Topeka ? Even if terrorists never strike Kansas, legislation prompted by last year’s attacks could prove valuable.

The reason is as simple as the Boy Scout motto: Be Prepared.

As Maj. Gen. Greg Gardner sees it, addressing the possibility of terrorism will help the state respond to catastrophes of all kinds.

“We will be better prepared to deal with any disaster, natural or manmade,” said Gardner, who is Kansas’ adjutant general.

Disaster planning is Gardner’s responsibility as head of both the state’s National Guard forces and Division of Emergency Management and coordinator of homeland security.

Among his ideas is creation of six regional emergency medical response teams to deal with chemical, biological, radiological and high-explosive incidents.

But it wouldn’t take a terrorist to trigger such problems, as was seen last year with the rash of natural gas geyser explosions in Hutchinson.

Help throughout state

The teams would provide added assistance in parts of Kansas that don’t otherwise have adequate resources to prepare for disasters.

Gardner also wants to add six regional planners to help counties devise emergency management plans. Of the 105 counties, 52 have emergency plans that conform to current state and federal standards.

Many legislators agree that while the state has dealt well with various disasters such as floods and tornadoes, there’s nothing wrong with being able to do it a little better.

“An act of terrorism requires a compact and efficient system of response. That is also true for acts of God,” said House Speaker Kent Glasscock, R-Manhattan. “If we can respond quicker, we can take care of the public better.”

Sept. 11 brought out the best in most Kansans  and the worst in a few, like those who jacked up gasoline prices within hours of the attacks.

As an assistant attorney general, Sen. Derek Schmidt saw problems in enforcing the state’s vague consumer protection law, partly because not all parties know what is legal.

“They have to read the tea leaves to know what conduct is prohibited, and that’s not fair to the prosecutors, consumers or businesses,” said Schmidt, R-Independence.

So Schmidt drafted a bill making it illegal for individuals and companies to engage in profiteering after any kind of disaster.

Another bill by Schmidt would make it a crime to expose crops, animal feed and food to infectious diseases. State law already makes it a crime to expose livestock to diseases or bring infected animals into the state.

While the bill is focused on terrorists acts, Schmidt says it also creates better ways to protect the food chain from the farm field to the dinner table.

“One thing that it will guarantee is more of the key players will be talking to each other about how to protect the food supply,” he said.

Wiretap changes sought

Atty. Gen. Carla Stovall wants to change the state’s wiretap law to make it easier to legally eavesdrop on telephone conversations.

The bill would mirror changes in federal procedures prompted by Sept. 11, permitting a court to authorize eavesdropping on a specific person rather than on a given telephone number.

Such a change would help law enforcement officials in their fight against those who conduct criminal activity using multiple phones, as drug dealers often do.

Kansas Bureau of Investigation agent Kyle Smith said the proposed change would cover all phones used by a person named in a court’s wiretap order.

“It makes it harder for a criminal to avoid being caught by using multiple phones,” Smith said.

Another bill before legislators authorizes the secretary of administration to fingerprint workers who have unescorted access to the state data center, telecommunications facilities and other security-sensitive area.