(1) There is hereby created a legislative council, referred to in this part 3 as the "council", which consists of an executive committee, six senators with majority party members appointed by the president of the senate and minority party members appointed by the minority leader of the senate, with the approval of a majority vote of the members elected to the senate, and six representatives with majority party members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and minority party members appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives, with the approval of a majority vote of the members elected to the house of representatives. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (1.5) of this section, the executive committee consists of the president of the senate, the majority leader of the senate, the minority leader of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, the majority leader of the house of representatives, and the minority leader of the house of representatives, all of whom are ex officio members of the council. The speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate shall alternately serve as the chair and vice-chair of the executive committee and serve for one-year terms. All ex officio members of the council have and may exercise all the powers, privileges, and duties of other members.

(1.5) (a) In order to expedite the work of the executive committee, for each period commencing after a general election and ending following the convening of the next general assembly when a new executive committee is formed pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, a temporary executive committee comprised of the legislators selected by their respective party caucuses as the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, and the majority and minority leaders of the senate and the house of representatives for the next general assembly shall be formed.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (c) of this subsection (1.5), the temporary executive committee shall assume all of the duties and powers of the executive committee previously formed in accordance with subsection (1) of this section.

(c) The executive committee previously formed pursuant to subsection (1) of this section shall retain all powers and duties related to any special session of the general assembly called prior to the convening of the next general assembly and all legislative management functions pertaining to matters arising prior to the convening of the next general assembly.

(d) Each member of the temporary executive committee shall have the same powers and duties with respect to the business of the temporary executive committee as all other members of the temporary executive committee, whether the member is a member of the then current general assembly, a member-elect of the next general assembly, or both.

(2) Appointments or reappointments of all members of the council shall be made no later than ten days after the convening of the first regular session of each general assembly. An appointing authority may make an appointment to temporarily replace a current member of the committee appointed by that appointing authority; except that a temporary appointment does not require approval of a majority of the members elected to the applicable body. Membership on the council terminates with the appointment of a member's successor or upon the termination of a member's term of office in the general assembly, whichever first occurs. A member may be appointed to succeed himself or herself.

(3) The party representation on the council shall be in proportion generally to the relative number of members of the two major political parties in each house of the general assembly, but in no event shall a minority party be represented by less than one council member from the senate and two council members from the house of representatives.

(4) Vacancies in the membership of the council shall be filled in the same manner as original appointments are made.

(5) The legislative council may be a committee of reference for bills and joint resolutions that allocate any additional legislative staff resources.