(1) There is established the Mississippi Coordinating Council for Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems, hereinafter referred to as the “council.” The council shall set and assure enforcement of policies and standards to make it easier for remote sensing and geographic information system users around the state to share information and to facilitate cost-sharing arrangements to reduce the costs of acquiring remote sensing and geographic information system data. The council shall not oversee or regulate the activities of higher education entities where it relates to the fields of teaching or research; however, the council shall be informed of these activities for the purpose of coordinating these higher education activities with other public remote sensing and GIS initiatives to achieve the maximum benefit for the State of Mississippi and its taxpayers. The council’s responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

(a) Coordination of remote sensing and geographic information system activities within Mississippi;

(b) Establishing policies and standards to guide Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services (MDITS) in the review and approval of state and local government procurement of both hardware and software development relating to remote sensing and geographic information systems;

(c) Oversight of MDITS’ implementation of these responsibilities;

(d) Preparing a plan, with proposed state funding priorities, for Mississippi’s remote sensing and geographic information system activities, including development, operation and maintenance of the Mississippi Digital Earth Model;

(e) Oversight of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality’s development and maintenance of the Mississippi Digital Earth Model, including establishing policies and standards for the procurement of remote sensing and geographic information system data by state and local governmental entities and establishing the order in which the seven (7) core data layers shall be developed;

(f) Designating Mississippi’s official representative to the National States Geographic Information Council and to any other national or regional remote sensing or geographical information system organizations on which Mississippi has an official seat;

(g) Establishing and designating the members of an advisory committee made up of policy level officials from major state, local, regional and federal agencies, including, but not limited to, the National Association of Space Administration, the Mississippi Institute for Forestry Inventory, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, the Mississippi Public Utilities Staff, the Department of Marine Resources, the county E911 coordinator, the State Health Officer, the Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce, the State Tax Commission, the Council of Consulting Engineers and the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians, as well as members of the private sector;

(h) Creating a staff level technical users committee, in which any public or private sector entity in Mississippi interested in remote sensing and geographic information may be allowed to participate;

(i) Coordinating with the State Tax Commission to assure that state and local governmental entities do not have to comply with two (2) sets of requirements imposed by different organizations.

(2) The Mississippi Coordinating Council for Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems will be composed of the following members:

(a) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality;

(b) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services;

(c) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Department of Transportation;

(d) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency;

(e) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority;

(f) The Secretary of State;

(g) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Forestry Commission;

(h) The Director of the Mississippi State Board of Registered Professional Geologists;

(i) A representative from the Institutions of Higher Learning, appointed by the Commissioner of the Institutions of Higher Learning;

(j) One (1) mayor, serving a municipality, appointed by the Executive Director of the Mississippi Municipal League;

(k) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Municipal League or his designee who will serve as the member;

(l) One (1) county supervisor appointed by the Executive Director of the Mississippi Association of Supervisors;

(m) The Executive Director of the Mississippi Association of Supervisors or his designee who will serve as the member;

(n) A member of the Tax Assessors/Collectors Association or the executive director of the association, to be appointed by the president of that association;

(o) A representative of the Planning and Development Districts, appointed by the Governor;

(p) A Senator, as a nonvoting member, appointed by the Lieutenant Governor;

(q) A Representative, as a nonvoting member, appointed by the Speaker of the House;

(r) A county surveyor who is a member of the Mississippi Association of Professional Surveyors, appointed by the president of the association; and

The members listed in paragraphs (a) through (g) may appoint a designee, but the designee must be the head of an office, bureau, division or branch within the member’s agency.

The members of the council shall serve for a term concurrent with their service as an elected or appointed official or concurrent with the term of the appointing official.

The Executive Director of the Department of Environmental Quality shall serve as council chair and the Executive Director of Information Technology Services as vice chair for the first two (2) years. After the first two (2) years, the council shall elect from its members a chair and vice chair, for terms to be specified by the council.

With regard to the designee chosen by the Executive Director of the Mississippi Municipal League or the Executive Director of the Mississippi Association of Supervisors, the designee shall become a permanent member of the council for a term concurrent with the term of the appointing executive director.

(3) At the direction of the chairman of the council and contingent upon the availability of sufficient funds, each member may receive reimbursement for reasonable expenses, including travel expenses in accordance with rates established pursuant to Section 25-3-41, incurred in attending meetings of the council. Any member of the council who is also a state employee may not receive per diem compensation for attending meetings of the study committee, but may be reimbursed in accordance with Section 25-3-41 for mileage and actual expenses incurred in the performance of the duties, if authorized by vote, at a meeting of the council, which action must be recorded in the official minutes of the meeting. Legislative members of the council will be paid from the contingent expense funds of their respective houses in the same amounts as provided for committee meetings when the Legislature is not in session.

(4) The council may accept money from any source, public or private, to be expended in implementing the duties under this section.

(5) The council may utilize staff employed by the agencies affected by this section and any other assistance made available to it.