Tennessee § 43-14-203 - State soil conservation committee.

§ 43-14-203. State soil conservation committee.

There is established a state soil conservation committee to perform the functions conferred upon it in this part. The committee shall consist of seven (7) representatives: one (1) farmer and one (1) supervisor from east Tennessee; one (1) farmer and one (1) supervisor from middle Tennessee; one (1) farmer and one (1) supervisor from west Tennessee; one (1) supervisor from the state at large, and three (3) ex officio members. The following shall serve as ex officio members of the committee: The dean of the college of agricultural sciences and natural resources of the University of Tennessee, located at Knoxville; the commissioner of agriculture, located at Nashville; and the commissioner of environment and conservation, located at Nashville. An ex officio member of the committee shall hold office so long as the member retains the office by virtue of which such member is serving on the committee. The first appointees shall serve as follows: west Tennessee, the supervisor member shall serve for a term of one (1) year and the farmer member shall serve for two (2) years; middle Tennessee, the supervisor shall serve for two (2) years and the farmer member shall serve for three (3) years; east Tennessee, the supervisor member shall serve for three (3) years and the farmer member shall serve for one (1) year. The supervisor from the state at large shall serve for three (3) years and, at the expiration of the first term of office, all members thereafter shall serve for a term of three (3) years. The governor shall appoint all farmer and all supervisor members, and shall fill all vacancies by appointment as these occur. In making appointments to the committee, the governor shall strive to ensure that at least one (1) person appointed to serve on the committee is sixty (60) years of age or older and that at least one (1) person appointed to serve on the committee is a member of a racial minority. A duly appointed supervisor member of the committee who ceases to hold the position of soil conservation district supervisor will continue to serve on the committee until the normal expiration of such member's term. The committee shall keep a record of its official actions, shall adopt a seal, which seal shall be judicially noticed, and may perform such acts, hold such public hearings, and promulgate such rules and regulations as may be necessary for the execution of its functions under this part. Acts 1939, ch. 197, § 4; C. Supp. 1950, § 552.4 (Williams, § 552.34); Acts 1957, ch. 158, § 1; T.C.A. (orig. ed.), § 43-1503; Acts 1988, ch. 1013, § 14. Compiler's Notes. The soil conservation committee, created by this section, terminates June 30, 2022. See §§ 4-29-112 , 4-29-243 . Attorney General Opinions. The state soil conservation committee and soil conservation districts are state entities and are eligible for liability coverage and participation in the relevant risk management programs, OAG 07-143 (10/11/07).