§1743. Louisiana Sweet Potato Advertising and Development Commission; creation and organization

            A. The Louisiana Sweet Potato Advertising and Development Commission is created with its domicile at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to be composed of nine members, eight of whom shall be appointed by the commissioner of agriculture and forestry. The ninth member shall be the commissioner, or his designee, who shall serve as an ex officio member of the commission with the same rights and privileges, including voting rights, as other members. Four of the eight members to be appointed shall be practical sweet potato growers, three shall be handlers or shippers of sweet potatoes, and one shall be a commercial processor.

            B. After the expiration of the initial terms, appointments shall be made for four years and no member of the commission shall serve for more than two consecutive terms. Vacancies in the membership shall be filled by appointment of the commissioner from a list of nominations supplied to him by the Louisiana Sweet Potato Association, the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation, and the Louisiana Sweet Potato Advertising and Development Commission.

            C. A majority of the members of the commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business and the carrying out of duties of the commission. Each member shall take and subscribe to the oath of office prescribed for state officers. No member of the commission shall receive any salary, but each appointed member shall receive the sum of fifteen dollars per day for each day spent in actual attendance of meetings of the commission, or of meetings of duly appointed committees or subcommittees thereof, and such allowance for traveling expenses in attending the meetings as is allowed other state employees for traveling expenses.

            D. The members of the commission shall meet and organize immediately after their appointment, and annually thereafter shall elect a chairman, vice chairman, and a secretary-treasurer from the membership of the commission, whose duties shall be those customarily exercised by such officers, or specifically designated by the commission. The commission may establish rules and regulations for its own government and the administration of the affairs of the commission, and is authorized to employ the necessary personnel to carry into effect the rules, regulations, and ordinances that it may adopt and to carry on the work of the commission. The commission shall employ a director and assistant director who shall be appointed by the commission, subject to the approval of the commissioner. The director and assistant director shall be in the unclassified service.

            E. Repealed by Acts 1976, No. 109, §2.

            Amended by Acts 1952, No. 272, §1; Acts 1952, No. 389, §1; Acts 1954, No. 327, §1; Acts 1968, No. 434, §1; Acts 1972, No. 545, §1; Acts 1975, No. 134, §1; Acts 1976, No. 109, §1; Acts 1986, No. 447, §1, eff. July 1, 1986; Acts 1997, No. 61, §1; Acts 2009, No. 24, §8C, eff. June 12, 2009; Acts 2010, No. 495, §1, eff. June 24, 2010; Acts 2012, No. 310, §1, eff. May 25, 2012; Acts 2017, No. 55, §1.