South Carolina Code 48-59-40. South Carolina Conservation Bank; board members and meetings; terms, recusal, and personal liability of members
(1) the Chairman of the Board for the Department of Natural Resources, the Chairman of the South Carolina Forestry Commission, and the Director of the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, all of whom shall serve ex officio and without voting privileges;
Terms Used In South Carolina Code 48-59-40
- Bank: means the South Carolina Conservation Bank. See South Carolina Code 48-59-30
- Board: means the governing board of the bank. See South Carolina Code 48-59-30
- Ex officio: Literally, by virtue of one's office.
- Freedom of Information Act: A federal law that mandates that all the records created and kept by federal agencies in the executive branch of government must be open for public inspection and copying. The only exceptions are those records that fall into one of nine exempted categories listed in the statute. Source: OCC
- Land: means real property, including highlands and wetlands of any description. See South Carolina Code 48-59-30
- President pro tempore: A constitutionally recognized officer of the Senate who presides over the chamber in the absence of the Vice President. The President Pro Tempore (or, "president for a time") is elected by the Senate and is, by custom, the Senator of the majority party with the longest record of continuous service.
- Trust fund: means the South Carolina Conservation Bank Trust Fund established pursuant to § 48-59-60. See South Carolina Code 48-59-30
(2) three members appointed by the Governor from the State at large;
(3) four members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, one each from the Third, Fourth, and Sixth Congressional Districts and one member from the State at large; and
(4) four members appointed by the President of the Senate, one each from the First, Second, Fifth, and Seventh Congressional Districts.
(B)(1) In making their respective appointments to the board, the Governor, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that the members of the board reflect the state’s racial and gender diversity.
(2) Each member of the board must possess experience in the areas of natural resources, land development, forestry, finance, land conservation, real estate, or law.
(C) Terms of board members are for four years and until their successors are appointed and qualify, except that the initial terms of each appointing official’s appointees must be staggered with the initial term noted on the appointment. Regardless of the date of appointment, all terms expire on July first of the applicable year. Vacancies must be filled in the manner of original appointments for the unexpired portion of the term. Members shall serve without compensation, but may receive the mileage, subsistence, and per diem allowed by law for members of state boards, committees, and commissions. The board shall elect a chairman and other officers as necessary from its membership.
(D) Board members must recuse themselves from any vote in which they have a conflict of interest including, but not limited to, any vote affecting or providing funding for the acquisition of interests in land:
(1) on land owned or controlled by the board member, the board member’s immediate family, or an entity the board member represents, works for, or in which the member has a voting or ownership interest;
(2) on land contiguous to land described in item (1) of this subsection; and
(3) by an eligible trust fund recipient that the board member represents, works for, or in which the member has a voting or ownership interest.
The provisions of this subsection are cumulative to and not in lieu of provisions of law or applicable rule relating to the ethics of public officers.
(E) The board shall meet at least quarterly in regularly scheduled meetings and in special meetings as the chairman may call. The bank is a public body and its records and meetings are public records and public meetings for purposes of Chapter 4 of Title 30, the Freedom of Information Act. All meetings shall be open to the public and allow for public input.
(F) Board members shall have no personal liability for any actions or refusals to act in their official capacity as long as such actions or refusals to act do not involve wilful or intentional malfeasance or recklessness.