(a) The Kansas commission for the deaf and hard of hearing shall employ an executive director and shall fix the duties, responsibilities and qualifications thereof. The executive director shall be a full-time employee of the commission who shall be in the unclassified service under the Kansas civil service act and shall receive an annual salary to be fixed by the commission, and such salary shall be comparable to the salaries of executive directors of other commissions. The executive director shall receive actual and necessary expenses incurred while in the discharge of official duties.

(b) The executive director, with the advice and consent of the commission shall:

(1) Within the limitations of available appropriations, plan and oversee the establishment of service centers for the deaf and hard of hearing in areas where the commission deems they are needed and in concurrence with the secretary for children and families and in consultation with local boards of directors of community service centers and local groups promoting or providing services to the deaf or hard of hearing, or both;

(2) promote accessibility of all governmental services to deaf and hard of hearing citizens in Kansas including those deaf and hard of hearing persons with multiple disabilities;

(3) identify agencies, both public and private that provide community services, evaluate the extent to which they make services available to deaf and hard of hearing people and their families, and cooperate with the agencies in coordinating and extending these services;

(4) provide for the mutual exchange of ideas and information on services for deaf and hard of hearing people between federal, state and local governmental agencies and private organizations and individuals;

(5) survey the needs of the deaf and hard of hearing population in Kansas and assist the commission in the preparation of its report to the governor;

(6) maintain a listing of persons qualified in various types of interpreting and communication access services for the deaf and make this information available to local, state, federal and private organizations and to individuals;

(7) promote the training of interpreters for the deaf and hard of hearing;

(8) serve as an advocate for the rights of deaf and hard of hearing people and perform such other duties as may be required by law;

(9) provide interpreter services for the deaf and hard of hearing to be funded from fees collected pursuant to Kan. Stat. Ann. § 75-5397a, and amendments thereto;

(10) provide a telecommunication message relay service for the deaf and hard of hearing;

(11) provide for a program of registration of interpreters;

(12) provide for a program of statewide coordination for communication access services and service providers; and

(13) employ such persons as may be needed from time to time, in the judgment of the executive director, to carry out the director’s responsibilities under paragraphs (9), (10), (11) and (12). Such employees shall be in the unclassified civil service and shall receive an annual salary to be fixed by the commission.

(c) In selecting an executive director, the commission shall select an individual who is fluent in the American sign language of the deaf and shall give consideration and priority to qualified applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing. The commission shall supervise and evaluate the executive director.