Commission Meeting Format

​​​​​​​​Commission Meeting Format

​​​​​Beginning in 2020, the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission implemented new procedures for its quarterly Commission meetings to improve efficiency, increase opportunities for public input and reduce costs. The Commission discussed the changes to its meeting format at its Jan. 31, 2020, meeting. Changes to the meeting format, video livestreaming of meetings, and enhanced opportunities for public comment all increase transparency and public involvement. Commission meeting agendas are now also typically posted on the department’s website well in advance of meetings, rather than only available day-of in the physical location of the meeting. The new meeting format also saves time and money for Commission members, staff, and stakeholders.​

Commission members, Kentucky Fish and Wildlife staff and the public may continue to propose changes to administrative regulations related to fish and wildlife or boating, which are vetted by the chair of the Commission for review as to relevance for potential placement on a future meeting agenda.

Under the new format, proposals slated for action by the Commission will usually have undergone a multi-step review process before the Commission, allowing for public involvement along the way.

The new meeting format standardizes these steps for most regulation proposals brought to the Commission and allows at least six months from the time a proposal is introduced as new business to the time of Commission action. The process for reviewing and taking action on proposals has been slowed down to allow more time for research and public input. Under the previous format, committees of the Commission that vetted proposals often met about 30 days before a full Commission meeting, when it would vote on those proposals, often giving the public as little as one month to consider and provide feedback on proposals put forth. The new process generally expands that timeframe to 180 days or more.

Generally speaking, there is now a three-step process for review of a proposed regulation change:

1. ​A vetted proposal is first introduced as New business in a Commission meeting. 
   
2. At a subsequent meeting, the proposed change is listed as a Discussion item. 
3. Finally, a Business item that the Commission wishes to consider further is advanced to the next meeting as an Action item​, which may be the subject of a motion and vote by the Commission at one of its public meetings.
   

By law, the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission must meet at least quarterly in Frankfort. Most meetings will include an introductory portion, followed by segments for action items, discussion items, new business items, and public comments. Staff may provide updates during the meetings on department programs, research, or other topics requested by the Commission.

About The Commission

The Commission is a nine-member board, comprised of volunteers who serve four-year terms after being nominated by licensed hunters and anglers, appointed by the governor, and confirmed by the Kentucky Senate. The Commission recommends hunting, fishing and boating regulations on behalf of the sportspersons of the Commonwealth. It also hires and advises the Commissioner, approves research contracts, and oversees the disposition of agency lands.

Submitting Public Comments

Anyone wishing to address the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Commission may provide public comments for the meeting as follows:

In Person:

• In-person attendees who would like to comment on “New Business” items or “Discussion” items on the agenda will be asked to sign up on the public comment request form on the table at the meeting room entrance by 9 a.m. (Eastern) on the day of the meeting, and specify their county and state of residence, organization represented and position held if applicable, and the specific agenda items they intend to address in their comments.
• During the “Public Comments" time on the agenda, attendees who have signed up to comment will each have up to three minutes (total time per person) to offer comments about the “New Business” or “Discussion” items that they have specified to address on the sign-up sheet.
• ​In-person public comments will not be accepted for “Action” items on the agenda.

Email:

• Comments about “New Business” items” and “Discussion” items on the agenda may be sent to FW.PublicAffairs@ky.gov through 5 p.m. (Eastern) at least two days before a scheduled meeting. Please include “commission meeting" in the email's subject line. In the email, commenters should include their first and last name, county and state of residence, and organization represented with position held in the organization, if applicable.
• Emailed comments will be distributed to all commission members at least 24 hours prior to the meeting for their review individually. Time permitting and at the discretion of the commission chair, emailed comments or a summary thereof, will be read by department staff for up to thre​e minutes total per commenter during the “Public Comments" time on the agenda, provided the commenter does not speak during the public comments time during the meeting.
• Although ineligible to be read at the meeting, public comments regarding “Action” items on the agenda or other subjects of interest received by 5 p.m. (Eastern) at least two days before a scheduled meeting will also be provided to all commission members at least 24 hours prior to the meeting for their review individually.
• Anonymous comments submitted via email will be distributed to the commission members but may not be read during the meeting.
• The commission will review all emailed comments, and questions will receive an email response.
• Contact information is not required for emailed comments but will be necessary if information is requested, and, other than name and affiliation, that information will not be publicly disclosed, if provided.
• The commission chair reserves the right to not read publicly or allow any comments that are considered libelous, profane, derogatory of others, repetitive or not relevant to the new business or discussion items on the meeting agenda.
  

Special Called Meetings

The Commission may still address time-sensitive or routine needs in a more compressed timeline. Examples requiring more swift action are regulations to address emerging disease issues or routine items that require annual action, such as setting migratory bird regulations to comport with requirements in federal law. Sometimes special called meetings are set to address time-sensitive matters; these are announced on the department’s website as soon as possible before such meetings.

On Working Groups

Working groups may be used as necessary by the department, with involvement in some cases by some Commission members or even stakeholders, to establish a more deliberate vetting process for some topics of interest that may be complex or controversial. Working group deliberations may lead to proposals to be brought before the Commission. To date, working groups have been formed by the department to address such topics as public relations (addressing topics such as enhanced agency-public communications and marketing and wanton waste), elk program (addressing topics such as enhancing Kentucky’s Elk Hunt Drawing and endorsing large-scale habitat improvements), and Ohio River fisheries issues.

Meetings Are Video-Livestreamed

Commission meetings are now video-livestreamed through the Department’s YouTube channel, in order to allow members of the public to view (or review) the content of meetings at their convenience. Coupled with the opportunity to submit public comments by email, the public is now afforded unprecedented access to the Commission regarding its business, so members of the public may be engaged regardless of their travel or time constraints.

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