47-2302. Kansas dairy commission; members, officers, compensation. (a) There is hereby created the Kansas dairy commission.

(b) The commission shall consist of seven members who will be elected at the annual meeting of the Kansas dairy association. The board of directors of the Kansas dairy association shall act as interim commission members until commission members can be elected and qualified. Vacancies which may occur shall be filled for unexpired terms by the board of directors of the Kansas dairy association from among the producers of the state. Each commission member appointed on and after the effective date of this act, other than a commission member appointed to fill a vacancy for an unexpired term, shall be elected for a term of four years except that three of the commission members first elected on and after the effective date of this act shall be elected for a term of two years. No member may serve more than two consecutive terms. Upon the expiration of a term of a member of the commission, such member shall continue to serve as a member of the commission until a successor to such member is elected and qualified.

(c) Members of the commission shall be residents of this state and currently be active producers. One member shall be elected from each of the dairy herd improvement association districts and the remaining members shall be elected at large. The elections will be held at an open session to all dairy producers at the annual meeting of the Kansas dairy association.

(d) The dean of the college of agriculture of Kansas state university or the dean's representative and the secretary or the secretary's designee shall serve as ex officio nonvoting members of the commission.

(e) The commission shall annually elect a chairperson from its membership.

(f) A member of the commission may cease to hold such member's position on the commission for any of the following reasons, at the discretion of a majority of the commission, upon resolution duly adopted by the commission dismissing such member: (1) Failure to attend two or more regular meetings of the commission, if unexcused; or (2) ceasing to be a producer.

(g) Members of the Kansas dairy commission attending meetings of such commission, or attending a subcommittee meeting authorized by such commission, may be paid compensation and other expenses.

(h) The commission shall meet at least once every calendar quarter regularly and hold an annual meeting which shall be open to the public. The day, time and place of each meeting shall be determined by the commission. The chairperson or any three members of the commission may call special meetings of the commission upon such notice as may be prescribed by the duly adopted rules and regulations of the commission.

History: L. 1995, ch. 89, § 2; July 1.