9-15-104. Wildlife and natural resource trust account board established; terms; meetings; duties.

(a) There is created the Wyoming wildlife and natural resource trust account board. The board shall consist of nine (9) members appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate, who are residents of Wyoming. The members shall be appointed from each of the appointment districts set forth in W.S. 5-3-101. The board membership shall reflect a broad spectrum of experiences including wildlife, agriculture, energy, sportsmen and tourism.

(b) Except as otherwise provided by this subsection, each appointed member of the board shall serve for a term of six (6) years. In 2011, three (3) members shall be appointed for six (6) years. In 2012, three (3) members shall be appointed for three (3) years. In 2013 and every second year thereafter, three (3) members shall be appointed for six (6) years. The governor may remove any member as provided in W.S. 9-1-202. Any vacancy occurring between sessions of the legislature may be filled by the governor as provided under W.S. 28-12-101(b). The board shall select one (1) of its members to serve as chair.

(c) Administration of any funds administered by the board shall be by the secretary to the board, who shall be employed by the board. The secretary shall not be housed in any agency which may be a grantee under this act. The secretary to the board shall further act as liaison for the board to other state, federal and local governmental agencies, as well as nonprofit organizations and members of the public who seek to provide input regarding grant proposals.

(d) The board shall meet regularly. Members shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred in the performance of their duties in the manner and amounts provided by law for state employees.

(e) The board shall receive and evaluate applications for grants from the income account, shall forward applications for large projects to the select committee for review and recommendation. The board may approve grants for any small project. Funds in the income account are continuously appropriated for small project grants approved by the board and for approved large projects as specified by subsection (k) of this section.

(f) The board shall adopt rules and regulations in accordance with the Wyoming Administrative Procedure Act as necessary to carry out its duties under this act, including rules to:

(i) Establish criteria for grants from the income account which accomplish the purposes of this act;

(ii) Establish criteria for matching funds or other in-kind contributions from grantees;

(iii) Evaluate, rank and prioritize grant proposals with an emphasis on those projects that are partnerships involving private and public entities;

(iv) Review and monitor grants to grantees;

(v) Evaluate the effects of grant proposals on citizen access to public and state lands for hunting, fishing and recreation activities;

(vi) Establish criteria for the acceptance or rejection of gifts, transfers, bequests and donations including interests in real or personal property, which criteria shall not be inconsistent with this act. Based on those criteria, the board shall make recommendations regarding the acceptance of any fee simple interest in real property to the board of land commissioners. Based on those recommendations, the board of land commissioners shall make a final determination on acceptance or rejection of any fee simple interest in real property under this act;

(vii) Consider the socioeconomic impacts of the grant proposal on the community affected;

(viii) Consider other necessary matters.

(g) In fulfilling its duties under this act the board may:

(i) Consult with other governmental agencies, persons and nonprofit organizations, as necessary;

(ii) Accept or decline federal grants and other contributions, grants, gifts, transfers, bequests and donations of any money, personal property or interests in real property other than a fee simple interest from any source. The board shall make recommendations regarding the acceptance of any fee simple interest in real property to the board of land commissioners;

(iii) Participate with for profit corporations to develop wildlife habitat, but may not divert financial resources to a for profit corporation;

(iv) Recommend to the joint appropriations committee and the select committee that funds be transferred from the income account to the trust account.

(h) The board shall annually report to the governor, the joint appropriations interim committee, the select committee and the joint travel, recreation, wildlife and cultural resources interim committee no later than September 1 with respect to all federal grants, state appropriations and other contributions, grants, gifts, bequests and donations received and credited to the trust account and income account during the preceding fiscal year. The report shall include all grants awarded by the board to nonprofit and governmental organizations and progress made toward the condition of any grant made.

(j) Until the corpus of the trust account exceeds two hundred million dollars ($200,000,000.00) the governor may also include in his proposed state budget recommendations for additional funding of the corpus of the trust account. The governor may also include in his proposed state budget recommendations for additional funding of the income account.

(k) No funds shall initially be expended from the income account for large projects except upon specific legislative authorization. Following the initial legislative authorization to expend funds for a large project, the board may approve additional grants for that large project not to exceed a total of an additional one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000.00) and shall forward a notice of any such additional grant to the select committee within thirty (30) days of each approval. Subsequent legislative authorization shall be required for any grant in excess of the limits of this subsection.