Section 51-18-50 - Commission, powers and dutiesThe War Between the States Heritage Trust Commission shall have the following powers and duties:
(1) to select and employ a staff which shall be primarily responsible for the administration of the War Between the States Heritage Trust Program;(2) to accept and utilize such other staff and support services as the House, Senate, or Governor's Office may from time to time make available to the commission to assist in fulfilling its duties and responsibilities under this chapter;(3) to maintain a public record of any inventories or lists established under this chapter;(4) to work with owners, both public and private, in the development of proposals for the dedication and recognition of natural and/or cultural areas and features as War Between the States Heritage Preserves and Sites and keep the advisory board informed of the same in order that the advisory board may make recommendations to the commission, as provided under this chapter;(5) to consult with and work in cooperation with the Department of Archives and History, the State Archeologist, the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism, and any other state, county, or local unit of government, or any private entity or group which is or should be directly involved in the War Between the States Heritage Trust Program, as well as in any particular efforts to preserve or protect any specific area or feature under the provisions of this chapter. In all cases, the commission shall attempt to avoid duplication of effort with other agencies and groups and shall have no mandatory authority hereunder to require action by any such body;(6) to serve as trustee of the trust created under this chapter and to carry out the powers, duties, and responsibilities thereunder;(7) to supervise the establishment, updating and maintenance of a statewide inventory of the natural and cultural resources and the maintenance of a list of those areas and features selected or established under this chapter as priority areas and features or as War Between the States Heritage Preserves and Sites;(8) to select from the recommendations of the advisory board those natural, manmade, and cultural features, the preservation of which is of primary importance to the goals and purposes of this chapter, and to classify such as priority areas and features;(9) to select from the recommendations of the advisory board those priority areas and features which should be dedicated or recognized as War Between the States Heritage Preserves or Sites, and thereafter to establish as such through dedication or recognition;(10) to select from the recommendations of the advisory board those War Between the States Heritage Preserves, interests therein, or portions thereof, deserving of protection under the War Between the States Heritage Trust and thereafter to transfer same into the corpus of the trust;(11) to conduct public hearings on the question of whether any particular natural or cultural area or feature should be established as a War Between the States Heritage Preserve or Site, or on the uses or prohibited uses which shall apply to any area dedicated under the War Between the States Heritage Trust Program;(12) to manage or provide for the management of War Between the States Heritage Preserves through the promulgation of rules and regulations designed to preserve the primary natural character of such areas or features and to provide the maximum public usage thereof which is compatible and consistent with the character of the area. Management duties and responsibilities may be assigned to any governmental or private group, with its consent, with respect to any particular War Between the States Heritage Preserve;(13) to cooperate with and to enter into agreement with other state, federal, county, and local units of government, as well as private groups, for the promotion of the purposes of this chapter, including the carrying out of other requirements under federal and state law; and(14) to report annually to the Governor and to the General Assembly as to the activities of the War Between the States Heritage Trust Program and its future plans and to make any specific recommendations which it feels, if implemented, would assist in achieving the goals and purposes of this chapter.2000 Act No. 387, Part II, Section 52A, eff 7/1/2000.