Sec. 12.202. OPERATION GAME THIEF COMMITTEE. (a) The director shall appoint an Operation Game Thief Committee composed of 11 members to administer the operation game thief fund and to make reward payments and death benefit payments from that fund. The director shall appoint persons who are not employees of the department and who have a demonstrated interest in game and fish conservation. The director may consider the recommendations or nominations of any club or association. The director shall designate one of the members as chairman of the committee. The director shall appoint a former committee member to serve as chairman emeritus. The chairman emeritus has the same rights and duties as any other committee member. The director or an employee designated by the director for that purpose shall serve as secretary to the committee. A member of the committee serves without compensation.

(b) Each member of the committee, including the chairman emeritus, serves a term of six years. The terms of approximately one-third of the members, including the chairman emeritus, expire on January 31 of each odd-numbered year. The director may reappoint members.

(c) The committee shall meet at least one time each calendar year at the department's office in Austin or at a location designated by the chairman of the committee. Four committee members must be present for approval of disbursement of rewards to eligible applicants and death benefit payments to eligible recipients. Except as provided by Subsection (d), if the vote for approval of disbursements of rewards or death benefits results in a tie vote, no action may be taken until the next meeting of the committee.

(d) Repealed by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1170, Sec. 29.02.

Added by Acts 1981, 67th Leg., p. 3316, ch. 868, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 31, 1981. Amended by Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 267, art. 1, Sec. 33, eff. Sept. 1, 1985; Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 245, Sec. 2, eff. May 28, 1987; Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 431, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1991; Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 631, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993; Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 244, Sec. 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1170, Sec. 29.01, 29.02, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.