2006 Louisiana Laws - RS 25:1253 — Commission; appointment, term, and related matters

§1253.  Commission; appointment, term, and related matters

A.(1)  The commission shall be comprised of twenty-nine members who shall reflect the ethnic and cultural diversity of the population of the state and be geographically representative of the regions included in the River Road parishes as defined in R.S. 25:1251(2) and shall be appointed as follows:

(a)  Two state senators and two state representatives, to be appointed by the governor, each of whom shall represent at least one of the River Road parishes, or their designees.

(b)  The secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development or his designee.

(c)  The lieutenant governor or his designee.

(d)  The secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality or his designee.

(e)  The secretary of the Department of Economic Development or his designee.

(f)  The secretary of the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism or his designee.

(g)  The president of the Louisiana Preservation Alliance or his designee.

(h)  The director of the Louisiana Preservation Alliance.

(i)  The director of the Louisiana Chemical Association or his designee.

(j)  The president of the River Road Historical Society or his designee.

(k)  The chairman of the Mississippi River Parkway Commission or his designee.

(l)  Four members, appointed by the governor, each of whom shall be a member of the governing authority of one of the River Road parishes; however, no more than one member shall be appointed from any one of such parishes.

(m)  Two members, appointed by the governor, each of whom shall be a member of a parishwide tourist development board of any of the River Road parishes.

(n)  Two members, appointed by the governor, each of whom shall be a member of a parishwide economic development board of any of the River Road parishes.

(o)  One member, appointed by the governor, who shall be a member of a recreational organization of any of the River Road parishes.

(p)  Four at-large members, appointed by the governor.

(q)  One representative of Orleans Parish, appointed by the governor.

(r)  One representative of a parish having a population of at least four hundred fifty thousand and not more than four hundred eighty thousand persons according to the latest federal decennial census, appointed by the governor.

(2)  Each member of the board shall be a qualified voter domiciled in the parish which he represents on the board.

(3)  Each member appointed by the governor shall be subject to Senate confirmation.

B.  In the event that a commissioner's position on the board should become vacant by reason of death, resignation, or otherwise, such vacancy shall be filled, for the remainder of the unexpired term, by the appointing authority responsible for such appointment within thirty days after receipt by such appointing authority of a written notification of the vacancy from the commission.

C.(1)  The members of the commission appointed as provided in Subparagraphs (A)(1)(l) through (q) of this Section shall serve four-year terms after initial terms that shall terminate as follows:

(a)  The initial terms of the four members appointed pursuant to Subparagraph (A)(1)(l) of this Section shall terminate as follows:  one shall terminate on July 1, 2002, one on July 1, 2003, one on July 1, 2004, and one on July 1, 2005.

(b)  The initial term of one of the two members appointed pursuant to Subparagraph (A)(1)(m) of this Section shall terminate on July 1, 2004, and the initial term of the other member so appointed shall terminate on July 1, 2005.

(c)  The initial term of one of the two members appointed pursuant to Subparagraph (A)(1)(n) of this Section shall terminate on July 1, 2002, and the initial term of the other member so appointed shall terminate on July 1, 2003.

(d)  The initial term of the member appointed pursuant to Subparagraph (A)(1)(o) of this Section shall terminate on July 1, 2004.

(e)  The initial terms of the four members appointed pursuant to Subparagraph (A)(1)(p) of this Section shall terminate as follows:  one shall terminate on July 1, 2002, one on July 1, 2003, one on July 1, 2004, and one on July 1, 2005.

(f)  The initial term of the member appointed pursuant to Subparagraph (A)(1)(q) of this Section shall terminate on July 1, 2005.

(2)  Except for the members appointed as provided in Subparagraphs (A)(1)(o) and (q) of this Section, the commission shall provide for the drawing of lots at the first meeting of the board to determine which member within each group of appointees shall serve for each of such initial terms as are provided for that group in Paragraph (1) of this Subsection.

(3)  In the event that for any reason an appointing authority should fail to appoint a successor member after the expiration of a member's term, then the respective member whose term would have otherwise expired shall continue as a member of the commission until such time as his successor is appointed.

D.  The members of the commission, excluding legislators, shall serve without compensation.  The commission shall fix the duties, powers, and compensation of all officers, agents, and employees of the commission.  The commission may reimburse any member for expenses actually incurred in the performance of his duties.

E.(1)  The members shall elect from the membership a president, a vice president, a secretary, and a treasurer whose duties shall be those usual to such offices.  At the option of the commission, the offices of the secretary and treasurer may be held by one person.  No member shall be elected to serve for more than two successive terms in any office.

(2)  Ten members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.  A quorum being present, the favorable vote of at least eight members of the commission and of a majority of the members present and voting shall be required for the commission to take action on any matter.

(3)  The commission shall prescribe rules to govern the scheduling and conduct of its meetings.

(4)  The domicile for the commission shall be determined by the commission.

Acts 2001, No. 300, §1; Acts 2004, No. 864, §1.

NOTE:  See Acts 2001, No. 300, §5, relative to predecessor commission and appointment of old commission members to the new commission.