Article XXVI, § 1 — Creation of Department - Wildlife Conservation Commission - Membership - Appointment - Tenure - Vacancies - Oath and Bonds

There is hereby created a Department of Wildlife Conservation of the State of Oklahoma and an Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission. The Department of Wildlife Conservation shall be governed by the Wildlife Conservation Director, hereinafter created, under such rules, regulations and policies as may be prescribed from time to time by the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission. Such rules and regulations and amendments thereof shall be filed and recorded in the office of the Secretary of State, and shall become effective on the tenth (10th) day following such filing. Said Commission shall be composed of eight (8) members to be appointed by the Governor by and with the consent of the Senate and shall be removable only for cause, as provided by law for the removal of officers not subject to impeachment; one (1) member from each of eight (8) districts as the same are presently defined by Title 29 O.S.1951, Section 104. The term of office of each such member shall be eight (8) years, except that the first appointed members shall hold office for terms as follows: the member appointed from the first district shall hold office until July 1st following his appointment, and the members appointed from the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth districts shall hold office until July 1st of the second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth succeeding calendar years, respectively. In the event the Governor fails to fill a vacancy within thirty (30) days following such vacancy, the remaining members of the Commission may appoint a qualified person to fill such vacancy for the unexpired portion of the term. The members of the Commission shall receive no salary or other compensation for their services, other than per diem and expenses as may be authorized by the Legislature. Each member of the Commission shall take the oaths required of other State officers, and each shall execute a good and sufficient corporate surety bond in the sum of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) payable to the State of Oklahoma, and conditioned upon the faithful performance of duty, and the premium thereon shall be payable by the State.