Bill Text: VA SB1161 | 2021 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board; clarifies membership.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2021-02-08 - Continued to Special Session 1 in Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources by voice vote [SB1161 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2021-SB1161-Comm_Sub.html
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That §10.1-502 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:
§10.1-502. Soil and Water Conservation Board; composition.
The Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board is continued
and shall perform the functions conferred upon it in this chapter. The Board
shall consist of nine voting nonlegislative citizen members and
one ex officio member with nonvoting privileges. The Director of the
Department of Conservation and Recreation, or his designee, shall
be a nonvoting ex officio member of the Board. Three at-large
nonlegislative citizen members of the Board shall be appointed by the
Governor. After the initial staggering of terms, nonlegislative citizen
members shall be appointed for a term of four years. At as at-large
members, of whom at least two members shall be appointed by the Governor
as at-large members and shall have a demonstrated interest in natural
resource conservation with a background or knowledge in dam safety, soil
conservation, or water quality protection. Additionally, four nonlegislative
citizen members shall be farmers at the time of their appointment and two
nonlegislative citizen members shall be farmers or district directors,.
Each of the six nonlegislative members who is a farmer or district director
shall be a resident of a different one of the six geographic areas represented
in the Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts and shall
be appointed by the Governor from a list of two qualified nominees for each
vacancy jointly submitted by the Board and the Board of Directors of the
Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts, in
consultation with the Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and the Virginia
Agribusiness Council, and the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board,
each. Nonlegislative citizen members shall be appointed for a term
of four years. All appointed members shall not serve more than two consecutive
full terms. Appointments to fill vacancies shall be made in the same manner as
the original appointments, except that such appointments shall be for the
unexpired terms only. The Board may invite the Virginia State Conservationist,
Natural Resources Conservation Service, to serve as an advisory nonvoting
member. The Board shall keep a record of its official actions, shall
and adopt a seal and may perform acts, hold public hearings, and
promulgate adopt regulations necessary for the execution of its
functions under this chapter.