MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1997 Regular Session

To: Conservation and Water Resources

By: Representative McBride

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 49-2-5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT AFTER JULY 1, 1997, THOSE APPOINTMENTS TO THE COMMISSION ON ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY WHICH ARE BASED UPON CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS SHALL BE MADE ACCORDING TO MISSISSIPPI'S CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS AS CONSTITUTED ON JULY 1, 1992; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES. 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 49-2-5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

49-2-5. (1) There is hereby created the Mississippi Commission on Environmental Quality, to be composed of seven (7) persons appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate, for a term of seven (7) years.

(a) Until July 1, 1997, one (1) person shall be appointed from each congressional district as constituted January 1, 1978, and two (2) members shall be appointed from the state at large. The initial terms of the members from congressional districts shall be for one (1), two (2), three (3), four (4) and five (5) years respectively, and the initial terms of the members from the state at large shall be one (1) for six (6) years and one (1) for seven (7) years. Thereafter, all terms shall be for seven (7) years. The members serving on the predecessor Commission on Natural Resources on June 30, 1989, shall continue to serve as members of the successor Commission on Environmental Quality until the expiration of the term of their appointment to the predecessor commission.

(b) On July 1, 1997, one (1) person shall be appointed from each congressional district as constituted July 1, 1992, and two (2) members from the state at large. The initial terms of the members from such congressional districts shall be for one (1), two (2), three (3), four (4) and five (5) years respectively, and the initial terms of the members from the state at large shall be one (1) for six (6) years and one (1) for seven (7) years. Thereafter, all terms shall be for seven (7) years. The members of the commission appointed under the provisions of paragraph (a) of this subsection and serving on June 30, 1997, shall resign their appointments; however, such members may be appointed under this paragraph if otherwise eligible.

(2) The commission shall elect from its membership a chairman who shall preside over meetings and a vice chairman who shall preside in the absence of the chairman or when the chairman shall be excused.

(3) The commission shall adopt rules and regulations governing times and places for meetings, and governing the manner of conducting its business. Each member of the commission shall take the oath prescribed by Section 268 of the Constitution and shall enter into bond in the amount of Thirty Thousand Dollars ($30,000.00) to be approved by the Secretary of State, conditioned according to law and payable to the State of Mississippi before assuming the duties of office. Any member who shall not attend three (3) consecutive regular meetings of the commission shall be subject to removal by a majority vote of the commission members.

(4) The members of the commission shall receive no annual salary, but shall receive per diem compensation as authorized by law for each day devoted to the discharge of official duties, and shall be entitled to reimbursement for all actual and necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of their duties, including mileage as authorized by law.

The commission shall be composed of persons with extensive knowledge of or practical experience in at least one (1) of the matters of jurisdiction of the commission.

(5) The commission is authorized and empowered to use and expend any funds received by it from any source for the purposes of this chapter. Such funds shall be expended in accordance with the statutes governing the expenditure of state funds.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 1997.