A. The Authority shall be governed by a board of directors consisting of 17 members appointed as follows:

1. The Director of the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy or his designee;

2. The President and Chief Executive Officer of the Virginia Economic Development Partnership or his designee;

3. The Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System or his designee;

4. The President of Virginia Commonwealth University or his designee;

5. The President of the University of Virginia or his designee;

6. The President of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University or his designee;

7. The President of George Mason University or his designee;

8. Two individuals to represent an institution of higher education in the Commonwealth not already represented on the Board, at least one of which shall be a private institution of higher education;

9. Six individuals, each to represent a single business entity located in the Commonwealth that is engaged in activities directly related to the nuclear energy industry;

10. One individual to represent a nuclear energy-related nonprofit organization; and

11. One individual to represent a Virginia-based federal research laboratory.

B. The members of the Board described in subdivisions A 1 through A 7 shall serve terms coincident with their terms of office.

C. The 10 members of the Board described in subdivisions A 8 through A 11 shall be appointed by the Governor. The original terms of five of such members shall end on June 30, 2015, and the original term of the five other such members shall end on June 30, 2017, all as designated by the Governor. After the initial staggering of terms, such members shall be appointed for terms of four years. Vacancies in the membership of the Board shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointments for the unexpired portion of the term. Members of the Board described in subdivisions A 8 through A 11 may serve two successive terms on the Board.

D. Any appointment to fill a vacancy on the Board shall be made for the unexpired term of the member whose death, resignation, or removal created the vacancy.

E. Meetings of the Board shall be held at the call of the chairman or of any seven members. Nine members of the Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of the business of the Authority. An act of the majority of the members of the Board present at any regular or special meeting at which a quorum is present shall be an act of the Board.

F. Immediately after appointment, the members of the Board shall enter upon the performance of their duties.

G. The Board shall annually elect from among its members a chairman, a vice-chairman, and a treasurer. The Board shall also elect annually a secretary, who need not be a member of the Board, and may also elect such other subordinate officers who need not be members of the Board, as it deems proper. The chairman, or in his absence, the vice-chairman, shall preside at all meetings of the Board. In the absence of both the chairman and vice-chairman, the Board shall appoint a chairman pro tempore, who shall preside at such meetings.

H. Notwithstanding the provisions of any other law, no officer or employee of the Commonwealth shall be deemed to have forfeited or shall have forfeited his or her office or employment by reason of acceptance of membership on the Board or by providing service to the Authority or to the Consortium.

I. On or before November 15 of each year, the Authority shall submit its updated strategic plan, an annual summary of its activities, and recommendations for the support and expansion of the nuclear energy industry in Virginia to the Governor and the Chairmen of the House Appropriations Committee, the Senate Finance Committee, and the House and Senate Commerce and Labor Committees.

2013, cc. 57, 394.