S.B. 229

1

TASK FORCE STUDY OF WILDFIRES IN
2 UTAH
3 2004 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Sponsor: Beverly Ann Evans
6
7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill creates the Wildland Fire Funding Task Force and provides for task force
10 membership, purposes, compensation, and responsibilities.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 . creates the Wildland Fire Funding Task Force;
14 . provides for task force membership and compensation;
15 . specifies duties and responsibilities of the task force; and
16 . provides for task force reporting responsibilities and funding.
17 Monies Appropriated in this Bill:
18 This bill appropriates:
19 . $30,500 from the General Fund for fiscal year 2003-04 for a one-year task force.
20 Other Special Clauses:
21 This bill is repealed on November 30, 2004.
22
23 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
24 Section 1. Wildland Fire Funding Task Force -- Creation -- Membership --
25 Interim rules followed -- Voting -- Compensation -- Staff -- Reporting.
26 (1) The Wildland Fire Funding Task Force is created to study wildland fire funding and
27 suppression.

28 (2) The task force shall consist of the following members:
29 (a) three members of the Senate appointed by the president of the Senate, no more than
30 two of whom may be from the same party;
31 (b) six members of the House of Representatives appointed by the speaker of the
32 House of Representatives, no more than four of whom may be from the same party;
33 (c) three members representing counties to be appointed by the governor, one member
34 from northern Utah, one member from southern Utah, and one member at-large;
35 (d) one member representing the statewide fire service; and
36 (e) one member from a fire protection and prevention advocacy group.
37 (3) (a) The president of the Senate shall designate a member of the Senate appointed
38 under Subsection (2)(a) as a cochair of the task force.
39 (b) The speaker of the House of Representatives shall designate a member of the House
40 of Representatives appointed under Subsection (2)(b) as cochair of the task force.
41 (4) In conducting its business, the task force shall comply with the rules of legislative
42 interim committees.
43 (5) The legislative members of this task force shall constitute the voting members of
44 the task force.
45 (6) A majority of the voting members specified in Subsection (5) constitutes a quorum
46 for the transaction of the official business of the task force.
47 (7) (a) Legislators on the task force shall receive compensation and expenses in
48 accordance with Section 36-2-2 and Legislative Joint Rule 15.03.
49 (b) Task force members who are employees of the state shall receive no additional
50 compensation or expenses.
51 (c) Other task force members shall receive no compensation or expenses from the state
52 for service on the task force.
53 (8) The task force may meet up to eight times.
54 (9) The Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel shall provide staff support
55 to the task force.
56 (10) The task force shall review and make recommendations relating to wildland fire
57 funding and suppression to the Natural Resources, Agriculture, and Environment Interim
58 Committee by November 30, 2004.

59 Section 2. Appropriation.
60 There is appropriated from the General Fund for fiscal year 2003-04, an appropriation
61 of:
62 (1) $3,500 to the Senate to pay for the compensation and expenses of senators on the
63 task force;
64 (2) $7,000 to the House of Representatives to pay for the compensation and expenses
65 of representatives on the task force; and
66 (3) $20,000 to the Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel to pay for
67 staffing the task force.
68 Section 3. Repeal date.
69 This bill is repealed on November 30, 2004.




Legislative Review Note
as of 2-12-04 9:08 AM

A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel