(1) The affairs of the corporation shall be administered by the Mississippi Lottery Corporation Board of Directors. The board shall be composed of five (5) members appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Commissioner of Revenue and the State Treasurer shall serve as ex officio, nonvoting members. Members appointed when the Senate is not in session shall serve only until the end of the next regular session, unless confirmed by the Senate.

(2)

(a) Members of the board shall be residents of the State of Mississippi, and the Governor shall take into account the goals of geographic, racial, gender and other categories of diversity when nominating board members.

(b) Of the initial appointees, the members’ terms shall be staggered as follows: one (1) term to expire on December 31, 2019; December 31, 2020; December 31, 2021; December 31, 2022; and December 31, 2023. After the expiration of the initial terms, members of the board shall serve terms of five (5) years.

(c) Members may serve beyond the end of their respective terms until their successors have been appointed and qualified. No member shall serve more than two (2) consecutive five-year terms. Members may be removed by the Governor for neglect of duty, misfeasance or nonfeasance in office. The board shall annually elect a chairman from among its voting members.

(3) Appointed members of the board shall be entitled to per diem compensation pursuant to Section 25-3-69 paid by the corporation and shall be reimbursed by the corporation for necessary travel and other reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties. No appointed member of the board shall be considered a public officer.

(4) The board, upon the initial call of the Governor and the chairman thereafter, shall meet at least monthly for the first eighteen (18) months and at such other times as the chairman may determine. Three (3) voting members of the board shall constitute a quorum. The board shall also meet upon call of three (3) or more of the voting members of the board. The board shall keep accurate and complete records of all its meetings.

(5) All meetings of the board shall be subject to the Open Meetings Act in Section 25-41-1 et seq.