(1) The Climate Assessment Response Committee is hereby created. The office of the Governor shall be the lead agency and shall oversee the committee and its activities. The committee shall be composed of representatives appointed by the Governor with the approval of a majority of the Legislature from livestock producers, crop producers, the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, and the Conservation and Survey Division and Cooperative Extension Service of the University of Nebraska. The Director of Agriculture or his or her designee, the chief executive officer of the Department of Health and Human Services or his or her designee, and the Director of Natural Resources or his or her designee shall be ex officio members of the committee. Representatives from the federal Consolidated Farm Service Agency and Federal Crop Insurance Corporation may also serve on the committee at the invitation of the Governor. The chairperson of the Committee on Agriculture of the Legislature and the chairperson of the Committee on Natural Resources of the Legislature shall be nonvoting, ex officio members of the committee. The Governor may appoint a member of the Governor's Policy Research Office and any other state agency representatives or invite any other federal agencies to name representatives as he or she deems necessary. The Governor shall appoint one of the Climate Assessment Response Committee members to serve as the chairperson of the committee. Committee members shall be reimbursed for expenses as provided in sections 81-1174 to 81-1177.

(2) The committee shall meet at least twice each year and shall meet more frequently (a) at the call of the chairperson, (b) upon request of a majority of the committee members, and (c) during periods of drought or other severe climate situations.

(3) The chairperson may establish subcommittees and may invite representatives of agencies other than those with members on the committee to serve on such subcommittees.

(4) Any funds for the activities of the committee and for other climate-related expenditures may be appropriated directly to the office of the Governor for contracting with other agencies or persons for tasks approved by the committee.

The Climate Assessment Response Committee shall:

(1) Provide timely and systematic data collection, analysis, and dissemination of information about drought and other severe climate occurrences to the Governor and to other interested persons;

(2) Provide the Governor and other interested persons with information and advice relevant to requests for federal disaster declarations and to the use of funds and other types of assistance available to the state because of such declarations;

(3) Establish criteria for startup and shutdown of various assessment and response activities by state and federal agencies during drought and other climate-related emergencies;

(4) Provide an organizational structure that assures information flow and defines the duties and responsibilities of all agencies during times of drought and climate-related emergencies;

(5) Maintain a current inventory of state and federal agency responsibilities in assessing and responding to drought and other climate-related emergencies;

(6) Provide a mechanism for the improvement of methods of assessing impacts of drought on agriculture and industry;

(7) Provide such other coordination and communication among federal and state agencies as is deemed appropriate by such committee;

(8) Provide the Governor and other interested persons with information and research on the impacts of cyclical climate change in Nebraska, including impacts on physical, ecological, and economic areas, and attempt to anticipate the unintended consequences of climate adaptation and mitigation;

(9) Facilitate communication between stakeholders and the state about cyclical climate change impacts and response strategies;

(10) By December 1, 2014, provide a report on cyclical climate change in Nebraska to the Governor and electronically to the Legislature which includes key points, overarching recommendations, and options that emerge from other reports and recommendations submitted to the Climate Assessment Response Committee; and

(11) Perform such other climate-related assessment and response functions as are desired by the Governor.