1     
CONSERVATION COMMISSION BOARD AMENDMENTS

2     
2017 GENERAL SESSION

3     
STATE OF UTAH

4     
Chief Sponsor: Kay J. Christofferson

5     
Senate Sponsor: ____________

6     

7     LONG TITLE
8     General Description:
9          This bill modifies the membership of the Conservation Commission.
10     Highlighted Provisions:
11          This bill:
12          ▸     modifies the membership of the Conservation Commission, reducing it from 16
13     members to seven; and
14          ▸     makes technical changes.
15     Money Appropriated in this Bill:
16          None
17     Other Special Clauses:
18          None
19     Utah Code Sections Affected:
20     AMENDS:
21          4-18-104, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2013, Chapter 227
22     

23     Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
24          Section 1. Section 4-18-104 is amended to read:
25          4-18-104. Conservation Commission created -- Composition -- Appointment --
26     Terms -- Compensation -- Attorney general to provide legal assistance.
27          (1) There is created within the department the Conservation Commission to perform
28     the functions specified in this chapter.
29          (2) The Conservation Commission shall be comprised of [16] seven members,
30     including:
31          (a) the director of the Extension Service at Utah State University or the director's
32     designee;
33          [(b) the president of the Utah Association of Conservation Districts or the president's
34     designee;]
35          [(c)] (b) the commissioner or the commissioner's designee;
36          [(d)] (c) the executive director of the Department of Natural Resources or the executive
37     director's designee;
38          [(e)] (d) the executive director of the Department of Environmental Quality or the
39     executive director's designee;
40          [(f) the chair and the vice chair of the State Grazing Advisory Board, created in Section
41     4-20-1.5;]
42          [(g) the president of the County Weed Supervisors Association;]
43          [(h)] (e) [seven] two district supervisors who provide district representation on the
44     commission on a multicounty basis; and
45          [(i) the director of the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration or the
46     director's designee.]
47          (f) one member, appointed by the governor, representing either the State Grazing
48     Advisory Board or the County Weed Supervisors Association.
49          (3) If a district supervisor is unable to attend a meeting, an alternate may serve in the
50     place of the district supervisor for that meeting.
51          (4) The members of the commission specified in Subsection (2)[(h)](e) shall:
52          (a) be recommended by the commission to the governor; and
53          (b) be appointed by the governor with the consent of the Senate.
54          (5) (a) Except as required by Subsection (5)(b), as terms of current commission
55     members expire, the governor shall appoint each new member or reappointed member to a
56     four-year term.
57          (b) Notwithstanding the requirements of Subsection (5)(a), the governor shall, at the
58     time of appointment or reappointment, adjust the length of terms to ensure that the terms of
59     commission members are staggered so that approximately half of the commission is appointed
60     every two years.
61          (6) When a vacancy occurs in the membership for any reason, the replacement shall be
62     appointed for the unexpired term.
63          (7) The commissioner is chair of the commission.
64          (8) Attendance of a majority of the commission members at a meeting constitutes a
65     quorum.
66          (9) A member may not receive compensation or benefits for the member's service, but
67     may receive per diem and travel expenses in accordance with:
68          (a) Section 63A-3-106;
69          (b) Section 63A-3-107; and
70          (c) rules made by the Division of Finance pursuant to Sections 63A-3-106 and
71     63A-3-107.
72          (10) The commission shall keep a record of its actions.
73          (11) The attorney general shall provide legal services to the commission upon request.




Legislative Review Note
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel