Minnesota Session Laws - 1997, Regular Session

                             CHAPTER 28-H.F.No. 266 
                  An act relating to water; including ex officio agency 
                  members as voting members of the board of water and 
                  soil resources; amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, 
                  section 103B.101, subdivisions 1, 2, and 5; repealing 
                  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 103B.101, 
                  subdivisions 3 and 8. 
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
           Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 103B.101, 
        subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
           Subdivision 1.  [MEMBERSHIP.] The board of water and soil 
        resources is composed of 12 voting members knowledgeable of 
        water and soil problems and conditions within the state and four 
        five ex officio nonvoting members.  
           Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 103B.101, 
        subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
           Subd. 2.  [VOTING MEMBERS.] (a) The voting members are: 
           (1) three county commissioners; 
           (2) three soil and water conservation district supervisors; 
           (3) three watershed district or watershed management 
        organization representatives; and 
           (4) three citizens who are not employed by, or the 
        appointed or elected officials of, a governmental office, board, 
        or agency; 
           (5) the commissioner of agriculture; 
           (6) the commissioner of health; 
           (7) the commissioner of natural resources; 
           (8) the commissioner of the pollution control agency; and 
           (9) the director of the University of Minnesota extension 
        service. 
           (b) Voting Members in paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (4), 
        must be distributed across the state with at least three members 
        but not more than five members from the metropolitan area, as 
        defined by section 473.121, subdivision 2; and one from each of 
        the current soil and water conservation administrative regions.  
           (c) Voting Members in paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (4), 
        are appointed by the governor.  In making the appointments, the 
        governor may consider persons recommended by the association of 
        Minnesota counties, the Minnesota association of soil and water 
        conservation districts, and the Minnesota association of 
        watershed districts.  The list submitted by an association must 
        contain at least three nominees for each position to be filled. 
           (d) The membership terms, compensation, removal of members 
        and filling of vacancies on the board for voting members in 
        paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (4), are as provided in section 
        15.0575.  
           Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 103B.101, 
        subdivision 5, is amended to read: 
           Subd. 5.  [OFFICERS.] The governor shall appoint a chair 
        from among the voting members of the board in subdivision 2, 
        paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (4), with the advice and consent 
        of the senate.  The board shall elect a vice-chair and any other 
        officers that it considers necessary from its membership.  
           Sec. 4.  [REPEALER.] 
           Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 103B.101, subdivisions 3 
        and 8, are repealed. 
           Presented to the governor April 10, 1997 
           Signed by the governor April 11, 1997, 9:55 a.m.