Fish and Game Commission.

The California Constitution establishes the 5-member Fish and Game Commission, with members appointed by the Governor and approved by the Senate. Existing law requires the commissioners to elect one of their number as president and one as vice president. This bill would modify that election provision to instead require that the commissioners annually elect one of their number as president and one as vice president, by a concurrent vote of at least 3 commissioners. The bill would prohibit a president or vice president from serving more than 2 consecutive years and would prohibit the commission from adopting or enforcing any other policy or regulation that would make a commissioner ineligible to be elected as president or vice president of the commission. The bill would authorize the president or vice president to be removed from these positions by a vote, at any time, of at least 3 commissioners. The bill would require the commission to fill a vacancy in either position at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the commission, as prescribed. The bill would require the commission to adopt a code of conduct that requires a commissioner to adhere to prescribed principles and, by July 1, 2013, to adopt rules to govern the business practices and processes of the commission. The bill would state the intent of the Legislature to encourage the Governor and the Senate Committee on Rules to consider certain minimum qualifications in selecting, appointing, and confirming commissioners to serve on the commission.