Chapter 40 Oregon Laws 1999

Session Law

AN ACT

SB 186

Relating to Oregon Forest Resources Institute; creating new provisions; and amending ORS 526.610 and 526.615.

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

SECTION 1. ORS 526.610 is amended to read:

526.610. (1) There hereby is created the Oregon Forest Resources Institute. The institute shall be governed by a board of directors formed as provided in this section. The board shall consist of seven elected members plus nonelected members as provided in subsections (5) and (6) of this section. Six elected members shall represent three producer classes with two representatives each elected statewide from small, medium and large producer classes. Elected members representing producer classes shall be elected by producers as provided in subsections (2) to (4) of this section. The term of office of [a] an elected member is three years.

(2)(a) The State Forester shall solicit nominations and conduct an election for elected members of the board. The six elected producer class members shall meet producer class qualifications at the time of the election. The board by rule shall determine producer class qualifications that retain eligibility for the broadest array of producers and shall require a three-fourths majority vote of the board in establishing producer class qualifications.

(b) One member also shall be elected statewide who owns between 100 and 2,000 acres of forestland and who has no direct financial interest in any forest products processing activity.

(3) Eligible voters for the elected members described in subsection (2) of this section shall be only those persons who are of that described class.

(4) The cost of the nomination and election process shall be paid by the institute.

(5) In addition to the membership described in subsection (2) of this section, the voting members shall appoint [a] the following members who shall serve for terms of three years:

(a) One member who is an hourly wage employee of a producer or a person who represents such employees[, and]. The member appointed under this paragraph need not comply with the requirements of ORS 526.615 (3) to (6).

(b) Three members representing Oregon's diverse producer and forest landowner classes and geographic regions. [The appointed members shall serve for terms of three years.]

(6)(a) In addition to the [membership otherwise provided in] voting members elected and appointed under subsections (1) to (5) of this section, the following persons shall serve as nonvoting members:

(A) The Dean of the College of Forestry at Oregon State University shall serve ex officio.

(B) An individual jointly appointed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to represent the public. The public representative shall not be a member of or significantly affiliated with any organization of or business in the timber industry or any organization or business known to support or promote environmental or conservation issues.

(b) Members referred to in this subsection are not subject to ORS 526.615 to 526.625.

SECTION 2. ORS 526.615 is amended to read:

526.615. Except as provided in ORS 526.610 (5)(a), each member of the board of directors shall have the following qualifications:

(1) Be a citizen of the United States.

(2) Be a bona fide resident of this state.

(3) Be a producer in this state, an employee of such a producer or own between 100 and 2,000 acres of forestland in this state on which harvest taxes are paid, but have no direct financial interest in any forest products processing activity.

(4) Have been actively engaged in producing forest products for a period of at least five years.

(5) Derive a substantial proportion of income from the production of forest products.

(6) Have demonstrated, through membership in producers' organizations or organizations representing landowners who meet the requirement of ORS 526.610 (2)(b), a profound interest in the development of Oregon's forest products industry.

SECTION 3. Nothing in this 1999 Act shall affect the term of office of any person serving as a member of the board of directors of the Oregon Forest Resources Institute on the effective date of this 1999 Act.

Approved by the Governor April 16, 1999

Filed in the office of Secretary of State April 19, 1999

Effective date October 23, 1999

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