§ 14-272-101 - Creation.
14-272-101. Creation.
(a) There is hereby created the Rural Fire Departments Study Committee to be composed of:
(1) Two (2) members of the House Committee on Insurance and Commerce to be appointed by the chair of the committee;
(2) One (1) member of the Senate Committee on Insurance and Commerce to be appointed by the chair of the committee;
(3) One (1) member of the House Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, and Economic Development to be appointed by the chair of the committee;
(4) One (1) member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Forestry, and Economic Development to be appointed by the chair of the committee;
(5) One (1) member of the House Committee on City, County, and Local Affairs to be appointed by the chair of the committee;
(6) One (1) member of the Senate Committee on City, County, and Local Affairs to be appointed by the chair of the committee;
(7) Three (3) members of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and
(8) Three (3) members of the Senate to be appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.
(b) (1) The following shall be nonvoting ex officio members of the committee:
(A) One (1) member representing the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation to be recommended by the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation and appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(B) One (1) member representing the Independent Insurance Agents of Arkansas to be recommended by the Independent Insurance Agents of Arkansas and appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(C) One (1) member representing the County Judges Association to be recommended by the County Judges Association and appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(D) One (1) member representing the Arkansas Rural Fire Fighters Association to be recommended by the Arkansas Rural Fire Fighters Association and appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(E) One (1) member representing the Arkansas Council of Professional Fire Fighters to be recommended by the Arkansas Council of Professional Fire Fighters and appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(F) One (1) member representing the Arkansas Municipal League to be recommended by the Arkansas Municipal League and appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;
(G) One (1) member appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives to represent the Arkansas State Firefighters' Association;
(H) The Director of the Arkansas Forestry Commission or the director's designee;
(I) The Director of the Department of Rural Services or the director's designee; and
(J) The Manager of the Rural Fire Protection Program of the Arkansas Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils.
(2) If an ex officio nonvoting member no longer represents the organization from which he or she was selected, a vacancy shall exist and the vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
(c) The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall select one (1) of the Representatives as a cochair, and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall select one (1) of the Senators as a cochair.
(d) (1) A member of the committee shall continue to serve on the committee until he or she no longer wishes to serve or no longer qualifies to represent or no longer is a member of the committee, body, or organization which he or she was appointed to represent.
(2) Any vacancy on the committee shall be filled by the original appointing authority with another qualifying member of the committee, body, or organization.