Sec. 10-393. Appointment of commission members. Terms and duties. Appointment and authority of executive director.
Sec. 10-393. Appointment of commission members. Terms and duties. Appointment and authority of executive director. (a) The Connecticut Commission on
Culture and Tourism shall consist of thirty-five voting commissioners and nonvoting
ex-officio members. Such ex-officio members shall be the executive directors of the
Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation and the Connecticut Humanities Council,
the State Poet Laureate, the State Historian and the State Archaeologist. The State Poet
Laureate, the State Historian and the State Archaeologist shall serve as commissioners
without being appointed and without receiving compensation for such service. The remaining thirty commissioners shall be appointed as follows:
(1) The Governor shall appoint eight commissioners: (A) One commissioner shall
be an individual with knowledge of and experience in the tourism industry from within
the state; (B) three commissioners shall be individuals with knowledge of or experience
or interest in history or humanities; (C) one commissioner shall be an individual with
knowledge of or experience or interest in the arts; (D) one commissioner shall be an
individual with experience relating directly to the production of digital media or motion
pictures; and (E) two commissioners shall be selected at large.
(2) The speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint four commissioners:
(A) One commissioner shall be an individual with knowledge of and experience in the
tourism industry from the southwestern tourism district, established under section 10-397; (B) one commissioner shall be an individual with knowledge of or experience or
interest in history or humanities; (C) one commissioner shall be an individual with
knowledge of or experience or interest in the arts; and (D) one commissioner shall be
an individual with experience relating directly to the production of digital media or
motion pictures.
(3) The president pro tempore of the Senate shall appoint four commissioners: (A)
One commissioner shall be an individual with knowledge of and experience in the tourism industry from the central tourism district, established under section 10-397; (B) one
commissioner shall be an individual with knowledge of or experience or interest in
history or humanities; (C) one commissioner shall be an individual with knowledge of
or experience or interest in the arts; and (D) one commissioner shall be an individual
with experience relating directly to the production of digital media or motion pictures.
(4) The majority leader of the House of Representatives shall appoint three commissioners: (A) One commissioner shall be an individual with knowledge of and experience
in the tourism industry from the south central tourism district, established under section
10-397; (B) one commissioner shall be an individual with knowledge of or experience
or interest in the arts; and (C) one commissioner shall be an individual with experience
relating directly to the production of digital media or motion pictures.
(5) The majority leader of the Senate shall appoint three commissioners: (A) One
commissioner shall be an individual with knowledge of and experience in the tourism
industry from the eastern tourism district; (B) one commissioner shall be an individual
with knowledge of or experience or interest in the arts; and (C) one commissioner shall
be an individual with experience relating directly to the production of digital media or
motion pictures.
(6) The minority leader of the House of Representatives shall appoint four commissioners: (A) One commissioner shall be an individual with knowledge of and experience
in the tourism industry from within the state; (B) one commissioner shall be an individual
with knowledge of or experience or interest in history or humanities; (C) one commissioner shall be an individual with knowledge of or experience or interest in the arts; and
(D) one commissioner shall be an individual with experience relating directly to the
production of digital media or motion pictures.
(7) The minority leader of the Senate shall appoint four commissioners: (A) One
commissioner shall be an individual with knowledge of and experience in the tourism
industry from the northwestern tourism district, established under section 10-397; (B)
one commissioner shall be an individual with knowledge of or experience or interest in
history or humanities; (C) one commissioner shall be an individual with knowledge of
or experience or interest in the arts; and (D) one commissioner shall be an individual
with experience relating directly to the production of digital media or motion pictures.
(b) Each commissioner shall serve a term that is coterminous with such commissioner's appointing authority.
(c) The commission shall have an executive director, appointed by the Governor
in accordance with the provisions of chapter 46, who shall administer the commission
in accordance with subsection (e) of this section. The voting commissioners shall elect
annually: A commissioner from among the voting commissioners to serve as chairperson
of the commission, one commissioner as vice-chairperson, and other commissioners as
officers. Such commissioners shall establish bylaws as necessary for the operation of
the commission. Commissioners shall receive no compensation for the performance of
their duties, but may be reimbursed for their necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties. The commission shall meet at least once during each calendar quarter
and at such other times as the chairperson deems necessary or upon the request of a
majority of commissioners in office.
(d) Thirteen voting commissioners of the board shall constitute a quorum and the
affirmative vote of a majority of the voting commissioners present at a meeting of the
commission shall be sufficient for any action taken by the commission. No vacancy of
a commissioner shall impair the right of a quorum to exercise all the rights and perform
all the duties of the commission. Any action taken by the commission may be authorized
by resolution at any regular or special meeting and shall take effect immediately unless
otherwise provided in the resolution.
(e) The executive director of the commission shall administer the commission, subject to the supervision of the commissioners. The executive director shall have the authority to administer all laws under the jurisdiction of the commission and the power
and authority to: Coordinate and direct the operation of the commission; establish rules
for the internal operation of the commission; contract for facilities, services and programs to implement the purposes of the commission established by law; and enter into
agreements for funding from private sources, including corporate donations and other
commercial sponsorships. The executive director is authorized to do all things necessary
to apply for, qualify for and accept any funds made available under any federal act for
the purposes established under section 10-392. All funds received under this subsection
shall be deposited into the Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism account,
established under section 10-395. The executive director may enter into contracts with
the federal government concerning the use of such funds.
(June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6, S. 211; P.A. 04-20, S. 4; 04-205, S. 5; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 04-2, S. 30; P.A. 06-172, S. 2;
P.A. 07-217, S. 47; 07-220, S. 1.)
History: June 30 Sp. Sess. P.A. 03-6 effective August 20, 2003; P.A. 04-20 made a technical change in Subsec. (a)(7),
effective April 16, 2004; P.A. 04-205, effective June 3, 2004, and May Sp. Sess. P.A. 04-2, effective May 12, 2004, both
replaced Connecticut Commission on Arts, Tourism, Culture, History and Film with Connecticut Commission on Culture
and Tourism; P.A. 06-172 amended Subsec. (a) to increase the number of members from 29 to 35 and to provide that the
new members have experience relating directly to the production of digital media or motion pictures; P.A. 07-217 made
technical changes in Subsec. (e), effective July 12, 2007; P.A. 07-220 amended Subsec. (a) to delete having an interest in
tourism as requirement for each of the commissioners and to provide that their knowledge and experience shall be in the
tourism industry and amended Subsec. (b) to delete prohibition against members of boards of directors of regional tourism
districts serving as commissioner, effective July 5, 2007.