(a) The Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation shall include a council, to be known and designated as the Georgia Rural Development Council, that shall offer guidance to the Center for Rural Prosperity and Innovation.

(b) The Georgia Rural Development Council shall be composed of 12 members who shall be appointed as follows:

(1) Six members shall be appointed by the Governor who, by majority vote, shall appoint one of such members to serve as the chairperson of the council. Each of the six shall be selected to represent one of the following areas:

(A) Leadership management;

(B) Business development and entrepreneurship;

(C) Finance and taxes;

(D) Logistics of rural industries;

(E) Health care; and

(F) Education;

(2) Three members who live in different geographic areas of the state from each other shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and

(3) Three members who live in different geographic areas of the state from each other shall be appointed by the President of the Senate.

(c)

(1) Legislative members who are appointed to the council shall serve for two-year terms. Nonlegislative members shall serve four-year terms, provided that three of the initial six members to be appointed by the Governor shall serve initial terms of two years and thereafter such appointments shall be for four-year terms.

(2) Members may serve consecutive terms without limit.

(d)

(1) The council shall study the conditions, needs, issues, and problems affecting rural economic development and shall examine related policy areas as it may deem necessary and appropriate, including, but not limited to, population studies, access to health care, infrastructure, education, unemployment, and economic growth incentives.

(2) All departments and agencies of the state, except the University System of Georgia and the Technical College System of Georgia, shall provide upon request of the council services, information, and other support for the council and its work.

(e) The chairperson shall call all meetings of the council. The council shall meet at least once per quarter and each such meeting shall be at a different location within the state, particularly in rural areas of this state, for the purpose of interacting with local government officials, educational leaders, health care providers, business leaders, civic groups, and all other citizens who desire to offer input, so as to enable the council to exercise fully and effectively its powers, perform its duties, and accomplish the objectives and purposes of this resolution.

(f)

(1) Legislative members of the council shall receive the allowances provided for in Code Section 28-1-8 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated.

(2) Members of the council who are state officials, other than legislative members, or state employees shall receive no compensation for their services on the council, but they may be reimbursed for expenses incurred by them in the performance of their duties as members of the council in the same manner as they are reimbursed for expenses in their capacities as state officials or employees.

(3) Citizen members of the council shall receive a daily expense allowance in an amount the same as that specified in subsection (b) of Code Section 45-7-21 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, as well as the mileage or transportation allowance authorized for state employees.

(4) The allowances and expenses authorized by this resolution shall not be received by the chairperson for more than fifteen days and any other member of the council for more than ten days per year. Funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this Code section shall come from appropriated funds; provided, however, that funds for the reimbursement of the expenses of state officials, other than legislative members, and state employees shall come from funds appropriated to or otherwise available to their respective agencies.