Missouri 2024 2024 Regular Session

Missouri House Bill HJR125 Comm Sub / Analysis

Filed 02/12/2024

                    HJR125--MANAGEMENTANDFUNDINGOFTHEDEPARTMENTOFCONSERVATION
SPONSOR: Mayhew
Currently,theConservationCommissionconsistsoffourmembers
appointedbytheGovernorwithnotmorethantwomembersfromthe
samepoliticalparty.Ifapprovedbythevoters,thisresolution
wouldallowthenumber,qualifications, andtermsoftheCommission
memberstobesetbylaw,withnomorethanhalfofthemembers
fromthesamepoliticalpartyandeachmemberresidingina
differentCongressionaldistrict,asspecifiedinthebill.
TheresolutionspecifiesthatiftheGovernorfailstofilla
vacancyontheCommissionwithin30days,theremainingmembers
shallfillthevacancybyamajorityvotefromalistof10
individualsprovidedbytheGeneralAssembly. TheGeneralAssembly
willdevelopthelistofindividualsasspecifiedinthe
resolution.
Theresolutionalsowouldprohibitanymemberfromacceptingagift
ofanyvaluefromanyonewhoreceivesorhasreceivedcompensation
fromorperformsaservicefortheCommission. Ifamember
receivesagift,theMissouriEthicCommissionmustinvestigateas
specifiedinthebill.Iffoundtohaveviolatedtheprohibition,
theCommissionmembershallvacatetheoffice.TheEthic
CommissionmustforwarditsfindingstotheAttorneyGeneralfor
prosecution.
AnyonewhoentersintoacontractwiththeConservationCommission
mustreport,asspecifiedintheresolution,eachitem,service,or
thingofvalueprovidedtoeachmemberoftheCommissionorany
personrelatedtoaCommissionerwithinthefirstdegreeof
consanguinity.
TheresolutionalsospecifiesthatbeginningonJanuary1theyear
followingapproval,10%ofrevenuederivedfromtheConservation
SalesandUseTaxwillgofordutiesandresponsibilities ofthe
DivisionofStateParkswithintheDepartmentofNaturalResources
and10%forthedutiesandresponsibilities oflocalpolitical
subdivisionsinwhichlandownedbytheDepartmentofConservation
islocated. Theresolutionspecifiesthemannerinwhichthe
portionoftherevenuestolocalpoliticalsubdivisionsistobe
distributed.
TheresolutionalsorequirestheDepartmentofConservationtopay
propertytaxesonrealpropertyintheamountnotlessthanthat
privatecitizenswouldberequiredtopay.TheGeneralAssembly
mustalsoreviewanyproposedsaleorpurchaseofrealpropertyby theDepartmentofConservationpriortothetransactionbeing
final.
ThisbillissimilartoHJR58(2023).