(a) There is hereby created the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission, which shall be composed of three citizens of the State of Alabama, who shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate, for terms of four years each or until their successors are appointed and qualified. Provided however, initial appointments shall be as follows: One member shall be appointed for two years, one member shall be appointed for three years and one member shall be appointed for four years. All appointments to fill vacancies shall be for the duration of the unexpired term and subsequent appointments shall be for four-year terms. The membership of the board shall be inclusive and reflect the racial, gender, geographic, urban/rural, and economic diversity of the state.

(b) At least one member shall be a law enforcement officer with a minimum of 10 years' experience in or with a law enforcement agency which has among its primary duties and responsibilities the investigation of violent crimes and the apprehension or arrest of the perpetrators thereof.

(c) At least one member shall be a victim of a crime of violence who suffered serious personal injury as a result thereof, or a member of such victim's immediate family or a member of a deceased victim's immediate family if such deceased victim died as a result of a crime of violence, or an officer of a nonprofit, charitable crime victims organization established pursuant to the laws of Alabama.

(d) Each year the commission shall elect a chairman from its membership.

(e) The commission may appoint an executive director who shall serve at the pleasure of the commission and shall be paid a salary in an amount to be determined by the commission.

(f) The commission shall have its principal place of business in the county wherein the State Capitol is located.

(g) The commission shall hold at its principal place of business regular monthly public meetings on the second Thursday of each month and other meetings at such times and places as its members may elect.

(h) Any two members of the commission shall constitute a quorum for purposes of transacting the business of the commission and two votes in favor shall be necessary for a decision by the commission at any meeting of the commission.

(i) From time to time the commission shall establish rules and regulations for the administration of its duties and responsibilities pursuant to this chapter.

(j) The chairman of the commission shall keep a true record of all of the proceedings of the meetings of the commission. At the call of any member the vote on any pending question shall be taken by ayes and nays, and the same shall be entered in such record, the record of the proceedings of the commission shall be open to any member of the commission and to the public at all times and a copy of such record, certified by the chairman, shall be competent evidence in all courts.

The commission shall decline to disclose the names and addresses of victims or claimants who have applied for compensation pursuant to this article or the facts or circumstances of the criminally injurious conduct perpetrated against them.

(k) All members and employees of the commission handling money or exercising authority over any property shall, before entering the discharge of their duties, give bond with a surety company authorized to do business in the State of Alabama, as surety, payable to the commission in an amount or amounts sufficient to protect the commission against any loss with respect to the funds, money, or property handled, conditioned for the faithful discharge of their duties and responsibilities and further conditioned upon their faithfully accounting for all moneys, funds, or properties coming into their possession in the capacity of their employment.

(l) The Attorney General or the district attorney of the county wherein the State Capitol is located shall, upon written request by the commission represent the commission in all litigation to which the commission is a party or in which the commission has an interest. The Attorney General shall serve as a legal advisor to the commission.

(m) All commission members shall be paid two hundred fifty dollars ($250) per day and mileage for attendance of commission meetings. Mileage and per diem shall be the same as allowed state employees when a commission member is traveling on official business of the commission and shall be paid from the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Fund.