Read 1st time January 17, 1996, and 1,000 copies ordered printed.

Read 2nd time January 24, 1996, and referred to the Committee on Education.

Reported from the Committee February 29, 1996, with recommendation that the bill do pass.

Taken up for Perfection April 30, 1996. Bill declared Perfected and Ordered printed, as amended.

TERRY L. SPIELER, Secretary.

S2963.02P

To repeal section 640.220, RSMo 1994, relating to scholarships to increase minority student enrollment in environmentally related courses of study, and to enact in lieu thereof two new sections relating to the same subject.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:

Section A. Section 640.220, RSMo 1994, is repealed and two new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 640.220 and 640.240, to read as follows:

640.220. 1. For the purpose of protecting the air, water and land resources of the state, there is hereby created in the state treasury a fund to be known as the "Natural Resources Protection Fund". All funds received from air pollution permit fees, gifts, bequests, donations, or any other moneys so designated shall be paid to the director of revenue and deposited in the state treasury to the credit of an appropriate subaccount of the natural resources protection fund and shall be used for the purposes specified by law. The air pollution permit fee revenues shall be deposited in an appropriate subaccount of the natural resources protection fund and, subject to appropriation by the general assembly, shall be used by the department to carry out the general administration of section 643.075, RSMo. The water pollution permit fee revenues generated through sections 644.052 and 644.053, RSMo, shall be paid to the director of the department of revenue and deposited to the credit of the water pollution permit fee subaccount of the natural resources protection fund and, subject to appropriation by the general assembly, shall be used by the department to carry out the administration of sections 644.006 to 644.141, RSMo.

2. Effective July 1, 1991, the provisions of section 33.080, RSMo, to the contrary notwithstanding and except as otherwise provided in this section, any unexpended balance in the subaccounts of the natural resources protection fund that exceeds the preceding biennium's collections shall revert to the general revenue fund of the state at the end of each biennium. All interest earned on the natural resources protection funds shall accrue to appropriate subaccounts.

3. For the purpose of increasing the number of minority students who are enrolled in environmentally related courses of study, there is hereby created a "Recruitment and Retention Scholarship" subaccount within the natural resources protection fund. Any unexpended balance in the recruitment and retention scholarship subaccount shall not be subject to biennial transfer pursuant to the provisions of section 33.080, RSMo. All interest earned on funds in the recruitment and retention scholarship subaccount shall accrue to the subaccount.

640.240. 1. There is hereby established within the division of environmental quality a "Minority Environmental Literacy Program". The department of natural resources, hereafter referred to as the department, may award scholarships to minority students to pursue environmentally related courses of study. The scholarships shall be administered by the division of environmental quality recruitment and retention program under the supervision of the minority environmental literacy advisory committee established under this section.

2. The general assembly may appropriate funds to the department for the purpose of funding scholarships as authorized by this section. Such funds shall be from general revenue, special fees administered by the department, or from federal funding sources, provided that such funds may be used for this purpose. All sums received for this purpose shall be placed in the state treasury and credited to the recruitment and retention scholarship subaccount of the natural resources protection fund.

3. The department shall accept, receive and administer grants or other funds or gifts from the public and individuals, including the federal government, for the purpose of funding scholarships under this section. Such funds shall be deposited in the recruitment and retention scholarship subaccount.

4. The department shall promulgate rules to administer the scholarship program, which shall include qualifications, application forms, annual filing deadlines, and scholarship amounts.

5. The scholarship program shall be directed toward students in the following areas of study:

(1) Engineering students pursuing undergraduate degrees in civil, chemical, mechanical, or agricultural engineering;

(2) Environmental sciences students pursuing undergraduate degrees in geology, biology, wildlife management, planning, natural resources, or a closely related course of study;

(3) Chemistry students pursuing undergraduate degrees in the field of environmental chemistry; and

(4) Law enforcement students pursuing undergraduate degrees in environmental law enforcement.

6. There is hereby created a "Minority Environmental Literacy Advisory Committee", hereafter referred to as the committee, to be comprised of:

(1) The director of the department of natural resources or the director's designee, who will serve as chairperson of the committee;

(2) Three representatives of universities and colleges. The university representatives shall each be appointed by the affirmative action office of the respective institution;

(3) The commissioner of higher education or the commissioner's designee;

(4) Five at-large members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate who shall be high school teachers and who shall be selected to represent the various regions of the state;

(5) The state affirmative action officer.

7. The committee shall meet at least annually, at a time and place to be determined by the chairperson, to select students to receive scholarships from applications filed with the division of environmental quality retention and recruitment program. The members appointed by the governor shall be reimbursed for their actual expenses.

8. The department shall retain, employ, provide for, and compensate, within appropriations available therefor, such consultants, assistants, deputies, clerks, and other employees on a full or part time basis as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this section and prescribe the times at which they shall be appointed and their powers and duties.