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A.  The Horticulture Commission of Louisiana is hereby created within the Department of Agriculture and Forestry to be comprised of the following thirteen members:

(1)  The commissioner of agriculture and forestry.

(2)  The assistant commissioner of agricultural and environmental sciences.

(3)  The director of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service.

(4)  A licensed arborist.

(5)  A licensed retail florist.

(6)  A licensed wholesale florist.

(7)  A licensed landscape horticulturist.

(8)  A licensed landscape architect.

(9)  A nursery stock dealer.

(10)  A wholesale nurseryman.

(11)  A licensed utility arborist.

(12)  A sod grower.

(13)  A licensed landscape irrigation contractor.

B.  The commissioner of agriculture and forestry, the assistant commissioner of agricultural and environmental sciences, and the director of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service shall serve as ex officio members with the same rights, powers, and privileges as the other members.

C. The following members shall be appointed by the commissioner, subject to confirmation of the Senate, and shall serve terms of four calendar years beginning with the year of appointment in accordance with the following provisions:

(1)  The licensed arborist shall be appointed during the second year of each administration from the arborists licensed by the commission.

(2)  The licensed retail florist shall be appointed during the second year of each administration from a list of three persons nominated by the Louisiana State Florists Association, Inc.

(3)  The licensed wholesale florist shall be appointed during the third year of each administration from the wholesale florists licensed by the commission.

(4)  The licensed landscape horticulturist shall be appointed during the fourth year of each administration from a list of three persons nominated by the Louisiana Nursery and Landscape Association.

(5)  The licensed landscape architect shall be appointed during the third year of each administration from a list of three persons nominated by the Louisiana Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects.

(6)  The nursery stock dealer shall be appointed during the first year of each administration from a list of three persons nominated by the Louisiana Retailers Association.

(7)  The wholesale nurseryman shall be appointed during the first year of each administration from a list of three persons nominated by the Louisiana  Nursery and Landscape Association.

(8)  The licensed utility arborist shall be appointed during the second year of each administration from the utility arborists licensed by the commission, who are graduate foresters and who work in the utility line clearing area.

(9)  The sod grower shall be appointed during the fourth year of each administration from a list of three persons nominated by the Louisiana Turfgrass Association.

(10)  The licensed landscape irrigation contractor shall be appointed during the first year of each administration from a list of three persons nominated by the Louisiana Irrigation Association.

D.  Vacancies in the office of the appointed members shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments.  Appointments to fill vacancies shall be made within ninety days of the date the vacancy occurred and shall be for the unexpired portion of the term of the office vacated.

E.  A majority of the members of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business and the carrying out of the duties of the commission.  Each member shall take and subscribe to the oath of office prescribed for state officers.  Members of the commission shall not receive any salary for their duties as members.  The appointed members who are not state employees or officers may receive a per diem for each day spent in actual attendance of meetings of the commission or of duly appointed committees or subcommittees of the commission.  The amount of the per diem shall be fixed by the commission in an amount not to exceed forty dollars.  The appointed members who are not state employees or officers may receive a mileage allowance for mileage traveled in attending meetings.  The mileage allowance shall be fixed by the commission in an amount not to exceed the mileage rate for state employees.

F.  The commission is hereby authorized to adopt such rules and regulations as are necessary to enforce the provisions of this Chapter and to carry out the intent of the laws contained therein, including, but not limited to, rules and regulations for the following purposes:

(1)  To govern the qualifications and practices of persons engaged in the professions and occupations regulated by the commission.

(2)  To establish examinations for applications for licenses and to establish minimum scores necessary to pass those examinations.

(3)  To require the payment of examination fees, license fees, and permit fees as provided in this Chapter.

(4)  To hold hearings and to conduct investigations.

(5)  To do all things necessary to prevent fraudulent practices by persons engaged in the professions and occupations regulated by the commission.

(6)  To encourage holders of licenses and permits to participate in continuing education programs approved by the commission.

G.  The commissioner of agriculture and forestry, the assistant commissioner for agricultural and environmental sciences, and the director of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service may name designees to attend meetings for those officers. The commissioner may appoint an alternate member for each member he appoints. If the member is appointed from a list of nominees, the alternate shall be appointed from the same list. Any designee or alternate who attends a meeting as a representative of a member shall have the same rights, powers, and privileges, including voting rights, as the member he represents.

H.  The commission, by a vote of two-thirds of the appointed members, may expel a member who has accumulated three consecutive unexcused absences from commission meetings.

I.  The commission shall employ a director and assistant director who shall be appointed by the commission, subject to the approval of the commissioner.  The director and assistant director shall be in the unclassified service.

Acts 1950, No. 224, §1.  Amended by Acts 1954, No. 534, §1; Acts 1965, No. 127, §1; Acts 1972, No. 320, §1; Acts 1980, No. 330, §2; Acts 1981, No. 418, §1; Acts 1985, No. 120, §1; Acts 1986, No. 447, §1, eff. July 1, 1986; Acts 1988, No. 318, §1; Acts 1990, No. 69, §1; Acts 1992, No. 60, §1; Acts 1995, No. 182, §1; Acts 2004, No. 810, §1, eff. July 12, 2004; Acts 2008, No. 63, §1, eff. June 5, 2008; Acts 2008, No. 227, §1, eff. June 16, 2008; Acts 2008, No. 229, §1, eff. June 16, 2008; Acts 2008, No. 920, §1, eff. July 14, 2008; Acts 2010, No. 495, §1, eff. June 24, 2010; Acts 2012, No. 310, §1, eff. May 25, 2012.