(a)(1) There is established an advisory committee to be known as the Cahawba Advisory Committee, composed of 16 members, 15 of whom shall be appointed by the Governor. The Judge of Probate of Dallas County shall be the sixteenth member but shall be a member ex officio and shall not be entitled to a vote on the advisory committee. The members shall serve for terms of seven years each, and the judge of probate shall serve throughout his or her term of office. Members of the advisory committee shall be appointed so that each congressional district is represented by one appointed member on the advisory committee; except, that the congressional district in which Cahawba is situated shall be represented by eight appointed members, five of whom shall be residents of Dallas County and three of whom shall be from some other county in the congressional district. The membership of the advisory committee shall reflect the racial, ethnic, gender, urban/rural, and economic diversity of the state.

(2) The chair shall establish and maintain a bank account on behalf of the advisory committee and draw warrants for any lawful expenditures.

(3) The advisory committee shall advise the Alabama Historical Commission regarding the restoration and the development of the Old Cahawba Capital Site.

(4) The advisory committee shall chose biennially one of its members as chair, one as vice chair, and one as secretary-treasurer.

(5) Advisory committee members shall receive a per diem compensation sum to be fixed by the advisory committee, but the sum shall not be less than one hundred fifty dollars ($150), for attending official meetings of the advisory committee. The chair may approve the payment for an advisory committee member authorized to perform official duties at other times. Advisory committee members shall receive per diem allowance and travel expenses incurred in attending official meetings or in performing any actual service under the direction of the advisory committee and shall be paid in accordance with Article 2, commencing with Section 36-7-20, of Chapter 7 of Title 36, after approval by the chair.

(6) The secretary-treasurer shall receive such compensation as may be fixed by the advisory committee, which shall be in addition to his or her per diem compensation and payments made under Article 2, commencing with Section 36-7-20, of Chapter 7 of Title 36. The secretary-treasurer shall be paid a sum for clerical expenses fixed by the advisory committee.

(b) The chair of the advisory committee, with the approval of a majority of the committee members, may appoint an executive director. The executive director shall not be a member of the state classified service.

(c) The executive director shall be compensated by a salary payable from any funds available to the advisory committee. The exact amount of the executive director's salary shall be set by the advisory committee, but in no event shall the salary be less than 60 percent nor more than 75 percent of the amount set as the standard compensation for cabinet level officials of the state.

(d) The executive director may hire an assistant director and such staff, at the pleasure of the executive director, as deemed necessary, with the approval of the advisory committee, but without regard to the state Merit System. The advisory committee shall approve all staff members hired and their job descriptions, and shall set the rate of pay or compensation due the assistant director and other staff.

(e) The advisory committee may permit any employee of the advisory committee to be treated as a state employee for the purpose of participating in any insurance programs and other fringe benefits provided other nonclassified state employees.

(f) It is the duty of the advisory committee, acting through its executive director, assistant director, and staff to perform the following duties:

(1) To provide statewide public awareness, public information, and education services regarding the Old Cahawba Capital Site.

(2) To solicit, collect, and receive funds from the public and private sectors for the support, maintenance, and preservation of the Old Cahawba Capital Site.

(3) To promote and encourage public and private efforts to benefit the Old Cahawba Capital Site project.

(4) To appropriate and expend funds, make grants, contract, cooperate financially or otherwise with the Alabama Historical Commission, Dallas County, and any historical organization, nonprofit corporation, or governmental agency to acquire, establish, maintain, reconstruct, and preserve historical sites in and around Alabama's first permanent Capital at Cahawba, as may be deemed beneficial by the Alabama Historical Commission.

(5) To acquire title, possession, or control of properties and also objects of historic interest associated with or representative of the era of the Old Cahawba Capital Site, but only those located beyond the Old Cahawba Capital Site.

(6) To make grants to the Alabama Historical Commission, Dallas County, and any historical organization, nonprofit corporation, or governmental agency to acquire title, possession, or control of properties or for their preservation, maintenance, reconstruction in, or relocation to Alabama's first permanent Capital at Cahawba.

(7) To lease, gift, sell, or otherwise dispose of any surplus, duplicate, or unused properties.

(g) The executive director, assistant director, and staff shall perform those duties required by the advisory committee necessary to implement this section.