Title: Environmental Regulation Commission

Summary: Requires Governor to make appointments to fill commission vacancies within certain time frame; requires that specified rules submitted to commission receive certain vote totals for approval or modification.

Full Text:
An act relating to the Environmental Regulation Commission; amending s. 20.255, F.S.; requiring the Governor to appoint a new member to the commission within a certain timeframe after the occurrence of a vacancy; amending s. 403.805, F.S.; requiring certain proposed rules submitted to the commission to receive specified vote totals for approval or modification; providing an effective date. Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: Section 1. Subsection (6) of section 20.255, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: 20.255 Department of Environmental Protection.-There is created a Department of Environmental Protection. (6) There is creat ed as a part of the Department of Environmental Protection an Environmental Regulation Commission. (a) The commission shall be composed of seven residents of this state appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate. In making appointme nts, the Governor shall provide reasonable representation from all sections of the state. Membership shall be representative of agriculture, the development industry, local government, the environmental community, lay citizens, and members of the scientifi cand HB 2018 technical community who have substantial expertise in the areas of the fate and transport of water pollutants, toxicology, epidemiology, geology, biology, environmental sciences, or engineering. (b) The Governor shall, within days after the occurrence of a vacancy on the commission, appoint a new member, subject to confirmation by the Senate. (c) The Governor shall appoint the chair, and the vice chair shall be elected from among the membership. All appointments shall be for-year terms. (d) The Governor may at any time fill a vacancy for the unexpired term. The members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be paid travel and per diem as provided in s. 112.061 while in the performance of their official duties. Administ rative, personnel, and other support services necessary for the commission shall be furnished by the department. The commission may employ independent counsel and contract for the services of outside technical consultants. Section 2. Subsection (4) is added to section 403.805, Florida Statutes, to read: 403.805 Secretary; powers and duties; review of specified rules.-(4) Any proposed rule containing standards to be submitted to the commission for approval, modification, or disapproval pursuant to subsection (1) requires a simple majority for HB 2018 approval or modification, unless the rule pertains to any of the following, in which case such approval or modification must be by a minimum of four affirmative votes of the commission: (a) Air quality standar ds. (b) Water quality standards. Proposed rules that fail to receive the votes required for approval or modification pursuant to this subsection are deemed disapproved. Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2018.