AB 157

This bill changes the method for appointing the secretary of natural resources

and members of the Natural Resources Board and makes changes to the length of the

secretary's term under certain circumstances.

Under this bill, the secretary of natural resources is nominated by the Natural

Resources Board and appointed with the advice and consent of the senate for a

four-year term. The bill provides that the secretary in office when the bill takes

effect serves a four-year term beginning when the bill takes effect. Under current

law, the secretary is nominated by the governor and appointed with the advice and

consent of the senate to serve at the pleasure of the governor.

The bill also provides that, when the office of secretary becomes vacant, the new

appointee will serve a full four-year term beginning when he or she is appointed.

Under current law, when an appointive state office that has a specific term becomes

vacant, the new appointee is appointed for the rest of the unexpired term.

The Natural Resources Board consists of seven members nominated by the

governor and appointed with the advice and consent of the senate for six-year terms.

This bill provides that a board member's position becomes vacant upon the

expiration of the member's term, which would allow the governor to provisionally fill

the vacancy until the senate acts on the appointment. This change first applies to

a position held by a board member nominated after January 1, 2018. Under current

law, a member of the Natural Resources Board whose term has expired may continue

to serve after the expiration of his or her term until a successor is nominated by the

governor and the senate consents to the nomination.