Committee amends commission-appointment rules; debate over geographic balance and conflicts

The Senate Committee on Agriculture on Monday considered amendments to Senate Bill 2,11 that would change how members of a state commission are appointed and add restrictions on appointing recent commercial hunting-outfitting service providers.

Revisor Lawrence briefed the committee that members of the commission may submit proposed rules and that the committee had already adopted an amendment on page 2 that revises language about submission of rules. Senator Steven Fagg moved an amendment to change how appointing authorities are allocated among regions and at-large seats; the committee debated timing and the potential for unintended simultaneous turnover of many commissioners before the motion was withdrawn so members could review term-expiration dates.

Senator Marci Francisco offered an amendment to add a time-limited bar on appointing certain commercial service providers. The amendment would prevent appointing "a person who is or within five years prior to the appointment has been" a shooting-area licensee or a provider of hunting outfitting or guide services. Francisco said the change would reduce the likelihood of conflicts of interest that could force commissioners to recuse themselves from votes. Senator Shane and others questioned whether the restriction unduly excluded people with relevant industry knowledge; proponents argued it would prevent immediate conflicts where an appointee remains commercially active.

The committee adopted Senator Francisco's amendment by voice vote. Committee members discussed implementing the Fagg amendment at a future date and requested a list of current commissioners' term expiration dates before taking further action; the chair said the committee would resume work on the bill the next day. The committee also accepted a prior minor wording amendment to the title and confirmed that current commissioners' terms would continue until their stated expirations unless the committee or subsequent language directed otherwise.

Ending: The committee left additional structural amendments for further consideration after staff compiles term-expiration data, and the bill remains under committee consideration pending scheduling of those follow-up items.