Bill Text: AZ HB2455 | 2016 | Fifty-second Legislature 2nd Regular | Engrossed
Bill Title: Wildfire suppression; joint study committee
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-5)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2016-03-14 - Referred to Senate RULES Committee [HB2455 Detail]
Download: Arizona-2016-HB2455-Engrossed.html
|
House Engrossed |
|
State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-second Legislature Second Regular Session 2016
|
|
HOUSE BILL 2455 |
|
|
|
|
AN ACT
Establishing the joint wildfire suppression study committee.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Joint wildfire suppression study committee; membership; duties; report; delayed repeal
A. The joint wildfire suppression study committee is established consisting of the following members:
1. Three members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, not more than two of whom are from the same political party.
2. Three members of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate, not more than two of whom are from the same political party.
3. The state forester or the state forester's designee.
4. The state land commissioner or the state land commissioner's designee.
5. One member who represents northern Arizona university, who has expertise in forest management best practices and who is appointed by the president of northern Arizona University.
6. One member who represents an organization whose membership consists of ranchers and grazers in this state and who is appointed by the governor.
7. One member who represents a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to environmental conservation or public access to outdoor recreation, or both, and who is appointed by the governor.
8. Two members of the public who are appointed by the governor, at least one of whom has professional experience in watershed management in this state.
B. The committee members shall elect cochairpersons from among its membership. The cochairpersons may not be members of the same political party.
C. Committee members are not eligible for compensation, but members appointed by the governor are eligible for reimbursement of expenses under title 38, chapter 4, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes.
D. The committee shall:
1. Study the actual and economic costs of wildfire suppression and catastrophic wildfires on state lands and private property in this state.
2. Study the costs and benefits to this state regarding planning for wildfire prevention and forest management.
3. Research potential economic development, including the vegetative removal industry, the forest products industry and the biomass energy production industry, that could accompany forest management.
4. Submit a report regarding the committee's activities, findings and recommendations on or before December 31, 2016 to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives and provide a copy of this report to the secretary of state.
E. This section is repealed from and after September 30, 2017.
