Committee approves Forestry Commission code cleanup, allows forestry to acquire timberland

The House Agriculture, Natural Resources & Environmental Affairs Committee voted to adopt an amendment and pass a bill containing statutory housekeeping changes recommended by the State Commission of Forestry.

Representative Hadden, who presented the measure as originating from the State Commission of Forestry, said the changes were drawn from the commission’s final report and are intended to repeal obsolete code sections and clarify processes. “As you all know, our timber industry is in a decline and we're trying to do everything we possibly can to to help it in even some small ways,” Hadden said.

An amendment (Amendment 1) added the word “timberland,” allowing the Forestry Commission to acquire timberland in addition to submarginal agricultural land. Representative Hadden moved adoption of the amendment; the motion carried in committee by a recorded margin described in the meeting as 13–0 with one not voting and four not present. The committee then voted to pass the bill by the same tally.

The changes described at the hearing are framed as repeal of no-longer-relevant code sections and insertion of clarifying language; the committee packet and sponsor materials were referenced but specific statute citations were not provided during the discussion.

The committee chair called the votes and noted members present and absent during both the amendment and final passage votes. No substantive debate or amendments beyond the timberland language were recorded on the floor during this session. The committee returned to its scheduled agenda items after passage.

The measure was described as originating with the State Commission of Forestry; no implementation schedule or effective date was specified during the discussion.