(a) The commission shall be composed of:
(1) The Commissioner of Agriculture, ex officio;
(2) The president of the Georgia Farm Bureau, ex officio;
(3) One member elected by the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee with a quorum present and a majority of those present concurring, who shall be a producer and shall not be a member of the General Assembly;
(4) One member elected by the House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture and Consumer Affairs with a quorum present and a majority of those present concurring, who shall be a producer and shall not be a member of the General Assembly; and
(5) Five additional members, all of whom shall be appointed by the members of the commission specified in paragraphs (1) through (4) of this subsection. At least four of such appointees shall be producers.
(b) The initial two members elected by the agriculture and consumer affairs committees of the General Assembly shall be elected and qualified to take office for a term beginning on January 1, 2007, and ending upon the election of their successors during the regular 2009 session of the General Assembly. Their successors shall be elected during the 2009 regular session of the General Assembly; and thereafter future successors shall be elected during each regular session of the General Assembly convening in odd-numbered years. Such members shall be selected so that one member is from the northern part of Georgia and one member is from the southern part. For purposes of this selection the northern part of Georgia shall be that area north of and including Richmond, McDuffie, Warren, Hancock, Baldwin, Jones, Bibb, Crawford, Upson, Talbot, and Muscogee counties; and the southern part shall be that area south of such counties. The chairpersons of the Senate and House committees shall by agreement determine which committee will choose the member from the northern part and which committee will choose the member from the southern part. Such members shall serve from the date of their election until their successors are elected and qualified.
(c) For purposes of the appointment of additional members of the commission as provided in this Code section, a list of nominees shall be requested from producers of equines. Initial appointments shall be made for three members for a term of three years each from the effective date of their appointment and until their successors are appointed and qualified and two members for a term of two years each from the effective date of their appointment and until their successors are appointed and qualified. Thereafter, successors shall be appointed for a term of three years each from the effective date of their appointment and until their successors are appointed and qualified. Vacancies shall be filled by appointment in like manner, for the unexpired term, except that vacancies in the office of a member elected by a legislative committee shall be filled for the unexpired term by the legislative committee which made the previous appointment. Any appointive member shall be eligible for reappointment.
(d) (1) The members who are state officers shall be compensated as provided by law. Each such member shall be reimbursed by his or her respective department or from the funds of the commission for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of his or her duties. Each such member who is a state officer may designate a representative of his or her department to act for the officer in performing any duties under this article.
(2) The two members elected by the agriculture and consumer affairs committees of the General Assembly, as provided by subsection (a) of this Code section, shall be entitled to receive, for attending meetings of the commission, the same expenses and travel allowances which members of the General Assembly receive for attending meetings of legislative interim committees. Such expenses and allowances shall be paid from funds appropriated or otherwise available to the legislative branch of state government.
(3) The appointive members of the commission shall receive compensation and reimbursement of expenses as shall be provided by the commission, and such funds shall be payable from the funds of the commission.
(e) It shall be the duty of the Commissioner to certify to the Secretary of State the membership of the commission and each change in membership as the same occurs.
(f) The commission is authorized to appoint advisory boards, special committees, and individuals, including technical and clerical personnel, to advise, aid, and assist the commission in the performance of its duties. Compensation for such services shall be fixed by the commission and may be paid from the funds of the commission. The Attorney General shall represent the commission in legal matters and shall be the attorney for the commission. If the Attorney General determines that outside legal counsel is necessary or desirable in connection with any legal matter of the commission, he or she shall so inform the commission and, upon approval of the commission, shall employ such outside counsel. Compensation for such outside counsel shall be agreed upon between such counsel and the Attorney General, subject to the approval of the commission. Such compensation shall be paid from the funds of the commission. Neither Code Section 16-10-9 nor any other law shall prohibit or be applicable to the employment of such counsel.
(g) Any other provision of this article to the contrary notwithstanding, a member of any federation or organization of producers shall be eligible to be appointed as a member of the commission with respect to any equine produced by such federation or organization or handled by it for its members who produce it.
(h) The commission is authorized to accept donations, gifts, grants, revenue derived from the sale of special license plates as may be otherwise provided by law, and other funds or property and to use the same for commission purposes. The commission may exercise the powers and authority conferred by law upon corporations.
(i) The two members elected by the agriculture and consumer affairs committees of the General Assembly, as provided by subsection (a) of this Code section, as members of the commission shall be entitled to vote on matters pertaining to the organization of the commission and upon the selection and nomination of the appointive members of the commission. Such two members shall not be entitled to vote upon any matter pertaining to the policy provisions of the commission nor shall they be entitled to vote upon the expenditure of any funds of the commission.
(j) The commission shall continue as a public corporation and instrumentality of the State of Georgia until abolished by law.
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