House Study Bill 254
HOUSE FILE
BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON
AGRICULTURE BILL BY
CHAIRPERSON MERTZ)
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act providing for an equine industry promotional commission
2 and related fund, and providing an appropriation.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
4 TLSB 2426HC 82
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PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 175B.1 DEFINITIONS.
1 2 1. "Commission" means the equine industry promotional
1 3 commission established pursuant to section 175B.2.
1 4 2. "Department" means the department of agriculture and
1 5 land stewardship.
1 6 3. "Fund" means the equine industry promotional fund
1 7 created pursuant to section 175B.6.
1 8 4. "Secretary" means the secretary of agriculture.
1 9 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 175B.2 EQUINE INDUSTRY PROMOTIONAL
1 10 COMMISSION.
1 11 1. An equine industry promotional commission is
1 12 established within the department.
1 13 2. The commission shall be composed of the following
1 14 members:
1 15 a. Three nonvoting, ex officio members who shall include
1 16 all of the following:
1 17 (1) The secretary of agriculture or the secretary's
1 18 designee.
1 19 (2) The dean of the college of agriculture at Iowa state
1 20 university or the dean's designee.
1 21 (3) A licensed veterinarian associated with the veterinary
1 22 teaching hospital at the college of veterinary medicine at
1 23 Iowa state university who is appointed by the dean of the
1 24 college.
1 25 b. Eleven voting members who shall be appointed by the
1 26 governor. The voting members must be presently actively
1 27 engaged or have long been actively engaged in providing for
1 28 the care and management of equines, including breeds of equine
1 29 common in this state. Eight of the members shall be actively
1 30 engaged in areas of equine expertise, which shall include at
1 31 least all of the following:
1 32 (1) Racing or speed events, which may include
1 33 quarterhorse, thoroughbred, or harness racing.
1 34 (2) Ring or arena events or judging competitions, which
1 35 may include shows, exhibitions, rodeos, or other contests.
2 1 (3) Recreational activities, which may include trail
2 2 riding.
2 3 (4) Activities which involve pulling wagons, carts,
2 4 carriages, or agricultural equipment or implements.
2 5 (5) Ranching activities such as herding and roping
2 6 livestock.
2 7 (6) Breeding equine.
2 8 (7) Support services providing for routine care and
2 9 management, which may include auctioneers, stables, trainers,
2 10 tack dealers, feed dealers, or ferriers.
2 11 (8) The practice of veterinary medicine as a member in
2 12 good standing of the American association of equine
2 13 practitioners.
2 14 3. The governor shall appoint the voting members based on
2 15 a list of nominations submitted by organizations or
2 16 individuals representing areas of equine expertise.
2 17 Appointments of voting members are subject to the requirements
2 18 of sections 69.16 and 69.16A. In addition, the appointments
2 19 shall be geographically balanced. Unless the governor
2 20 determines that it is not feasible, at least one person
2 21 appointed as a voting member shall reside in each of the
2 22 state's congressional districts at the time of appointment.
2 23 4. Except for initial appointees, the voting members shall
2 24 serve three=year terms. However, the governor shall appoint
2 25 initial members to serve for two=year or three=year terms to
2 26 ensure the appointment of at least one member each year. A
2 27 member is eligible for reappointment but shall not serve for
2 28 more than two consecutive terms. A vacancy on the commission
2 29 shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the regular term
2 30 in the same manner as regular appointments are made. A member
2 31 filling an unexpired term shall not serve for more than seven
2 32 consecutive years. A former member may be appointed to the
2 33 commission if the former member has not served on the
2 34 commission for two years.
2 35 5. The commission shall elect a chairperson and other
3 1 officers from among its voting members as provided by the
3 2 commission. The commission shall meet on a regular basis and
3 3 at the call of the chairperson or upon the written request to
3 4 the chairperson of five or more voting members. The
3 5 commission shall adopt rules for the conduct of its business
3 6 and may provide for the establishment of committees.
3 7 6. Members are not entitled to receive compensation but
3 8 shall receive reimbursement of expenses from the department as
3 9 provided in section 7E.6.
3 10 7. Six voting members constitute a quorum and the
3 11 affirmative vote of a majority of the voting members present
3 12 is necessary for any substantive action to be taken by the
3 13 commission. The majority shall not include any member who has
3 14 a conflict of interest and a statement by a member that the
3 15 member has a conflict of interest is conclusive for this
3 16 purpose. A vacancy in the membership does not impair the
3 17 duties of the commission.
3 18 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 175B.3 COMMISSION'S MISSION.
