(1) There is created the Mississippi ABLE Board of Directors which shall consist of nine (9) members as follows:

(a) The State Treasurer, or his or her designee;

(b) The Executive Director of the Department of Rehabilitation Services, or his or her designee;

(c) The Executive Director of the Department of Mental Health, or his or her designee;

(d) Three (3) members of the public who, by reason of his or her education and experience relating to disabilities or financial planning, is qualified to serve, to be appointed by the Governor one (1) of whom shall be appointed from each Supreme Court District;

(e) The Executive Director, or his or her designee, of an advocacy organization for citizens of all ages with cognitive, intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families, to be appointed by the Governor;

(f) The Executive Director, or his or her designee, of an advocacy organization for citizens of all ages with cross disabilities and their families, to be appointed by the Governor; and

(g) The Executive Director, or his or her designee, of an advocacy organization for citizens with mental health disabilities, to be appointed by the Governor.

(2)

(a) Of the six (6) appointed members by the Governor: One (1) member shall be appointed for an initial term of one (1) year; one (1) member shall be appointed for an initial term of two (2) years; one (1) member shall be appointed for an initial term of three (3) years; one (1) member shall be appointed for an initial term of four (4) years; one (1) member shall be appointed for an initial term of five (5) years; and one (1) member shall be appointed for an initial term of six (6) years. On the expiration of any of the terms of office, successor appointees shall be appointed for terms of five (5) years in each case. Ex officio members of the board may be represented at official meetings by their deputy, or other designee, and such designees shall have full voting privileges and shall be included in the determination of a quorum for conducting board business.

(b) Initial members of the board shall be appointed within thirty (30) days after March 20, 2017, and shall meet at the state office of the Department of Rehabilitation Services, at a date to be fixed by the Executive Director of the Department of Rehabilitation Services, not later than thirty (30) days after all appointments have been made, to organize and select a chairman and vice chairman, and develop an implementation plan for the Mississippi ABLE Program, which shall be completed on or before October 1, 2017. The chairman shall preside over all meetings.

(3) Successors to the appointed members shall serve for the length of the term for each appointing official and shall be eligible for reappointment, and shall serve until a successor is appointed and qualified. Any person appointed to fill a vacancy on the board shall be appointed in a like manner and shall serve for only the unexpired term.

(4) Members of the board of directors shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for each day’s official duties of the board at the same per diem as established by Section 25-3-69, and actual travel and lodging expenses as established by Section 25-3-41.

(5) The board of directors shall annually elect one (1) member to serve as chairman of the board and one (1) member to serve as vice chairman. The vice chairman shall act as chairman in the absence of, or upon the disability of the chairman, or in the event of a vacancy of the office of chairman.

(6) A majority of the currently serving members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the purposes of conducting business and exercising its official powers and duties. Any action taken by the board shall be upon the vote of a majority of the members present.