§ 10-7-103 — Wyoming commercial air service improvement council; creation; transfer of rights, duties, obligations and liabilities

(a) There is created the Wyoming commercial air service
improvement council consisting of eleven (11) voting members and
four (4) nonvoting members. For administrative purposes, the
council shall be within the department.
(b) There shall be two (2) legislative voting members on
the council as follows:
(i) One (1) member of the senate appointed by the
president of the senate;
(ii) One (1) member of the house of representatives
appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives.
(c) With the advice and consent of the commission and
subject to the requirements of this section, the governor shall
appoint the remaining nine (9) voting members to the council.
Appointments to the council shall include, to the extent
practicable, at least one (1) resident of each county served by
an airport with commercial air service and shall include:
(i) Two (2) members of the commission;
(ii) Two (2) business members of the economically
needed diversity options for Wyoming (ENDOW) executive council
or other business representatives participating in ENDOW
executive council initiatives;
(iii) One (1) member of the Wyoming association of
municipalities;
(iv) One (1) member of the Wyoming county
commissioners association;
(v) One (1) commercial air service member of the
Wyoming airport operators association;
(vi) Two (2) members from the public at-large,
including one (1) who shall represent a critical need community
and one (1) who shall represent a growth community as designated
by the commission.
(d) The following four (4) nonvoting members or their
designees shall also serve on the council:
(i) The governor;
(ii) The director of the department;
(iii) The executive director of the office of
tourism;
(iv) The chief executive officer of the Wyoming
business council.
(e) The governor may, in accordance with W.S. 9-1-202,
remove any voting member he appoints.
(f) If a vacancy occurs with respect to a voting member,
the vacancy shall be filled by the governor, with a person
holding the same or similar qualifications as the person who
vacated the position. The new member shall serve the remainder
of the term for which the vacating member was appointed.
(g) The voting members of the council shall elect a
chairman from among their members.
(h) Members of the council shall not receive compensation,
but when engaged in the performance of their duties they may
receive reimbursement for travel expenses in the same manner and
amount as state employees.
(j) The council shall meet as often as necessary to
conduct business or at the request of the chairman or the
governor. A majority of voting members shall constitute a quorum
for the transaction of business and for the exercise of any
power or function of the council.
(k) The department shall provide administrative services
and staffing for the council.
(m) Funding for expenses of the council shall come from
the budget of the department.
(n) Not later than August 1, 2018, the council shall
prepare and, with the approval of the commission, submit a
commercial air service improvement plan to the governor for his
approval and to the joint minerals, business and economic
development interim committee and the joint appropriations
committee. The commercial air service improvement plan shall
include the following:
(i) A summary of the activities of the commission,
other state agencies, boards, commissions and councils and local
communities related to achieving sustainability in commercial
air service for the benefit of citizens, tourists, local
communities and the state;
(ii) Recommendations for initiatives and specific
actions:
(A) To develop efficient and effective
implementation of a long-term, viable strategy for sustainable
commercial air service in this state, which may include
decreasing costs, increasing passengers and providing industry
standard reliability to commercial air service communities. To
the extent feasible, the recommended strategy shall include a
one (1) carrier system offering up to three (3) daily flights to
a major hub from each participating commercial air service
community in the state; and
(B) That are coordinated with the commission and
local communities to ensure state and community commercial air
service projects are developed in furtherance of the purposes of
this chapter and individual community needs.
(iii) Performance benchmarks, policy recommendations,
budget requests, a time period for formulating marketing, and a
schedule for full implementation of steps necessary to establish
and maintain sustainable, reliable and quality commercial air
service in this state.
(o) In developing the commercial air service improvement
plan, the council shall:
(i) Not take any action intended to interfere with
existing commercial air services operating out of commercial air
service communities in this state;
(ii) Determine the level of financial support
required of participating commercial air service communities.
(p) Not later than November 15, 2018, the council shall
prepare and submit a status report on the implementation of the
commercial air service improvement plan to the commission, the
governor and the joint minerals, business and economic
development interim committee.
(q) Effective March 15, 2019, the council shall cease to
exist and all its rights, duties, obligations and liabilities
under this section shall be transferred to the commission. The
commission may make reasonable adjustments to the level of
financial support determined by the council under paragraph
(o)(ii) of this section.