§3136. Membership of board

A. The board shall consist of the following members:

(1) The secretary of the department or his designee.

(2) The secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development or his designee.

(3) The commissioner of the Department of Agriculture and Forestry or his designee.

(4) The secretary of the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism or his designee, with consideration given to the appointment of the executive director of the Council on the Development of French in Louisiana as his designee.

(5)(a) Eight members appointed by the governor who represent regional economic development organizations in the state. Such members shall, to the greatest extent possible, be engaged in international commerce or trade. The governor shall make the appointment from a list of names submitted by the following organizations:

(i) Greater New Orleans, Inc.

(ii) Baton Rouge Area Chamber.

(iii) Central Louisiana Economic Development Alliance.

(iv) Southwest Louisiana Partnership for Economic Development.

(v) North Louisiana Economic Partnership.

(vi) Acadiana Economic Development Council, Inc.

(vii) Northeast Louisiana Economic Alliance.

(viii) Jefferson Parish Economic Development Commission.

(ix) South Louisiana Economic Council.

(x) Ascension Chamber of Commerce.

(xi) River Region Chamber of Commerce.

(b) Each organization shall submit two names to the governor.

(6)(a) Four members appointed by the governor, of which two members shall represent international business, and two members shall represent manufacturing business relating to international commerce. The governor shall make the appointments from a list of names submitted by the following organizations:

(i) Louisiana Association of Business and Industry.

(ii) The National Federation of Independent Business.

(iii) The World Trade Center New Orleans.

(iv) The Louisiana Chemical Association.

(v) New Orleans Board of Trade.

(vi) Le Centre International De Lafayette.

(b) Each organization shall submit two names to the governor.

(7)(a) Six members appointed by the governor who represent international ports. The governor shall make the appointments from a list of names submitted by the following:

(i) Port of Greater Baton Rouge.

(ii) Lake Charles Harbor and Terminal District, Port of Lake Charles.

(iii) Port of New Orleans.

(iv) Plaquemines Port, Harbor and Terminal District.

(v) St. Bernard Port, Harbor and Terminal District.

(vi) Port of South Louisiana.

(b) Each port shall submit two names to the governor. The governor shall select at least one representative from each of the ports submitting nominations.

(8)(a) One member appointed by the governor to represent the state's airports. The governor shall make the appointments from a list of names submitted by the following:

(i) Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport.

(ii) The Chennault International Airport Authority.

(iii) Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.

(iv) Shreveport Regional Airport.

(v) England Airpark.

(vi) Lafayette Regional Airport.

(vii) Monroe Regional Airport.

(b) Each airport shall submit two names to the governor. The governor shall select one representative from the airports submitting nominations.

(9) The commissioner of the office of multimodal commerce in the Department of Transportation and Development or his designee.

B. The initial appointed members of the board shall be appointed no later than October 1, 2012.

C. Initial appointments to the board shall be for terms as follows:

(1) Four members representing regional economic development organizations in Louisiana, one member representing international business, one member representing manufacturing business relating to international commerce, two members representing international ports, and one member representing the state's airports shall be appointed for two years.

(2) Four members representing regional economic development organizations in Louisiana, one member representing international business, one member representing manufacturing business relating to international commerce, and three members representing international ports shall be appointed for one year.

(3) After the initial appointment provided for in Paragraphs (1) and (2) of this Subsection, all members shall serve for a five-year term. Each member shall serve until a successor is appointed.

D. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments for the unexpired portion of the term.

E. A majority of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business. The vote of a majority of the members of the board present and voting, a quorum being present, shall be required for any official action of the board.

F. The board shall hold its first meeting at its domicile no later than December 1, 2012, and shall meet quarterly thereafter, on a date and at a time and place as the board may designate. The board may meet at such other times as deemed necessary by the chairman or by the majority of its members.

G. At the initial meeting of the board, the board shall elect from its membership a chairman and such other officers as it deems necessary to carry out the duties and functions of the board. All officers shall be members of the board. Such officers shall constitute an executive committee, which shall conduct certain business activities as authorized by the board during such times as the board is not in session.

H. Board members shall not receive any salary for their duties as members. The members may receive a mileage allowance for traveling to and from meetings and for other travel authorized by the board at a rate not to exceed the mileage rate for state employees.

Acts 2012, No. 687, §2, eff. June 7, 2012; Acts 2015, No. 31, §3, eff. Jan. 12, 2016.