House Bill 641

(As Passed the House)

AN ACT TO CREATE THE OPEN BURNING LAWS STUDY COMMITTEE; TO PROVIDE FOR THE COMPOSITION OF THE COMMITTEE; TO PROHIBIT MEMBERS FROM RECEIVING COMPENSATION FOR SERVING ON THE COMMITTEE; TO CHARGE THE COMMITTEE WITH EVALUATING THE STATE'S OPEN BURNING LAWS AND REGULATIONS AND MAKE CERTAIN RECOMMENDATIONS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) There is hereby created the Open Burning Laws Study Committee, which shall be composed of eight (8) members as follows:

(a) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality, or his designee;

(b) The State Chief Deputy Fire Marshal, or his designee;

(d) The State Forester, or his designee;

(e) The President of the Mississippi Fire Chief's Association, or his designee;

(f) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Municipal League, or his designee;

(g) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Association of Supervisors, or his designee; and

(h) The President of the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation, or his designee.

(2) The first meeting of the committee shall take place no later than June 1, 2012, on the call of the Executive Director of the Department of Environmental Quality at a place designated by him. At the first meeting of the committee, the Executive Director of the Department of Environmental Quality, or his designee, shall act as temporary chairman of the committee in order to organize and to elect a chairman and vice chairman from its membership. Following the election of the chairman and vice chairman, the committee shall adopt rules for transacting its business and keeping records. Members of the committee shall serve without compensation for their services, and the committee shall perform its duties without legislative appropriation or the use of any state funds for that purpose.

(3) The committee shall be charged with the duty to conduct an extensive study evaluating all state laws and regulations regarding open burning, and making recommendations regarding such findings, which shall include specifically how to address residential open burning of leaves and other vegetative waste generated onsite by a homeowner.

(4) Before December 1, 2012, the committee shall make a report presenting such findings and recommendations to the House Conservation and Water Resources Committee for consideration during the 2013 Regular Session.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.