3 19 The commission is the principal public organization devoted
3 20 to promoting the collective interests of the state's equine
3 21 industry.
3 22 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION. 175B.4 COMMISSION DUTIES.
3 23 In carrying out its mission, as provided in section 175B.3,
3 24 the commission may do all of the following:
3 25 1. Market and promote the equine industry.
3 26 2. Maintain an accurate and current database regarding the
3 27 equine industry and equine communities.
3 28 3. Collect and disseminate accurate information regarding
3 29 equines to the equine industry and equine communities.
3 30 4. Initiate or support equine educational programs.
3 31 5. Initiate or support equine research.
3 32 Sec. 5. NEW SECTION. 175B.5 DEPARTMENT DUTIES.
3 33 The department shall assist the commission in carrying out
3 34 its mission as provided in section 175B.3 by doing all of the
3 35 following:
4 1 1. Furnishing facilities, supplies, and clerical
4 2 assistance.
4 3 2. Assisting the commission in carrying out its duties as
4 4 provided in section 175B.4.
4 5 3. Administering the equine industry promotional fund as
4 6 provided in section 175B.6.
4 7 Sec. 6. NEW SECTION. 175B.6 EQUINE INDUSTRY PROMOTIONAL
4 8 FUND.
4 9 1. An equine industry promotional fund is created in the
4 10 state treasury under the administration of the department and
4 11 the control of the commission. The fund is composed of moneys
4 12 appropriated by the general assembly and moneys available to
4 13 and obtained or accepted by the department from the United
4 14 States or private sources for placement in the fund.
4 15 2. Moneys in the fund are appropriated to the commission
4 16 exclusively to assist the commission in carrying out its
4 17 duties as provided in section 175B.4, and the department in
4 18 carrying out its duties as provided in section 175B.5.
4 19 3. Section 8.33 shall not apply to moneys in the fund.
4 20 Notwithstanding section 12C.7, moneys earned as income or
4 21 interest from the fund shall remain in the fund until expended
4 22 as provided in this section.
4 23 Sec. 7. APPROPRIATION == EQUINE INDUSTRY PROMOTIONAL FUND.
4 24 There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to
4 25 the department of agriculture and land stewardship for the
4 26 fiscal year beginning July 1, 2007, and ending June 30, 2008,
4 27 the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to
4 28 be used for the purposes designated:
4 29 For deposit in the equine industry promotional fund as
4 30 provided in section 175B.6, and for salaries, support,
4 31 maintenance, miscellaneous purposes, and for not more than the
4 32 following full=time equivalent positions:
4 33 .................................................. $ 50,000
4 34 ............................................... FTEs 1.00
4 35 EXPLANATION
5 1 This bill establishes an equine industry promotional
5 2 commission which is housed in the department of agriculture
5 3 and land stewardship. The commission is composed of both
5 4 nonvoting, ex officio members and voting members. The
5 5 nonvoting, ex officio members include the secretary of
5 6 agriculture or the secretary's designee, the dean of the
5 7 college of agriculture at Iowa state university or the dean's
5 8 designee, and a licensed veterinarian appointed by the dean of
5 9 the college of veterinary medicine at Iowa state university.
5 10 The commission includes 11 voting members appointed by the
5 11 governor who are actively engaged or have long been actively
5 12 engaged in providing for the care and management of equines.
5 13 The bill requires that a number of the appointees have
5 14 expertise in diverse areas of equine endeavors, including
5 15 racing, ring, or arena events, recreational activities,
5 16 power=related activities such as pulling wagons or plows,
5 17 ranching, breeding, providing support services, and providing
5 18 veterinary care. The bill provides a number of procedures for
5 19 the appointment of members, voting, conduct of meetings, and
5 20 reimbursement of members, which are consistent with other
5 21 statutes establishing citizen=appointed bodies.
5 22 The bill states that the commission's mission is to promote
5 23 the collective interests of the state's equine industry.
5 24 The bill authorizes the commission to perform a number of
5 25 duties required to accomplish its mission, including marketing
5 26 and promoting the equine industry, maintaining an accurate and
5 27 current database regarding the equine industry, collecting and
5 28 disseminating accurate information regarding equines, and
5 29 initiating and supporting educational or research programs.
5 30 The bill establishes an equine industry promotional fund
5 31 under the control of the commission. Moneys in the fund are
5 32 appropriated to the commission exclusively to assist the
5 33 commission in carrying out its duties.
5 34 The bill appropriates moneys from the general fund for
5 35 deposit into the equine industry promotional fund to carry out
6 1 the provisions of the bill.
6 2 LSB 2426HC 82
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