Sitting governors could get more sway over fishing and hunting in Louisiana

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Governors could be given more power over the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission, with more appointees who would hold their seats as long as the state leader stays in office, but the proposal doesn’t sit well with a leading wildlife advocate.

The Louisiana Senate Committee on Natural Resources voted unanimously Wednesday to advance a proposed constitutional amendment to increase the commission’s size from seven to nine voting members. The governor currently appoints all of the commission’s members, who require state Senate confirmation. This would not change under the legislation Sen. Caleb Kleinpeter, R-Port Allen, has authored.

Currently, six of the seven commission members serve overlapping terms, which results in appointees of previous governors holding their seats through a change in administration. The remaining appointee’s term runs concurrent with the governor’s time in office.

Under Kleinpeter’s proposal, the two new appointees would also have concurrent terms. This means a future governor who selects Wildlife and Fisheries Commission members early in their tenure could have those people in place for nearly eight years.

Under its current form, three members of the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission are required to live and vote in the coastal parishes and represent the commercial fishing and fur industries. Four at-large members can be from anywhere in the state and represent other interests besides commercial fishing and fur. The two proposed additions would also be at-large members.

The commission’s current makeup includes four at-large appointees of former Gov. John Bel Edwards, two of Gov. Jeff Landry’s at-large picks and his concurrent member. The terms of two of Edwards’ appointees will lapse during Landry’s current term, and the two others will serve until January and December 2028, respectively.

This means if Landry is re-elected and voters approve Kleinpeter’s amendment, Landry will have seven appointees on the commission for the start of his second term and all nine by 2029.

Kleinpeter said during the Senate committee meeting that he wants to see the number of Wildlife and Fisheries Commission members increase to hopefully get more representation for the Atchafalaya Basin, a portion of which lies within his district.

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The Louisiana Wildlife Federation opposes the bill, saying the current balance of power on the Commission works.

“It has certain members that are carried over from the previous administration, and then that provides a balance,” said Rick Owens, Louisiana Wildlife Federation advocacy manager.

Owens added that the governor already has unilateral power to appoint a secretary for the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and his organization supports the consistency of fewer commissioner’s terms being tied to the governor’s tenure.

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