H 4071 General Bill, By Bowers, Gilham, Lloyd and Rodgers
 A BILL TO AMEND SECTION 48-4-30, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, AS
 AMENDED, RELATING TO THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL
 RESOURCES, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR DISTRICTS FOR THE SELECTION OF MEMBERS OF THE
 GOVERNING BOARD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND TO INCREASE THE
 NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL
 RESOURCES FROM SEVEN MEMBERS TO NINE MEMBERS.

   05/11/99  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-24
   05/11/99  House  Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural
                     Resources and Environmental Affairs HJ-24

TO AMEND SECTION 48-4-30, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, AS AMENDED, RELATING TO THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES, SO AS TO PROVIDE FOR DISTRICTS FOR THE SELECTION OF MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING BOARD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES FROM SEVEN MEMBERS TO NINE MEMBERS.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Section 48-4-30 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 181 of 1993, is amended to read:

"Section 48-4-30. The department shall be governed by a board consisting of seven nine non-salaried board members. Board members of the former Department of Wildlife and Marine Resources shall serve as board members for the Department of Natural Resources until their terms expire and their successors are appointed and qualify. All board members shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. One member shall be appointed from each congressional district of the state and one shall be appointed from the state at-large. of the following multi-county appointment districts:

(1) Beaufort, Colleton, Hampton, and Jasper Counties;

(2) Berkeley, Charleston, Clarendon, Dorchester, Georgetown, and Williamsburg Counties;

(3) Dillon, Florence, Horry, Marion, and Marlboro Counties;

(4) Chesterfield, Darlington, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lee, and Sumter Counties;

(5) Calhoun, Fairfield, Lexington, Orangeburg, and Richland Counties;

(6) Aiken, Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, and Edgefield Counties;

(7) Chester, Cherokee, Spartanburg, Union, and York Counties;

(8) Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Newberry, and Saluda Counties; and

(9) Abbeville, Anderson, Greenville, Oconee, and Pickens Counties.

In making appointments, race, gender, and other demographic factors should be considered to assure nondiscrimination, inclusion, and representation to the greatest extent possible of all segments of the population of the State, and a fair and equitable rotation of appointments among all of the counties comprising an appointment district.; however, However, consideration of these factors in making an appointment in no way creates a cause of action or basis for an employee grievance for a person appointed or for a person who fails to be appointed. Board members must possess sound moral character, superior knowledge in the fields of wildlife, marine, and natural resource management, and proven administrative ability.

The Governor shall designate the chairman of the board from the members appointed and may remove any board member pursuant to the provisions of Section 1-3-240.

Terms of the members shall be for four years and until their successors are appointed and qualify. If a vacancy occurs when the General Assembly is not in session, it must be filled by the Governor's appointment for the unexpired term, subject to confirmation by the Senate at the next session of the General Assembly.

Each board member, within thirty days after notice of appointment and before taking office, shall take and file with the Secretary of State the oath of office prescribed by the State Constitution.

One of the members of the board shall be designated by the Governor to serve as chairman."

SECTION 2. The terms of the existing board members of the Department of Natural Resources expire on January 31, 2000, and theirir successors must be appointed as provided in Section 48-4-30 of the 1976 Code as amended by this act except that those first appointed from districts (2), (4), (6), and (8) shall serve for terms of two years and until their successors are appointed and qualify.

SECTION 3. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.