EXECUTIVE ORDER
05-20

WHEREAS, providing safety and security for Missouri's citizens is a fundamental responsibility and profound duty of state government; and

WHEREAS, state government must be proactive and innovative in preparing for and protecting Missouri's citizens from acts of terrorism, carried out by foreign or domestic groups; and

WHEREAS, state government must be prepared to respond to and mitigate the effect of disasters, both natural and man-made; and

WHEREAS, providing a cohesive, effective homeland security plan that provides for the safety and security of Missourians requires cooperation among federal, state, and local governments, and private sector and citizen groups; and

WHEREAS, federal Homeland Security grant funds are valuable resources that should be expended by state and local governments in the most efficient and effective way possible to provide robust protection and preparedness for the citizenry.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, MATT BLUNT, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF MISSOURI, by virtue of the authority placed in me by the Constitution and the Laws of the State of Missouri, do hereby establish the Missouri Homeland Security Advisory Council (herein called the "Council") to review and evaluate current state and local homeland security plans and make recommendations for changes to better protect Missourians and to review requests and provide recommendations on the appropriate use of Homeland Security grant funds from the federal government so that they are expended in a coordinated fashion ensuring the protection of the state as a whole.

I hereby charge the Missouri Homeland Security Advisory Council with the task of ensuring that proper homeland security plans and coordination are in place at the state and local level and that homeland security grant expenditures are done in a coordinated and efficient way. Specifically, the Council shall:

1. Evaluate current state homeland security plans and make recommendations for modifications to ensure that Missouri's plans are properly equipped to respond to threats, whether foreseeable or unforeseeable.
2. Work with city and county officials to ensure that localities are integrated into and participating in homeland security planning and preparation.
3. Make recommendations for structural changes that will facilitate better cooperation and coordination between state and local homeland security/ emergency responder personnel.
4. Develop policies and procedures to ensure that homeland security plans remain up-to-date and capable of responding to emerging threats.
5. Develop a system whereby the Council or some subset of the Council reviews homeland security grant requests and recommends to the Homeland Security Director approval or denial of those requests based on whether the request furthers a local or state homeland security objective.
6. Review the state Homeland Security grant reimbursement process and procedures and make recommendations for ways to better integrate local communities into the larger state homeland security readiness plan. Include recommendations for improvements to the policies and procedures for submitting grant requests and providing feedback to localities regarding how they can better integrate their efforts with the state's efforts.
7. Within 120 days of the signing of this order, the Council shall generate an up-to-date, comprehensive, statewide emergency preparedness, response, and recovery plan for approval by the governor. The Council may make recommendations for revision to this plan at a later date based on its findings resulting from the aforementioned tasks.

This work shall be completed as soon as practicable, but unless otherwise specified, no later than January 1, 2006. The Council may recommend that it continue some or all of these functions but such continuation must be authorized by the governor.

The Council shall consist of seventeen members. The Chairman of the Council shall be the Director of the Department of Public Safety. The Vice Chairman of the Council shall be the Director of the Division of Homeland Security. Other members of the Council shall include: the Director of the State Emergency Management Agency, the Directors of Health and Senior Services, Transportation, Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Economic Development, the Chief Information Officer of the State, the State Adjutant General, the Superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the State Fire Marshal, the Commissioner of the Water Patrol, the Chairman of the Public Service Commission, and three public members appointed by the governor. The Governor at his discretion may appoint ex-officio members to the Council.

Members of the Council shall receive no compensation for their service to the people of Missouri, but may seek reimbursement of their reasonable and necessary expenses incurred as members of the Council, in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Office of Administration.

The Council is assigned for administrative purposes to the Department of Public Safety. The Director of the Department of Public Safety or his designee shall be available to assist the Council as necessary, and shall provide the Council with any staff assistance that they may require from time to time. All Departments in the Executive Branch of Missouri state government are directed to cooperate with the Council, and shall provide such assistance to the Council as it shall request.

I hereby direct all executive branch departments and agencies to prepare, within 120 days of the signing of this order, emergency response plans or updates to existing plans that address the continuity of their operations and services and the security of their constituents and employees in the event of natural or man-made disasters or emergencies, including terrorist attacks. These plans shall be presented to the Director of the Division of Homeland Security through the Director of the State Emergency Management Agency and shall be made available to the Council as part of its work in evaluating statewide emergency preparedness, response, and recovery plans. The Council shall assist executive departments in this endeavor at their Department Director's request.

Furthermore, I hereby establish the office of the Division of Homeland Security within the Department of Public Safety. The Director of the Division of Homeland Security shall report to the Director of Public Safety. The Director of Homeland Security shall coordinate activities to promote unity of effort among federal, state, local, private sector, and citizen activities related to emergency preparedness and homeland security. The Director of Homeland Security shall also perform any other duties assigned to him by the Director of Public Safety.

This Executive Order rescinds Executive Orders 02-15 and 02-16.

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