SB554: Bill Text

LRB-4192/2

RCT:jld&nwn:ph

2009 - 2010 LEGISLATURE

2009 Senate BILL 554

February 24, 2010 - Introduced by Senators Kedzie, Kapanke, Grothman and Hopper, cosponsored by Representatives LeMahieu, Nerison, Suder, Kestell, Nygren, Vos, Lothian, Spanbauer, Pridemore, Gunderson, Ballweg, Townsend, Bies, Tauchen, Brooks, Meyer and Van Roy. Referred to Committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources.

SB554,1,3 An Act to amend 15.05 (1) (c); and to create 15.34 (2) (be), (bg), (bi) and (br) of the statutes; relating to: qualifications of the secretary of natural resources and qualifications of members of the Natural Resources Board.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Under current law, the secretary of natural resources is nominated by the governor, and with the advice and consent of the senate appointed, to serve at the pleasure of the governor.

This bill prohibits the governor from nominating an individual as secretary of natural resources unless the individual held a hunting or fishing license in at least three of the five years before the year of nomination. If the individual served on active duty in the military during the five years before nomination, the number of years in which the person is required to have held a hunting or fishing license equals five minus the number of years of active duty.

Under current law, the Natural Resources Board consists of seven members nominated by the governor and with the advice and consent of the senate appointed for six-year terms. Current law requires that at least three of the members be from north, and at least three of the members be from south, of a line running east and west through the southern limits of the city of Stevens Point.

This bill requires that, beginning in 2016, at least one member of the Natural Resources Board have an agricultural background, at least one member have a business background, and at least one member have an environmental background. The bill also requires that, beginning in 2016, at least four members of the Natural Resources Board have held a hunting, fishing, or trapping license in at least seven of the ten years before the year of nomination. If an individual served on active duty in the military during the ten years before nomination, the number of years in which the individual is required to have held an annual hunting, fishing, or trapping license equals seven minus the number of years of active duty.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB554, s. 1 Section 1. 15.05 (1) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB554,2,11 15.05 (1) (c) The secretary of natural resources shall be nominated by the governor, and with the advice and consent of the senate appointed, to serve at the pleasure of the governor. The governor may not nominate an individual to be secretary of natural resources unless the individual held a hunting or fishing license, in this state or another state, in at least 3 of the 5 years before the year in which the governor makes the nomination, except that the governor may nominate an individual who served on active duty in the U.S. armed forces or national guard during the 5 years before the year in which the governor makes the appointment, if during those 5 years the individual held a hunting or fishing license for 3 years minus the number of years of active duty served.

SB554, s. 2 Section 2. 15.34 (2) (be), (bg), (bi) and (br) of the statutes are created to read:

SB554,2,16 15.34 (2) (be) At least one member of the natural resources board shall have an agricultural background. The requirements of this paragraph apply to individuals who are members of the natural resources board on May 1, 2016, and thereafter.

SB554,2,19 (bg) At least one member of the natural resources board shall have a business background. The requirements of this paragraph apply to individuals who are members of the natural resources board on May 1, 2016, and thereafter.

SB554,3,4 (bi) At least one member of the natural resources board shall have an environmental background. The requirements of this paragraph apply to individuals who are members of the natural resources board on May 1, 2016, and thereafter.

SB554,3,10 (br) 1. At least 4 members of the natural resources board shall be individuals who held an annual hunting, fishing, or trapping license, in this state or another state, in at least 7 of the 10 years previous to the year in which the individual is nominated, except as provided in subd. 2. The requirements of this paragraph apply to individuals who are members of the natural resources board on May 1, 2016, and thereafter.

SB554,3,15 2. If an individual served on active duty in the U.S. armed forces or national guard during the 10 years previous to the year in which the individual is nominated, the number of years in which the individual is required to have held an annual hunting, fishing, or trapping license equals 7 minus the number of years of active duty served during those 10 years.

SB554,3,16 (End)