Compact committee.

(1) There is created an interstate governmental entity to be known as the “compact committee,” which shall be composed of one official from the racing commission, or the equivalent thereof, in each party state who shall be appointed, serve, and be subject to removal in accordance with the laws of the party state that she or he represents. The official from Florida shall be appointed by the Secretary of Business and Professional Regulation. Pursuant to the laws of her or his party state, each official shall have the assistance of her or his state’s racing commission, or the equivalent thereof, in considering issues related to licensing of participants in pari-mutuel wagering and in fulfilling her or his responsibilities as the representative from her or his state to the compact committee.

(2) If an official is unable to perform any of her or his duties as a member of the compact committee, the racing commission, or the equivalent thereof, from her or his state shall designate another of its members as an alternate who shall serve in her or his place and represent the party state as its official on the compact committee, until that racing commission, or the equivalent thereof, determines that the original representative official is once again able to perform her or his duties as that party state’s representative official on the compact committee. The designation of an alternate shall be communicated by the affected state’s racing commission, or the equivalent thereof, to the compact committee as the committee’s bylaws provide.