(a) There is hereby established the division of post audit within the legislative branch of the government. The division of post audit shall be under the direct supervision of the post auditor in accordance with policies adopted by the legislative post audit committee.

(b) (1) Employees in the division of post audit shall be in the unclassified service, shall receive such compensation as is provided under this act and shall be covered by the state group health plan and Kansas public employees retirement system to the same extent as other state employees.

(2) Employees of the division of post audit shall receive travel expenses and subsistence expenses and allowances as provided for other state employees.

(3) Employees in the division of post audit shall be employed by and be responsible to the post auditor who shall fix the compensation of each such employee subject to approval of the legislative post audit committee and within budget and appropriations therefor.

(c) (1) The post auditor may require employees of the division of post audit and other persons who contract to work with or work under the direction of the post auditor to be fingerprinted and submit to a state and national criminal history record check. The fingerprints shall be used to identify the employee and to determine whether the employee has a record of criminal history in this state or another jurisdiction. The post auditor shall submit the fingerprints to the Kansas bureau of investigation and the federal bureau of investigation for a state and national criminal history record check. Local and state law enforcement officers and agencies shall assist the post auditor in the taking and processing of fingerprints of employees or other such persons. Local law enforcement officers and agencies may charge a fee as reimbursement for expenses incurred in taking and processing fingerprints under this section. The post auditor may use the information obtained from fingerprinting and the criminal history for purposes of verifying the identification of the employee or other such person and in the official determination of the qualifications and fitness of the employee or other such person to work with the division of post audit in any capacity.

(2) If any person offered a position of employment in the division of post audit, including any person who contracts to work with the division of post audit is subject to a criminal history records check, such person shall be given a written notice that a criminal history records check is required. The post auditor may require such person to be fingerprinted and submit to a state and national criminal history record check. The fingerprints shall be used to identify the person and to determine whether the person has a record of criminal history in this state or another jurisdiction. The post auditor shall submit the fingerprints to the Kansas bureau of investigation and the federal bureau of investigation for a state and national criminal history record check. Local and state law enforcement officers and agencies shall assist the post auditor in the taking and processing of fingerprints of each such person. Local law enforcement officers and agencies may charge a fee as reimbursement for expenses incurred in taking and processing fingerprints under this section. The post auditor may use the information obtained from fingerprinting and the criminal history for purposes of verifying the identification of the person and in the official determination of the eligibility of the person to perform appropriate tasks for the division of post audit. If the criminal history record information is used to disqualify a person from employment or a contract offer, such person shall be informed in writing of that decision.

(d) The annual budget request of the division shall be prepared by the post auditor and the post auditor shall present it to the legislative post audit committee. The committee shall make any changes it desires in said budget request and then shall transmit it to the legislative coordinating council. Such council shall make any changes it desires in such budget request and upon approval of the budget request by the council, the post auditor shall submit it to the director of the budget as other budget requests are submitted.