Bill Text: VA HB2334 | 2011 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Fish and Wildlife, Commission on; established, report.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-02-08 - House: Left in Appropriations [HB2334 Detail]

Download: Virginia-2011-HB2334-Introduced.html
11101627D
HOUSE BILL NO. 2334
Offered January 12, 2011
Prefiled January 12, 2011
A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 30 a chapter numbered 50, consisting of sections numbered 30-326 through 30-333, establishing the Commission on Fish and Wildlife; report.
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Patron-- Lingamfelter
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Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Title 30 a chapter numbered 50, consisting of sections numbered 30-326 through 30-333, as follows:

CHAPTER 50.
COMMISSION ON FISH AND WILDLIFE.

§ 30-326. Commission on Fish and Wildlife; purpose.

The Commission on Fish and Wildlife (the Commission) is established in the legislative branch of state government. The purpose of the Commission is to review and make any recommendations, if appropriate, on any freshwater and tidal fisheries and wildlife issues, including legislation referred to it by the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources or the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources.

§ 30-327. Membership; terms; vacancies; chairman and vice-chairman.

The Commission shall consist of eight members that include six legislative members and two nonlegislative citizen members. Members shall be appointed as follows: four members of the House of Delegates to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates in accordance with the principles of proportional representation contained in the Rules of the House of Delegates; two members of the Senate to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules; one nonlegislative citizen member who is knowledgeable regarding fish and wildlife management to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates; and one nonlegislative citizen member who is knowledgeable regarding fish and wildlife management to be appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules. Nonlegislative citizen members of the Fish and Wildlife Commission shall be citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Legislative members members of the Commission shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for terms of two years. Appointments to fill vacancies, other than by expiration of a term, shall be for the unexpired terms. Legislative and nonlegislative citizen members may be reappointed. However, no nonlegislative citizen member shall serve more than four consecutive two-year terms. The remainder of any term to which a member is appointed to fill a vacancy shall not constitute a term in determining the member's eligibility for reappointment. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments.

The Commission shall elect a chairman and vice-chairman from among its membership, who shall be members of the General Assembly.

§ 30-328. Quorum; meetings; voting on recommendations.

A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum. The meetings of the Commission shall be held semiannually.

No recommendation of the Commission shall be adopted if a majority of the House members or a majority of the Senate members appointed to the Commission (i) vote against the recommendation and (ii) vote for the recommendation to fail notwithstanding the majority vote of the Commission.

§ 30-329. Compensation; expenses.

No members of the Commission shall receive any compensation for the performance of their duties nor be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses incurred in performance of such duties.

§ 30-330. Powers and Duties

The Commission shall have the following powers and duties:

1. Review and study freshwater and tidal fisheries and wildlife management issues, including legislation, referred to it by the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources;

2. Consult with appropriate agencies on matters referred to the Commission; and

3. Make recommendations to the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources regarding matters referred to the Commission.

§ 30-331. Staffing.

Administrative staff support shall be provided by the Office of the Clerk of the House of Delegates or the Office of the Clerk of the Senate as may be appropriate for the house in which the chairman of the Commission serves. The Division of Legislative Services shall provide legal, research, policy analysis and other services as requested by the Commission. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Commission, upon request.

§ 30-332. Chairman's executive summary of activity and work of the Commission.

The chairman shall submit to the General Assembly and the Governor an annual executive summary of the interim activity and work of the Commission no later than the first day of each regular session of the General Assembly. The executive summary shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.

§ 30-333. Sunset.

This chapter shall expire on July 1, 2014.

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