(a) There is created the Georgia Commission on Women. The commission shall be composed of 15 members to be appointed as follows:

(1) Five members shall be appointed by the Governor;

(2) Five members shall be appointed by the President of the Senate; and

(3) Five members shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(b) The members of the commission shall be women and men of recognized ability and achievement. All vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term by the original appointing official. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) of this Code section, members shall serve for terms of four years and shall be eligible for successive appointments by an appointing official. Any member with four consecutive unexcused absences from regular monthly meetings may be removed from the commission by the appointing official. Each person appointed to the commission shall be a full-time resident of Georgia. Any member who ceases to be a full-time resident of this state during the term of his or her membership shall be removed from the commission and such vacancy shall be filled by the Governor.

(c) To effect staggered terms of office for members of the commission and effective with members appointed for terms beginning in 2000, the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each appoint: two members for two-year terms of office; two members for three-year terms of office; and one member for a one-year term of office. Thereafter, all members shall be appointed to serve four-year terms of office.

(d) The commission shall be assigned to the Department of Public Health for administrative purposes only, as prescribed in Code Section 50-4-3.