HB 0737

This bill makes a change in the language of the state conservation committee, creates a new unclassified position of executive director of the state conservation committee, and establishes a salary for the position.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

1 State Conservation Committee; Language Removed. Amend RSA 432:10 to read as follows:

432:10 State Conservation Committee. There is hereby established to serve as an agency of the state a conservation committee, which shall consist of 12 members: the director of the university of New Hampshire cooperative extension, or designee; the director of the state agricultural experiment station, or designee; the state commissioner of agriculture, markets, and food, or designee; the commissioner of the department of resources and economic development, or designee; the commissioner of the department of environmental services, or designee; the executive director of the department of fish and game, or designee; the executive director of the New Hampshire Association of Conservation Commissions; and 5 appointed members, all of whom shall be district supervisors or former district supervisors who shall be from counties as follows: one from Coos or Grafton; one from Belknap or Carroll; one from Cheshire or Sullivan; one from Hillsborough or Merrimack; one from Rockingham or Strafford. The supervisor or former supervisor members shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the council to serve 4 years respectively from August 1 and until their successors are appointed and qualified; provided, however, that of the first appointments made under this section, 2 members shall be appointed to serve for a term of 2 years and the other 3 members shall be appointed for a term of 4 years. Advisory committee members shall serve without vote and shall include the state conservationist, Natural Resources Conservation Service, United States Department of Agriculture, and others appointed by the state conservation committee as deemed appropriate. Vacancies shall be filled for unexpired terms. The committee shall elect its own chairperson from one of the 5 appointees. The members of the committee shall serve without compensation, but the appointees shall be entitled to expenses, including traveling expenses, necessarily incurred in the discharge of their duties. It may adopt rules, pursuant to RSA 541-A, necessary for the execution of its functions under this subdivision and shall keep a record of its official actions. [~~Within the limits of the appropriation~~] It may employ such employees as it requires and fix their compensation subject to the rules of the division of personnel.

2 New Paragraph; Duties; Rulemaking; Executive Director. Amend RSA 432:11 by inserting after paragraph VI the following new paragraph:

VII. Establish in rules adopted under RSA 541-A the duties and qualifications of the executive director.

3 New Section; Executive Director. Amend RSA 432 by inserting after section 432:11 the following new section:

I. There shall be an executive director of the state conservation committee who shall be an unclassified employee and shall be compensated as provided in RSA 94:1-a. The executive director shall serve a 3-year term and shall be appointed by the state conservation committee.

II. The executive director, subject to the approval of the committee, shall appoint such personnel as may be necessary to perform the duties assigned by the committee. Personnel appointed under this paragraph shall be classified state employees as defined by the division of personnel.

4 Salary; Executive Director of State Conservation Committee. Amend RSA 94:1-a, I(b) by inserting in grade DD the following:

The Department of Agriculture, Markets and Foods has determined this bill, as amended by the House (House Amendment #2003-0951h), will increase state general fund expenditures by $63,445 in FY 2004, $67,664 in FY 2005, $71,898 in FY 2006 and $76,131 in FY 2007. There will be no fiscal impact on county and local expenditures or state, county and local revenue.

This bill appropriates $1 in FY 2004 and $1 in FY 2005 from the general fund to the State Conservation Committee for the purposes of this act.

The Department states this bill appropriates general funds to the State Conservation Committee for salaries, benefits, office administration and conservation district assistance. In addition, this bill establishes a new unclassified Executive Director of Conservation Districts position. The salary and benefits will be paid out of the appropriation contained in this bill. The position is placed in RSA 94:1-a in salary grade DD. The minimum annual salary for this salary grade effective December 27, 2002 is $46,310. With 37% for benefits, the total cost for the position will be $63,445 in FY 2004. With a one step increase and 37% for benefits each year thereafter, the cost for salaries and benefits would be $67,664 in FY 2005, $71,898 in FY 2006 and $76,131 in FY 2007.