(a) There shall be a Connecticut Farm Wine Development Council which shall be within the Department of Agriculture for administrative purposes only. Said council shall consist of thirteen members as follows: The Commissioners of Agriculture and Economic and Community Development, the dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources of The University of Connecticut and the directors of the Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station and the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, or their respective designees; and eight members engaged in the wine production industry in this state, appointed as follows: Two members appointed by the Governor, and one member each appointed by the president pro tempore of the Senate, the speaker of the House of Representatives and the majority and minority leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate.

(b) The term of one of the initial appointments from the wine production industry shall expire on the last day of July, 1988, the terms of two shall expire on the last day of July, 1989, and the terms of two shall expire on the last day of July, 1990. On or before the first day of July, 1987, and annually thereafter, the commissioner shall appoint members to succeed the members whose term expires. Said members shall serve a term of four years. The commissioner shall fill any vacancy by appointment for the unexpired portion of the term vacated.

(c) Members of the council shall not be compensated for their services but shall be reimbursed for necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. No member shall serve for more than four consecutive terms. A majority of the council shall constitute a quorum.

(d) The Commissioner of Agriculture shall be the chairman of the council.

(e) The council may receive funds from any source and expend such funds as may be necessary to carry out its duties. The council may seek funding and provide financial support to organizations for activities concerned with wine production and related products.

(P.A. 87-549, S. 1, 3; P.A. 88-364, S. 87, 123; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 146(e), (f); P.A. 04-189, S. 1; P.A. 09-42, S. 1.)

History: P.A. 88-364 amended Subsec. (a) by making a technical change; June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 replaced Commissioner and Department of Agriculture with Commissioner and Department of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective July 1, 2004; P.A. 04-189 repealed Sec. 146 of June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, thereby reversing the merger of the Departments of Agriculture and Consumer Protection, effective June 1, 2004; P.A. 09-42 changed number of members from 10 to 13 and amended appointment process in Subsec. (a), effective July 1, 2009.

See Sec. 4-38f for definition of “administrative purposes only”.