First Responders Statute

Louisiana Revised Statue 29:725.6. State Unified Command Group
First Responder Subcommittee

A. The state Unified Command Group, herein referred to as "UCG", is hereby established and shall be composed of the members established by executive order of the governor. The UCG is the strategic decision-making body for emergencies in the state with the governor serving as the unified commander. The complex array of traditional and emerging threats and hazards demands the application of a unified and coordinated approach to emergency incident management not only during emergencies but during day-to-day operations of state government.

B. (1) The UCG shall hold meetings quarterly other than during a state declared emergency and at such times as the chairman deems necessary, beginning September 2008.

(2) To the extent permitted by and in accordance with R.S. 44:1 et seq., each officer, board, commission, council, department, or agency of state government, and each political subdivision of the state shall make available all facts, records, information, and data requested by the UCG and cooperate with the UCG in carrying out the functions imposed by this Section.

(3) The roles, duties, and activities of the UCG shall include but are not limited to the following:
(a) Submitting recommendations to the legislature relative to any changes in state law necessary to remove barriers to achieving the goals of the UCG.
(b) Establishing a comprehensive statewide interoperability plan for short-term and long-term initiatives.
(c) Submitting a semi-annual report to the governor and entities involved in the statewide plan by January first and July first of each year which includes a copy of the current or revised statewide interoperability plan.
(d) Re-prioritizing initiatives in the statewide plan, as needed, to address immediate communication needs in cases of emergencies or disasters.
(e) Centralizing coordination among multiple agencies, including local, state, and federal.

(4) The UCG may adopt rules and procedures for its operation.

(5)
(a) The UCG is authorized to apply for, contract for, receive, and expend for its purposes any appropriation or grant from the state, its political subdivisions, the federal government, or any other public or private source.
(b) The UCG shall allocate the funds according to the initiatives set forth in the statewide communications interoperability plan for first responders and statewide interoperability plan.
(c) The UCG shall have oversight in reviewing the spending of federal funds and additional sources of funding earmarked for interoperability to optimize the investment and resources needed in planning, implementing, and maintaining a statewide interoperability plan.

(b)(i) A "first responders subcommittee" is hereby established and shall be composed of the following members:
(aa) President of the Louisiana Sheriffs Association, Inc., or his designee.
(bb) President of the Louisiana Association of Chiefs of Police, Inc., or his designee.
(cc) President of the Louisiana Fire Chiefs Association, or his designee.
(dd) Chair of the Regional Parish Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Directors Committee, or his designee.
(ee) State fire marshal, or his designee.
(ff) The deputy secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, public safety services, or his designee.
(gg) The director of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, or his designee.
(ii) The roles, duties, and activities of the subcommittee shall include but are not limited to:
(aa) Planning and advising on issues identified by the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness and the UCG regarding first responders.
(bb) Establishing advisory subcommittees for specific issues.
(cc) Submitting a semi-annual report to the governor and to the UCG by January first and July first of each year.
(iii) The chairman of the subcommittee shall be appointed by the director of the Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. All remaining officers shall be elected by and from the membership of the subcommittee.
(iv) Members of the subcommittee shall be entitled to be reimbursed for actual expenses for travel consistent with allowances for state classified employees and approved by the chairman of the subcommittee, if funding is available.
(v) The subcommittee shall meet at regular intervals at the direction of the chairman.