(a) There is created a Citizens Review Panel for each special district in which voters approved the levy of the special district sales and use tax to be composed of three citizen members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and two citizen members appointed by the Lieutenant Governor. Each member must be a resident of the special district of which Citizens Review Panel they are appointed to serve.

(b) In the event that any vacancy for any cause shall occur in the membership of the committee, such vacancy shall be filled by an appointment made by the official authorized by law to make such appointment within 45 days of the occurrence of such vacancy.

(c) The panel shall, by majority vote of those members present and voting, elect from their number a chairperson and vice chairperson who shall serve at the pleasure of the panel.

(d) The panel shall meet in regular session at least three days each year either at the state capitol in Atlanta or at such other meeting place within the state and may have such other additional meetings as may be called by the chairperson or by a majority of the members of the panel upon reasonable written notice to all members of the panel. Further, the chairperson of the panel is authorized from time to time to call meetings of subcommittees of the panel which are established by panel policy at places inside or outside the state when, in the opinion of the chairperson, the meetings of the subcommittee are needed to attend properly to the panel's business. A majority of the panel shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business. Any power of the panel may be exercised by a majority vote of those members present at any meeting at which there is a quorum.

(e) Members shall receive for each day of actual attendance at meetings of the panel and the subcommittee meetings the per diem and transportation costs prescribed in Code Section 45-7-21, and a like sum shall be paid for each day actually spent in studying the transportation needs of the state or attending other functions as a representative of the panel, not to exceed ten days in any calendar year, but no member shall receive such per diem for any day for which such member receives any other per diem pursuant to such Code section. In addition, members shall receive actual transportation costs while traveling by public carrier or the legal mileage rate for the use of a personal automobile in connection with such attendance and study. Such per diem and expense shall be paid from the funds of the special district's revenues from the special district sales and use tax upon presentation, by members of the panel, of vouchers approved by the chairperson.

(f) The panel shall be charged with review of the administration of the projects and programs included on the approved investment list. The panel may make such recommendations to and require such reports from the Department of Transportation, the Atlanta-region Transit Link "ATL" Authority, any other agency or instrumentality of the state, any political subdivision of the state, and any agency or instrumentality of such political subdivisions as it may deem appropriate and necessary from time to time in the interest of the region.

(g) Upon the completion of a project on the investment list, the panel shall annually review the specific public benefits identified in the investment list to ascertain the degree to which such benefits have been attained. This benefit review report shall be delivered to the director and the state revenue commissioner and shall be published on the website created pursuant to paragraph (3) of subsection (c) of Code Section 48-8-245.

(h) Beginning January 1, 2013, and annually thereafter, the panel shall provide a report to the General Assembly of its actions during the previous year. The report shall be available for public inspection on the website created pursuant to paragraph (3) of subsection (c) of Code Section 48-8-245. The report shall include, but not be limited to, an update on the progress on each project on the investment list for the region, including the amount of funds spent on each project.