The Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged.

There is created the Commission for the Transportation Disadvantaged in the Department of Transportation.

(1) The commission shall be composed of 11 members, all of whom shall be appointed by the Governor, in accordance with the requirements of s. 20.052, as follows:

(a) The Secretary of Transportation or his or her designee.

(b) The director of the Agency for Persons with Disabilities or his or her designee.

(c) The Secretary of Elderly Affairs or his or her designee.

(d) The director of the Division of Blind Services.

(e) Two county managers or administrators, one from a rural county and one from a county with a population of more than 150,000, according to the last state census.

(f) Five members who have experience in transportation, workforce development, transit services, management, insurance, or service of persons with disabilities or who have a disability and use transportation for the transportation disadvantaged.

(2) A member appointed under paragraph (1)(e) or paragraph (1)(f) shall serve a 4-year term and may be reappointed for one additional 4-year term. A member appointed under paragraph (1)(e) or paragraph (1)(f) whose term has expired shall continue to serve on the commission until such time as a replacement is appointed.

(3) Each member must be a resident of this state.

(4) The chair of the commission shall be appointed by the Governor, and the vice chair of the commission shall be elected annually from the membership of the commission.

(5) Members of the commission shall serve without compensation but shall be allowed per diem and travel expenses as provided in s. 112.061.

(6) The commission shall meet at least quarterly, or upon the call of the chair. Six members of the commission constitute a quorum, and a majority vote of the members present is necessary for any action taken by the commission. A commission member’s participation in a meeting via telephone; real-time videoconferencing; or similar real-time telephonic, electronic, or video communication counts toward a quorum, and such member may vote as if physically present.

(7) The Governor may remove any member of the commission for cause.

(8) The commission shall appoint an executive director who shall serve under the direction, supervision, and control of the commission. The executive director, with the consent of the commission, shall employ such personnel as may be necessary to perform adequately the functions of the commission within budgetary limitations. Employees of the commission are exempt from the Career Service System.

(9) The commission is assigned to the office of the secretary of the Department of Transportation for administrative and fiscal accountability purposes, but it shall otherwise function independently of the control, supervision, and direction of the department.

(10) The commission shall develop a budget pursuant to chapter 216. The budget is not subject to change by the department staff after it has been approved by the commission, but it shall be transmitted to the Governor, as head of the department, along with the budget of the department.