§40-23-201. Creation; composition; meetings.

(a) There is hereby established the Alabama Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Commission, created to identify, develop, implement, and administer the procedures and programs the State of Alabama would need to come into compliance with the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement in the event that federal legislation implementing the agreement or the general concepts of the agreement, which includes a requirement that remote sellers collect and remit sales and use taxes to member states, becomes law. The recommendations of the commission, if ratified by the Legislature pursuant to this division, shall not be implemented until and unless federal legislation adopting the Streamlined Sales and Use Tax Agreement becomes law.

(b) The commission shall be composed of 10 members, appointed as follows:

(1) Two representatives of municipal government, who shall be municipal employees or officials, appointed by the Alabama League of Municipalities.

(2) Two representatives of county government, who shall be county employees or officials, appointed by the Association of County Commissions of Alabama.

(3) Four employees of the Department of Revenue appointed by the Commissioner of the Department of Revenue.

(4) One representative of the retail community, appointed by the Alabama Retail Association.

(5) One representative of the business community, appointed by the Business Council of Alabama.

(c) All appointments to the commission shall be made before August 8, 2011, and each member of the commission shall serve at the pleasure of his or her appointing authority. Commission members shall receive no additional compensation for service on the commission, but shall be reimbursed by the State of Alabama for expenses in accordance with state law and travel policy regarding reimbursement for state employees' travel related to their official work duties. The department shall provide administrative support necessary for the commission to carry out its duties.

(d) The commission, in all respects, shall be subject to the Alabama Open Meetings Act, Title 36, Chapter 25A. The organizational meeting of the commission shall take place by September 7, 2011. The commissioner of the department or his or her designee shall call the organizational meeting and serve as chair until the election of a chair as provided in this division. At the organizational meeting, the commission shall elect a chair and vice chair, who shall serve at the pleasure of the commission. The vice chair shall serve as acting chair whenever the chair is unable to preside at a meeting of the commission. A quorum for all meetings of the commission shall consist of seven members. If a quorum is not present at the beginning of any meeting, the members present shall have the authority to establish an alternate meeting date. A minimum of seven affirmative votes of the members of the commission shall be required for approval of any matter considered by the commission.

(e) The membership of the commission shall be inclusive and reflect the racial, gender, geographic, urban/rural, and economic diversity of the state.

(Act 2011-563, p. 1071, §2.)