Ohio § 4112.32

§ 4112.32.

There is hereby created the new African immigrants commission consisting of eleven

voting members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate

and four nonvoting members, two of whom are members of the general assembly.  The governor shall make initial appointments to the commission.  Of the initial appointments made to the commission, three shall be for a term ending

October 7, 2009, four shall be for a term ending October 7, 2010, and four shall be

for a term ending October 7, 2011.  Thereafter, terms of office shall be for three years, each term ending on the same

day of the same month of the year as did the term which it succeeds.  Each member shall hold office from the date of 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 such 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 sixty days has

elapsed, whichever occurs first.  At the first organizational meeting of the commission, the original eleven voting

members shall draw lots to determine the length of the term each member shall serve. Of the four nonvoting members of the commission, two shall be appointed by the speaker

of the house of representatives and two shall be appointed by the president of the

senate.  Of the two nonvoting members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives,

one shall be a member of the house of representatives and one shall be a private citizen.  Of the two nonvoting members appointed by the president of the senate, one shall

be a member of the senate and one shall be a private citizen.  Each nonvoting member appointed to the commission shall serve a term of four years.  The term of a nonvoting member of the commission who is a member of the general

assembly shall end either after four years or when the nonvoting member leaves the

elected office the nonvoting member held at the time of the nonvoting member's appointment,

whichever occurs first. All voting members of the commission shall be of sub-Saharan African origin, and shall

be American citizens or lawful, permanent, resident aliens.  Voting members shall be from urban, suburban, and rural geographical areas representative

of sub-Saharan African people with a numerical and geographical balance of the sub-Saharan

African population throughout the state. The commission shall elect a chairperson, vice-chairperson, and other officers from

among its voting members as it considers advisable.  Six voting members constitute a quorum.  The commission shall adopt rules governing its procedures.  No action of the commission is valid without the concurrence of six members. Members shall not be compensated for work as members of the commission.