§2503. Louisiana Educational Television Authority; creation; domicile; membership; term; vacancies; quorum; staff

A. There is hereby created within the executive department of the State of Louisiana the Louisiana Educational Television Authority, which is hereby declared to be a body corporate and public, constituting an instrumentality of the State of Louisiana, exercising public and essential governmental functions.

B. The domicile of the Authority shall be in the City of Baton Rouge. The Authority may establish such other offices within the state as shall be deemed advisable by the Authority.

C. The power to establish policy to carry out the intent of this Chapter shall be vested in the members of the authority, which shall consist of the governor, the state superintendent of education, the president of the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, the chairman of the Board of Friends of Louisiana Public Broadcasting, or their designees, and those persons selected as hereinafter provided:

(1) Seven members, one member from each congressional district in the state and the remaining member or members from the state at large, shall be appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate.

(2) One member shall be appointed by the governor from a panel of three names submitted by the Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College.

(3) One member shall be appointed by the governor from a panel of three names submitted by the Board of Regents.

(4) One member shall be appointed by the governor from among the presidents, officers, or deans of the then existing private colleges or universities in Louisiana.

(5) One member shall be appointed by the governor from a panel of three names submitted by the board of directors of the Louisiana School Boards Association.

(6) One member shall be appointed by the governor from among the then active teachers of the public elementary or secondary schools in Louisiana.

(7) One member shall be appointed by the governor from a panel of three names submitted by the board of directors of the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters.

(8) One member shall be appointed by the governor from a panel of three names submitted by the board of directors of the Louisiana Council for Music and Performing Arts, Inc.

(9) One member shall be appointed by the governor from a panel of three names submitted by the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health.

(10) One member to be appointed by the governor from a panel of three names to be submitted by the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana.

(11) One member to be appointed by the governor from the membership of the Louisiana AFL-CIO from a panel of three names to be submitted to him by the Louisiana AFL-CIO.

D. No person appointed directly by the governor (except that person appointed under Subsection (C)(6) of this section) or nominated by any of the nominating groups or individuals shall hold any other office of profit or trust under the United States, the State of Louisiana, or any political subdivision thereof, nor shall any member of the Authority have any financial interest in any facilities with which the Authority is authorized to deal.

E. The terms of members shall be overlapping to insure that ordinarily members will be replaced every two years.

Accordingly, initial terms shall be as follows:

1) Serving initial terms of two years shall be the members appointed from the panels submitted by the Louisiana Coordinating Council for Higher Education, the Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College, the Board of Directors of the Louisiana School Boards Association, the Louisiana AFL-CIO, from the first and fifth congressional districts.

2) Serving initial terms of four years shall be the members appointed by the panels submitted by the Board of Directors of the Louisiana Association of Broadcasters, the Board of Directors of the Louisiana Council for Music and Performing Arts, the Director of the State Department of Hospitals and the members appointed from the second, fourth and sixth congressional districts.

3) Serving terms of six years shall be the members appointed from among the presidents, officers or deans of the then existing private colleges or universities in Louisiana, from among the then active teachers of the public elementary or secondary schools in Louisiana, the member from the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana and the members appointed from the third, seventh and eighth congressional districts.

Thereafter, all members shall serve terms of six years, or until their successors are duly appointed and qualified.

F. Vacancies occurring for any reason, including expiration of the term, shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment; provided, however, that appointments to fill vacancies occurring during the term shall be for the unexpired portion of the term only.

G. Ten members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

H. The Authority shall employ a professionally qualified executive director to carry out the policies established by the Authority. The executive director shall employ such staff as is necessary to carry out the policies and directives of the Authority and to operate and administer the functions of the Authority. The compensation of the executive director shall be determined by the Authority, and he shall be in the unclassified service of the state.

Acts 1971, No. 13, §2; Acts 1990, No. 660, §1, eff. July 19, 1990; Acts 1991, No. 2, §1, eff. Jan. 13, 1992; Acts 2012, No. 803, §4.