KRS 171.800: Kentucky African -American Heritage Commission -- Members -- Officers

-- Meetings -- Funding -- Program established.

(1) The Kentucky African -American Heritage Commission is hereby established to

perform the functions specified in KRS 171.805.

(2) The membership of the commission shall consist of three (3) ex officio members

and seventeen (17) members who derive from geographically diverse areas of the

state and who represent various heritage interests as follows:

(a) The secretary of the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, or the secretary's

designee to serve ex officio;

(b) The president of Kentucky State University, or the president's designee to

serve ex officio;

(c) The director of the Kentucky Heritage Council, or the director's designee to

serve ex officio;

(d) Four (4) members from institutions of higher education;

(e) One (1) member from the preservation community;

(f) One (1) member from the arts community; and

(g) Eleven (11) members from the public-at-large.

(3) Appointed members shall be appointed by the Governor and shall serve for terms of

four (4) years. Any vacancies shall be filled by appointment of the Governor for the

remainder of the unexpired term.

(4) Commission members shall receive no compensation for their services but may be

reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their

duties.

(5) From the commission membership, the Governor shall appoint a chairman and a

vice chairman of the commission. The commission may elect by majority vote other

officers deemed necessary.

(6) The commission shall meet at the call of the chairman, but not less often than three

times during each calendar year. A majority of the members appointed to the

commission shall constitute a quorum.

(7) The commission shall be attache d to the Kentucky Heritage Council for

administrative purposes.

(8) The commission may accept grants or raise funds from any available source, public

or private, to accomplish its duties and responsibilities. Committees may be formed

at the discretion of the chairman.

(9) The African -American Heritage Program is established as a branch within the

Kentucky Heritage Division, whose responsibilities shall include providing staff

services needed to perform its duties under KRS 171.805.