, open seasons when wildlife may be taken or transported in the state of Kansas, or in any part or area of the state designated by counties, major streams, federal impoundments or federal, state or county highways, or by other recognizable boundaries. Such open seasons may be established for a specified time in one year only or for a specified time in an indefinite number of years and that open seasons on migratory birds shall not extend beyond or exceed those in effect under federal laws and regulations;
(2) establishing, by rules and regulations adopted in accordance with K.S.A. 32-805, and amendments thereto, the number of wildlife that may be taken by a person, as the legal limit for any one calendar day and for the open season. The limit on migratory fowl shall not extend beyond or exceed those limits in effect under federal laws and regulations;
(3) establishing, by rules and regulations adopted in accordance with K.S.A. 32-805, and amendments thereto, the legal size limits of fish or frogs that may be taken;
(4) establishing, by rules and regulations adopted in accordance with K.S.A. 32-805, and amendments thereto, the conditions, procedure and rules under which any person may sell, purchase, buy, deal or trade in wildlife in the state of Kansas; and
(5) capturing, propagating, transporting, selling, exchanging, giving or distributing any species of wildlife, by any means or manner, needed for stocking or restocking any lands or waters in this state, except that the power to capture any species of wildlife for any purpose shall not apply to private property except by permission of the owners of the property or in the case of an emergency threatening the public health or welfare;
(r) establish, by rules and regulations adopted in accordance with K.S.A. 32-805, and amendments thereto, the period of time that a license, permit, stamp or other issue of the department shall be in effect, unless such period is otherwise established by law, and provisions for acceptance of any issue of the department before its effective date as a valid issue if the secretary determines such acceptance best serves the public good; and
(s) do such other acts and things as necessary and proper to carry out the intent and purpose of the wildlife and parks laws of this state and to better protect, conserve, control, use, increase, develop and provide for the enjoyment of the natural resources of this state.
History:
L. 1989, ch. 118, § 9; L. 1993, ch. 185, § 2; L. 2012, ch. 47, § 25; L. 2023, ch. 7, § 28; July 1.