AN ACT RELATING TO WATERS AND NAVIGATION -- COASTAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT COUNCIL

HB 6126 reduces the Coastal Resources Management Council from 10 to 7 voting members, effective March 1, 2026. It requires six public members appointed by the governor (with Senate approval), including one engineer, one coastal biologist, and one environmental organization representative, while mandating that at least five of these six must come from coastal municipalities. The council’s ex-officio director (from the Department of Environmental Management) remains, and all members must have environmental or coastal management expertise. The bill, signed by the governor on June 30, 2025, updates appointment rules but does not change the council’s policy responsibilities.