§9-14A-21. Joint Legislative Committee on State Parks.

(a) Any appropriations made herein shall be subject to the study, review, concurrence, and approval of the Joint Legislative Committee on State Parks, previously established under the name of Alabama State Parks System Joint Study Committee, which is hereby created. The Joint Legislative Committee on State Parks is created to study, review, and concur in the long-range capital plan for restoration of existing state park facilities and the acquisition of new state park facilities. The joint committee shall be composed of a total of 12 members, as follows: The six members serving on the Alabama State Parks System Joint Study Committee on May 23, 2000; the Chair of the Senate Conservation, Environment and Natural Resources Committee and the Chair of the House Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Committee; two members of the Senate to be appointed by the Governor; and two members of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Governor. The Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Director of Finance, and the Director of the State Parks Division shall serve as advisors to the committee. Effective beginning with the Organizational Session in January 2003, and continuing thereafter, the joint committee shall consist of 12 members appointed as follows: Three members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Speaker of the House; two members of the Senate appointed by the Lieutenant Governor; one member of the Senate appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate; two members of the Senate appointed by the Governor; two members of the House of Representatives appointed by the Governor; the Chair of the Senate Conservation, Environment and Natural Resources Committee; and the Chair of the House Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Committee.

The members currently serving as chair and vice chair of the Alabama State Parks System Joint Study Committee shall continue to serve in those capacities with annual rotations, during the current quadrennium.

Effective beginning with the Organizational Session in January 2003, and continuing each quadrennium thereafter, the committee shall, at its initial meeting, elect from its members a chair and vice chair from the Senate and House and the chairs shall rotate annually between the two legislative chambers thereafter. The committee shall convene its initial meeting within 30 days following the Organizational Session in January 2003, and subsequent meetings shall be either as agreed at a prior meeting, at the call of the chair, at the written request of any four members or at the call of the Commissioner of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

(b) Members of the committee shall be appointed for a four-year term concurrent with the members' elected terms of office. Any vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment for the remainder of the term.

(c) Upon request of the chair, the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House shall provide such clerical assistance as the committee's work may require.

(d) Each member of the committee shall be entitled to his or her regular legislative compensation, his or her per diem and travel expenses for each day he or she attends a meeting of the committee which shall be paid out of any funds appropriated to the use of the Legislature, upon warrants drawn on the state Comptroller upon requisitions signed by the chair of the committee. Notwithstanding the foregoing, no member shall receive additional legislative compensation or per diem when the Legislature is in session or if a member is being paid any other payments on the same dates for attendance of other state business.

(Act 2000-708, p. 1487, §21.)