A. There is hereby created the Oklahoma State Council for Educational Opportunity for Military Children in accordance with Article VIII of the Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. The Council shall consist of:

1. The compact commissioner, as provided for in subsection G of this section;

2. The military family education liaison who shall be a nonvoting member, as provided for in subsection G of this section;

3. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction or a designee; and

4. Five appointed members as follows:

a.one member of the Senate, who shall serve an initial term of three (3) years, who shall be appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate,

b.one member of the House of Representatives, who shall serve an initial term of three (3) years, who shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives,

c.one superintendent of a school district with a high concentration of military children, who shall serve an initial term of two (2) years, who shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives,

d.a representative of a military installation located in this state, who shall serve an initial term of two (2) years, who shall be appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and

e.a member of the State Board of Education, who shall serve an initial term of one (1) year, who shall be appointed by the Governor.

B. Except for the initial appointments, appointed members shall be appointed for three-year terms. The members appointed to initial terms shall serve staggered terms as prescribed in this section. Terms of office shall expire on June 30. Members may be reappointed as deemed appropriate by the appointing authority. Members may be removed by the appointing authority for incompetence, willful neglect of duty, corruption in office, or malfeasance in office. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. The members of the Council shall not be subject to the dual-office-holding prohibitions set forth in Section 6 of Title 51 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

C. Appointments to the Council shall be made by September 1, 2008. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction shall convene the first meeting of the Council. The members of the Council shall elect from their membership a chair and vice-chair to serve for one-year terms. A majority of the members shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting the business of the Council. The Council shall meet at least annually and at the call of the chair.

D. The Council shall comply with the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act and the Oklahoma Open Records Act.

E. Members of the Council shall receive no compensation for serving on the Council, but shall receive travel reimbursement as follows:

1. Legislative members of the Council shall be reimbursed for necessary travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties in accordance with the provisions of Section 456 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes; and

2. Nonlegislative members of the Council shall be reimbursed by the State Department of Education for necessary travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties in accordance with the State Travel Reimbursement Act.

F. The Council shall provide for the coordination among this state’s governmental agencies, school districts and military installations concerning the state’s participation in, and compliance with, the compact and Interstate Commission on Educational Opportunity for Military Children activities. The State Department of Education shall provide administrative services and staff support to the Council. The State Board of Education may promulgate rules to implement operations and procedures necessary for administration of the compact upon recommendation of the Council.

G. 1. Before September 1, 2008, the Governor shall appoint the compact commissioner who shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor. The compact commissioner shall serve as this state’s commissioner on the Interstate Commission on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. In the event the compact commissioner cannot attend a meeting of the Interstate Commission, the Council shall appoint a Council member to represent this state at the meeting. The compact commissioner shall be responsible for the administration and management of the state’s participation in the compact.

2. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction shall designate an employee of the State Department of Education to serve as the military family education liaison. The liaison shall assist military families and the state in facilitating the implementation of the compact, subject to the direction of the Council.

3. The Department shall pay any expenses the compact commissioner and military family education liaison incur in fulfilling duties related to the compact.

Added by Laws 2008, c. 435, § 3, eff. July 1, 2008.