§278. Louisiana Alligator Advisory Council

            A. The Louisiana Alligator Advisory Council is hereby created in the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. The Louisiana Alligator Advisory Council shall be responsible for reviewing and approving recommended marketing, research, and educational programs to be funded from the Louisiana Alligator Resource Account to ensure that any monies from the account are expended for the specific goals of the council.

            B. This council shall be composed of members appointed by the secretary as follows:

            (1) Three members of the council shall be licensed alligator hunters appointed from a list of five nominations from the Louisiana Trappers and Alligator Hunters Association. The nominees shall have held licenses for the preceding three hunting seasons. One member shall be appointed to represent the area of the state north of United States Highway 90, one member shall be appointed to represent the area of the state south of United States Highway 90 and east of the Atchafalaya River, and one nominee shall be appointed to represent the area of the state south of United States Highway 90 and west of the Atchafalaya River.

            (2) Three members shall be licensed farmers appointed from a list of five nominations from the Louisiana Alligator Farmers and Ranchers Association. The nominees shall have held licenses for the preceding three years.

            (3) Three members shall be appointed from a list of five nominations from the Louisiana Landowners Association. The nominees shall all own or manage land located in the coastal zone. One member shall be appointed to represent the area of the coastal zone east of Bayou Lafourche, one member shall be appointed to represent the area of the coastal zone between Bayou Lafourche and the parish line between Iberia Parish and Vermilion Parish, and one member shall be appointed to represent the area of the coastal zone west of the parish line between Iberia Parish and Vermilion Parish.

            (4) The secretary or his designee shall be an ex officio member of said council and shall be present at all official meetings.

            C. A vacancy created whether by reason of death, resignation, expiration of term, or any other cause of a member of the council shall be filled in the same manner as provided in Subsection B of this Section.

            D.(1) The members of the council initially appointed shall, at their first meeting, determine by lot their terms of office, which terms shall commence immediately upon their appointment and shall expire, respectively, as follows: one member from each of the nominating authorities in two years, one member from each of the nominating authorities in four years, and one member from each of the nominating authorities in six years, from the first day of July immediately succeeding such appointment. Thereafter all terms shall be six years.

            (2) No member shall succeed himself after completion of a six-year term but may be reappointed after not serving on the council for six years. However, if a person has been appointed to fill less than one-half of an unexpired term, such person shall be eligible to serve consecutively an additional six-year term in addition to such partial term.

            Acts 2008, No. 272, §2; Acts 2018, No. 612, §18, eff. July 1, 2020; Acts 2019, No. 404, §1, eff. July 1, 2020.