2006 Alabama Code - Section 11-65-7 — General provisions respecting members of commission.

No member shall vote on or participate in the discussion or consideration of any matter coming before a commission in which he, his immediate family, or any business enterprise with which he is associated has any direct or indirect pecuniary interest; provided, however, that when any such matter is brought before a commission, any member having an interest therein which may be in conflict with his obligations as a member shall immediately make a complete disclosure to such commission of any direct or indirect pecuniary interest he may have in such matter prior to removing himself and withdrawing from the commission's deliberations and vote on the matter presented. In furtherance, and not in limitation of the foregoing provision, no member or employee of a commission, and no spouse, child, parent, brother or sister of any such member or employee, (1) shall have any financial interest, direct or indirect, in any racing facility, business or operation which is subject to the provisions of this chapter, or in any entity which has submitted an application for a license under this chapter, or in the operation of any wagering authorized under this chapter, (2) shall be an employee of any licensee or permit holder of the commission, or (3) shall participate as the owner of any horse or greyhound participating in any race or otherwise be interested in the outcome of any race subject to the jurisdiction of a commission or have any pecuniary interest in the purse or prize contested for in any such race. No appointed member or officer of a commission (e.g., any member or officer of a commission who does not serve as such by reason of his holding another office), no employee of a commission, and no spouse, child, parent, brother or sister of any such appointed member or officer or of any such employee, shall make, or cause to be made on his or her behalf, any contribution to any holder of any office of the state or any office of the sponsoring municipality or the host county of such commission or any contribution to any candidate for any such office.

The mayor or other chief executive officer of the sponsoring municipality and the president or other designated presiding officer of the county commission of the host county shall perform the duties of a member of a commission, ex officio, without any compensation other than that to which they are respectively entitled as such municipal or county officers, and any member of a commission who is appointed by either of such officials pursuant to the provisions of Section 11-65-5 and who is a member of the governing body of the sponsoring municipality or the host county shall likewise perform his or her duties as such member without any compensation other than that to which he or she is entitled as a member of such municipal or county governing body. Except as otherwise provided in the preceding sentence and to the extent not in conflict with Section 280 of the Constitution of Alabama, appointed members of a commission, including deputy members appointed pursuant to subsection (c) of Section 11-65-5, shall be entitled to such compensation for their services as the commission shall from time to time provide by duly adopted resolution, provided that no appointed member or deputy member of a commission shall receive more than $100.00 for each day or part thereof spent in the performance of his duties. Each member, whether appointed or serving ex officio, shall be reimbursed for his or her reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of his or her duties as a member of a commission. The compensation and expenses of members and deputy members shall be paid out of the funds of a commission in accordance with such rules as shall be from time to time adopted by such commission.

A majority of the members (including any member represented by a deputy member) of a commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business by such commission, and, in the absence of a rule incorporated in the bylaws of a commission that, in certain circumstances, may require the favorable vote of a designated percentage of all the members of a commission, decisions shall be made on the basis of a majority of the quorum then present and voting, with each member to have a single vote. No vacancy in the membership of a commission or the voluntary disqualification or abstention of any member thereof shall impair the right of a quorum to exercise all of the powers and duties of the commission.

(Acts 1984, No. 84-131, p. 159, §7; Acts 1991, No. 91-187, p. 246, §7.)