§360.2. The Louisiana Aquatic Invasive Species Task Force

A. In addition to the Louisiana Aquatic Invasive Species Council, there is hereby created the Louisiana Aquatic Invasive Species Task Force to serve in an advisory capacity to the council. The task force shall be composed of members or their designees as follows:

(1) The district commander of the Eighth Coast Guard District.

(2) The district engineer of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District.

(3) The district chief for the Water Resources Division of the U.S. Geological Survey, Louisiana district.

(4) The Region 4 director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Atlanta office.

(5) The state plant health director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Plant Protection and Quarantine.

(6) The chancellor of the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center.

(7) The chancellor of the University of New Orleans.

(8) The director of the Center for Bioenvironmental Research, Tulane University and Xavier University.

(9) The president of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

(10) The executive director of the Louisiana Wildlife Federation.

(11) The regional administrator of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of Interior.

(12) The president of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Association.

(13) The president of the Louisiana Marine and Motorcycle Trades Association.

(14) The executive director of the Louisiana Sea Grant Program.

(15) The director of the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program.

(16) The executive director of the Louisiana Landowners Association.

(17) The executive director of the Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Association.

(18) The executive director of the Louisiana Forestry Association.

(19) The president of the Ports Association of Louisiana.

(20) The executive director of the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission.

(21) The president of the Louisiana Chemical Association.

(22) The executive director of the Steamship Association of Louisiana.

(23) A representative of the electrical utility industry in Louisiana appointed by the Louisiana Electric Utilities Association.

(24) The president of Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association.

(25) The chairman of the Louisiana Aquaculture Advisory Task Force.

(26) The chief of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Habitat Conservation Division Office in Louisiana.

(27) The state veterinarian employed by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

(28) The state entomologist appointed by the commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

(29) The executive director of the State Soil and Water Conservation Committee.

(30) The director of horticulture and quarantine programs for the Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

(31) An Oyster Task Force member appointed by the chairman of the Oyster Task Force.

B. The task force shall be chaired by the chair of the council and shall meet at the call of the chair. The members of the task force shall not be compensated for their services on the task force but may seek travel reimbursements from their respective agencies under the guidelines for state employees provided by the division of administration. Meetings of the task force shall be subject to laws regarding open meetings, R.S. 42:11 et seq., and records of the task force shall be subject to laws regarding public records, R.S. 44:1 et seq.

C. The chair of the council may appoint committees of the task force. The chair of the council shall appoint the chair of any committee and shall designate the functions and responsibilities of each committee appointed. The chair may appoint on an ad hoc basis committee members who are not members of either the council or the advisory task force.

Acts 2004, No. 185, §2, eff. June 10, 2004.