(a) There is created the Committee on Alabama Monument Protection.

(b) The legislative members of the committee shall be appointed and reappointed at the beginning of each legislative quadrennium. The members of the committee appointed pursuant to subdivisions (3) to (5), inclusive, shall serve for terms of four years, with the exception of their initial terms, which shall be staggered as provided in subsection (d). Each term of a member appointed pursuant to subdivisions (3) to (5), inclusive, shall expire on September 30. The appointing authorities shall coordinate their appointments to assure committee membership is inclusive and reflects the racial, gender, geographic, urban, rural, and economic diversity of the state. The membership of the committee shall include all of the following:

(1) Two members of the House of Representatives, one from the majority party and one from the minority party, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(2) Two members of the Senate, one from the majority party and one from the minority party, appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

(3) One member of the public, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(4) One member of the public, appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

(5) Two members of the public, appointed by the Governor.

(6) One actively serving county commissioner appointed by the Governor.

(7) One actively serving mayor or member of the municipal governing body of a Class 1, Class 2, or Class 3 municipality appointed by the Governor.

(8) One actively serving mayor or member of the municipal governing body of a Class 4 to Class 8, inclusive, municipality appointed by the Governor.

(c) To assist the appointing authorities in the process of appointing public members to the committee, each of the following entities may submit a list of names to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and Governor for consideration for appointment:

(1) The Department of Archives and History.

(2) The Alabama Historical Commission.

(3) The Alabama Historical Association.

(4) The Alabama Trust for Historic Preservation.

(5) The Black Heritage Council.

(d) The initial members of the committee shall be appointed before September 1, 2017, and shall hold an organizational meeting of the committee before October 1, 2017. At the organizational meeting of the committee, the membership of the committee shall select a chair and a vice chair, who shall serve in that position for one year, and the public members appointed pursuant to subdivisions (3) to (5), inclusive, of subsection (b) shall draw lots to determine which one of those members shall serve an initial term of two years expiring on September 30, 2019, which two of those members shall serve an initial term of three years expiring on September 30, 2020, and which two of those members shall serve an initial term of four years expiring on September 30, 2021. The committee shall meet at least once each year, during the month of October, to select a chair and vice chair to serve for the following year. Thereafter, the committee shall meet at the call of the chair or any majority of the members of the committee. The committee shall have a continuing existence and may meet, act, and conduct committee business at any place within this state.

(e) Initial committee members appointed pursuant to subdivisions (3) to (5), inclusive, of subsection (b), shall begin serving immediately upon appointment. Each committee member appointed pursuant to subdivisions (3) to (5), inclusive, of subsection (b), is subject to confirmation by the Senate during the legislative session in which the appointment is made or, if the appointment is made when the Legislature is not in session, during the next special or regular session. An appointee may serve in the position pending confirmation by the Senate. Failure of the Senate to act on the appointment during the session in which the appointment is made or, if the appointment is made while the Legislature is not in session, during the next special or regular session, shall constitute confirmation by the Senate. Each member of the committee shall serve after the expiration of his or her term until his or her successor is appointed and may be appointed to more than one term.

(f) The committee shall perform all duties prescribed by this article. The chair of the committee may create advisory subcommittees and appoint members thereto, which may include members of the committee, representatives from governmental agencies, and members of the public with interest and expertise in the objectives of the committee. The committee shall create no more than two active advisory subcommittees at any given time unless the committee votes unanimously for additional subcommittees.

(g) Each legislative member of the committee or any subcommittee, if created, shall be entitled to the legislative compensation, per diem, and travel as provided in Amendment 871 to the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, now appearing as Section 49.01 of the Official Recompilation of the Constitution of Alabama of 1901, as amended.