ORS 403.460: Statewide interoperability coordinator; public body collaboration and coordination.

(1) The Director of the Oregon Department of Emergency Management shall establish and fill a full-time equivalent position for a statewide interoperability coordinator to serve as the central coordination point for the Oregon Statewide Communication Interoperability Plan and, through coordination and collaboration with agencies and entities in the emergency response community, to implement the interoperability plan.

      (2) The statewide interoperability coordinator:

      (a) Is the primary staff support provided by the Oregon Department of Emergency Management for the State Interoperability Executive Council created under ORS 403.450;

      (b) Shall assist the executive council in conducting and submitting annual updates to the interoperability plan, in coordination and collaboration with the emergency responders in this state;

      (c) Shall ensure that the interoperability plan aligns with and supports the Enterprise Information Resources Management Strategy;

      (d) Shall identify funding opportunities for planned interoperability improvements and coordinate efforts to acquire funding;

      (e) Shall engage stakeholders to coordinate strategic interoperability plans;

      (f) Shall serve as a member of the National Council of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators; and

      (g) Shall represent the State of Oregon in local, regional and national efforts to plan and implement changes required to ensure communications operability, interoperability and continuity of communications for emergency responders in this state.

      (3) Public bodies, as defined in ORS 174.109, that own or operate public safety communications infrastructure may collaborate and coordinate the public bodies’ efforts and investments to achieve the statewide interoperability goal the executive council sets and implement the interoperability plan the executive council approves.

      (4) Under the direction of the executive council and the Director of the Oregon Department of Emergency Management, the statewide interoperability coordinator may mediate disputes between public bodies collaborating to implement interoperable public safety communications systems.