(A) There is hereby created the advisory committee on livestock exhibitions consisting of not more than twenty-one members, as follows:

(1) The director of agriculture, or the director's designee, who may be the chief of the division of fairs;

(2) The state veterinarian, or the state veterinarian's designee;

(3) A representative of the Ohio cattlemen's association, the Ohio purebred dairy cattle association, the Ohio pork producers council, the Ohio poultry association, the Ohio sheep improvement association, the Ohio fair managers association, the Ohio farm bureau federation, the Ohio farmers union, the Ohio department of education's agricultural education service, the Ohio state university extension, the national farmers organization, and the Ohio state grange, or their designees. Each of these members shall be chosen by the organization the member represents.

(4) The chairperson of the Ohio expositions commission, or the chairperson's designee;

(5) Three persons who shall be appointed by the director, each of whom shall serve as a member of a board of directors of a county or independent agricultural society organized under section 1711.01 or 1711.02 of the Revised Code. Of the initial appointments made by the director, one shall be for a term ending on December 31, 1996; one shall be for a term ending on December 31, 1997; and one shall be for a term ending on December 31, 1998.

(6) Not more than three additional members appointed at the option of the director. If the director appoints one or more additional members, the first additional appointment shall be for a term ending on December 31, 1996, the second additional appointment shall be for a term ending on December 31, 1997, and the third additional appointment shall be for a term ending on December 31, 1998.

Following the completion of the initial terms of the appointments made by the director, each term of office shall be three years, commencing on the first day of January and ending on the thirty-first day of December. A member appointed by the director shall hold office from the date of the member's appointment until the end of the term for which the member was appointed. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed shall hold office for the remainder of the unexpired term. Any member shall continue in office subsequent to the expiration date of the member's term until the member's successor takes office or until a period of ninety days has elapsed, whichever occurs first.

Members may be removed from the committee only for misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance. A vacancy on the committee shall not impair the right of the other members to exercise all of the functions of the committee. A simple majority constitutes a quorum for the conduct of business of the committee. On request, each member shall be reimbursed for the actual and necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of the member's duties as a committee member.

(B) The committee shall be considered a part of the department of agriculture for the administrative purposes required by this section, including the payment of expenses authorized to each member of the committee under this section. The director or the director's designee shall serve as chairperson of the committee. The director shall designate an employee or official of the department to act as the secretary of the committee. The secretary shall keep the minutes of the committee's meetings and a permanent journal of all meetings, proceedings, findings, determinations, and recommendations of the committee, including an itemized statement of the expenses allowed to each member of the committee under this section. The committee may request from the director, and the director shall provide, meeting space, assistance, services, and information to enable the committee to carry out its duties.

(C) The committee shall meet at least once annually after the fifteenth day of October and before the first day of December. The committee may meet at other times as the chairperson or a majority of the committee members considers appropriate, provided the chairperson gives members written notice of any meeting at least seven days prior to the meeting.

(D) The committee may propose rules and may advise and counsel the director on all matters relating to the administration of exhibitions and any other matters that the committee and the director consider appropriate in carrying out sections 901.71 to 901.76 of the Revised Code.

Effective Date: 06-14-1995

Related Legislative Provision: See 129th General AssemblyFile No.39, SB 171, §4 .