(a) There is hereby created a continuing legislative committee to be known as the Legislative Council of the State of Alabama. The council consists of the Speaker of the House, the House Majority Leader, the House Minority Leader, the Chairs of the Ways and Means General Fund and Ways and Means Education Committees, two members of the House appointed by the Speaker, two members of the House elected by the House, and one member of the House elected by members of the House who are not members of the majority party, who shall constitute the House Legislative Council, and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Senate Majority Leader, the Senate Minority Leader, the Chairs of the Finance and Taxation General Fund and Finance and Taxation Education Committees, two Senators appointed by the President Pro Tempore, two members of the Senate elected by the Senate, and one member of the Senate elected by members of the Senate who are not members of the majority party, who shall constitute the Senate Legislative Council. Until January 14, 2019, the President of the Senate is a full voting member of the Senate Legislative Council. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (d), the elected House and Senate members shall be elected at the first regular session of each quadrennium.

(b) Members serving ex officio, appointed, or elected at the 2015 Regular Session pursuant to Act 2015-408 or appointed as otherwise provided in subsection (d), shall replace the members of the Legislative Council serving on the council on June 10, 2015.

(c) Members of the council may serve on the council as long as the member retains the office that qualified the member for service or during the term to which the member was appointed or elected and, if reelected to the same house without a break in service to that house, during the succeeding legislative term until a successor is appointed or elected as provided by law. No member may be elected to more than two consecutive four-year terms and no member may be appointed to more than two consecutive four-year terms. Any member serving ex officio may remain on the Legislative Council as long as the member holds the office qualifying the member for membership. If a vacancy occurs in its elected membership while the Legislature is not in session, the House Legislative Council or the Senate Legislative Council, as appropriate, may make temporary appointments to fill the vacancy until the vacancy is filled by an election of the appropriate members of the House or Senate, as the case may be.

(d) If Act 2015-408 does not become operative prior to adjournment sine die of the 2015 Regular Session, the Speaker of the House, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Chairs of the Ways and Means General Fund and Ways and Means Education Committees, the Chairs of the Finance and Taxation General Fund and Finance and Taxation Education Committees, and the majority and minority leader of the respective houses shall serve on the Legislative Council and, by July 4, 2015, the Speaker and the President Pro Tempore, respectively, shall appoint five members of the House of Representatives, at least one of whom may not be a member of the majority party, and five members of the Senate, at least one of whom may not be a member of the majority party, to serve on the Legislative Council until members are elected at the 2016 Regular Session.