Rural development council.

2016
STATE OF WYOMING
16LSO-0317
Introduced
1.2

SENATE FILE

NO.
SF0077

Rural development council.

Sponsored by:
Senator(s) Peterson and Representative(s) Harvey, Krone and Northrup

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to economic development; establishing the rural development council; providing duties and powers of the council; providing duties for the department of agriculture; authorizing positions; providing an appropriation; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1
.

W.S.
11
‑
2
‑
301 through 11
‑
2
‑
303
are
created to read:

ARTICLE 3
RURAL DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL

11
‑
2
‑
301
.

Rural development council; creation; membership.

(a)

There is created the rural development council. The council
shall be within
the department of agriculture for budgetary
and administrative
purposes. The rural development council shall consist of the following members:

(i)

The governor or his designee;

(ii)

One (1) or more
representative
s
from state agencies with rural development responsibilities
at the request of the council and with the approval of the governor
;

(iii)

One (1) or more
representative
s
from federal agen
cies that serve rural interests who agree to serve at the invitation of the council
;

(
iv
)

One (1) member
of the state legislature
appointed by the management council of the legislature
;

(
v
)

One (1) member representing tribal governments on the Wind River Indian Reservation
who agrees to serve at the invitation of the council in consultation with the business councils of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Indian tribes
;

(
vi
)

Two (2)
representatives of local governme
nts in Wyoming including cities and
counties;

(
vi
i
)

One (1) representative
from for

profit business organizations that represent agribusiness or other businesses that have a special emphasis on rural areas of the state;

(
viii
)

Three (3)
rural leaders appointed by the governor representing private business, chambers of commerce or nonprofit organizations that are located in rural areas of the state; and

(
i
x)

Any other nonvoting members as determined by the council.

(b)

The governor may remove any member appointed
by the governor under subsection (a)
of this section as provided in W.S. 9
‑
1
‑
202. All other members of the council shall serve at the pleasure of the organization or entity that the member represents.

(c)

Any member of the council that represents the federal government or a tribal government shall be a nonvoting member for the purposes of any matter directly involving the expenditure of state funds.

(d
)

Legislative members of the rural development council shall serve a term of two (2) years. Other m
embers of the council shall serve a term of four (4) years. Vacancies on the council shall be filled by appointment of the governor or the organization or entity that the member represents for the unexpired term.

(
e
)

Members of the rural development council shall not receive any fees, salary or other compensation but shall be entitled to receive the same per diem, expenses
and travel allowance as members of the legislature while in actual attendance at meetings of the council and the performance of their duties relative thereto. Members who are government employees or public officials shall be considered on official business of their agency when performing duties as members of the council.

(
f
)

Each year the rural development council shall elect a chairman and vice
‑
chairman from its members.

(
g
)

The rural development council shall meet as often as necessary to conduct business, but not less than one (1) time each year. Meetings shall be called by the chairman. A majority of
the voting
members of the council shall constitute a quorum.

11
‑
2
‑
302
.

Council powers and duties
; executive director
.

(a)

The rural development council shall:

(i)

Adopt bylaws for the conduct of its business;

(i
i
)

Facilitate collaboration among federal, state, local and tribal governments in the planning and implementation of programs and policies that have an impact on the rural areas of the state;

(ii
i
)

Monitor, report and comment on policies and programs that address, or fail to address, the needs of the rural areas of the state; and

(iv
)

Develop
strategies to reduce or eliminate conflicting or duplicative administrative requirements of federal, state, local and tribal governments that have an impact on rural areas of the state.

(b)

The council may employ an executive director who shall be responsible for the daily operations of the council and assist in the development of policy recommendations for consideration by the council.
The
executive director shall serve at the pleasure of the council.

11
‑
2
‑
303
.

Duties of the department.

(a)

The department shall provide the council with necessary staff support and resources, including office space if necessary.

(b)

The department shall include within its biennial budget request submitted under W.S. 9
‑
2
‑
1013 a request for the amount necessary for operation of the council.

Section 2
.

There is appropriated seven hundred nineteen thousand four hundred thirty
‑
five dollars ($719,435
.00
) from the general fund to the department of agriculture. This appropriation shall be for the period beginning with the effective date of this act and ending June 30, 201
8
. This appropriation shall only be expended for the purpose of operations of the rural development council as provided in this act. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, this appropriation shall not be
transferred or expended for any other purpose and any unexpended, unobligated funds remaining from this appropriation shall revert as provided by law on June 30, 2018. The department of agriculture is authorized two (2) full
-
time employees and one (1) part
-
time employee for the purposes of this act.

Section 3
.

This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

1
SF0077