(a) There is created the Code Revision Commission, to be composed of 15 members as follows:

(1) The Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(2) Four members of the House of Representatives to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives for terms of office coinciding with their terms as members of the House of Representatives;

(3) The President of the Senate;

(4) Four members of the Senate to be appointed by the President of the Senate for terms of office coinciding with their terms as members of the Senate; and

(5) Five members of the State Bar of Georgia to be appointed by the president of the State Bar of Georgia for terms of office of one year each and until their successors are appointed, with such terms beginning on the second Monday of January of each year, provided that one such member shall be a judge or senior judge of the superior courts and one such member shall be a district attorney. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the president of the State Bar of Georgia is authorized to appoint an official or employee of any branch of the state government, a county, municipality, board of education, or other political subdivision if such person is a member of the State Bar of Georgia; and any person so appointed is authorized to serve as a member of the Code Revision Commission.

(b) Any vacancy occurring in the membership of the commission, whether by the death, resignation, or failure of a member to hold office or membership in the State Bar of Georgia, shall be filled by appointment in the same manner as the appointment of the member whose seat is vacant. A person appointed to fill a vacancy shall be appointed for the remainder of the unexpired term.

(c) While engaged in the duties of the commission, all members shall receive the expenses and allowances authorized by law for legislative members of interim legislative committees. The judge or senior judge of the superior courts, the district attorney, and any member of the State Bar of Georgia who is also an official or employee of the executive or judicial branch of state government shall receive such expenses and allowances from state funds from which they are otherwise compensated. Any other funds necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter and any contract executed pursuant to this chapter or any prior resolution of the General Assembly shall come from the funds provided for the legislative branch of state government.

(d) The members of the Code Revision Commission created pursuant to H.R. No. 217-838 adopted by the General Assembly at the 1977 regular session and as amended by H.R. No. 447-1274 adopted by the General Assembly at the 1978 regular session who are serving as members of the commission on April 1, 1985, shall continue in office as members until the second Monday in January, 1987, in the case of legislative members or until the second Monday in January, 1986, in the case of members appointed by the president of the State Bar of Georgia, at which time their terms shall expire and their successors shall be appointed as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section. All actions taken by such commission and all contracts entered into by such commission are ratified and confirmed. The commission created by this Code section shall be deemed to be a continuation of the commission created pursuant to such resolutions.