143-137. Organization of Council; rules; meetings; staff; fiscal affairs.

(a) First Meeting; Organization; Rules. - Within 30 days after its appointment, the Building Code Council shall meet on call of the Commissioner of Insurance. The Council shall elect from its appointive members a chairman and such other officers as it may choose, for such terms as it may designate in its rules. The Council shall adopt such rules not inconsistent herewith as it may deem necessary for the proper discharge of its duties. The chairman may appoint members to such committees as the work of the Council may require. In addition, the chairman shall establish and appoint ad hoc code revision committees to consider and prepare revisions and amendments to the Code volumes. Each ad hoc committee shall consist of members of the Council, licensed contractors, and design professionals most affected by the Code volume for which the ad hoc committee is responsible, and members of the public. The subcommittees shall meet upon the call of their respective chairs and shall report their recommendations to the Council.

(b) Meetings. - The Council shall meet regularly, at least once every six months, at places and dates to be determined by the Council. Special meetings may be called by the chairman on his own initiative and must be called by him at the request of two or more members of the Council. All members shall be notified by the chairman in writing of the time and place of regular and special meetings at least seven days in advance of such meeting. Seven members shall constitute a quorum. All meetings shall be open to the public.

(c) Staff. - Personnel of the Division of Engineering of the Department of Insurance shall serve as a staff for the Council. Such staff shall have the duties of

(1) Keeping an accurate and complete record of all meetings, hearings, correspondence, laboratory studies, and technical work performed by or for the Council, and making these records available for public inspection at all reasonable times;

(2) Handling correspondence for the Council.

(d) Fiscal Affairs of the Council. - All funds for the operations of the Council and its staff shall be appropriated to the Department of Insurance for the use of the Council. All such funds shall be held in a separate or special account on the books of the Department of Insurance, with a separate financial designation or code number to be assigned by the Department of Administration or its agent. Expenditures for staff salaries and operating expenses shall be made in the same manner as the expenditure of any other Department of Insurance funds. The Department of Insurance may hire such additional personnel as may be necessary to handle the work of the Building Code Council, within the limits of funds appropriated for the Council and with the approval of the Council.