TOBACCO SETTLEMENT PERMANENT TRUST ACCOUNT ADMINISTRATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

(a) The tobacco settlement permanent trust account administration advisory committee shall advise:

(1) the department on the implementation of the department's duties under this subchapter; and

(2) the comptroller on the administration of the comptroller's duties under Section 403.1041, Government Code.

(b) The advisory committee is composed of 11 members appointed as follows:

(1) one member appointed by the executive commissioner to represent a public hospital or hospital district located in a county with a population of 50,000 or less or a public hospital owned or maintained by a municipality;

(2) one member appointed by the political subdivision that, in the year preceding the appointment, received the largest annual distribution paid from the account;

(3) one member appointed by the political subdivision that, in the year preceding the appointment, received the second largest annual distribution paid from the account;

(4) four members appointed by the Texas Conference of Urban Counties from nominations received from political subdivisions that in the year preceding the appointment, received the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th largest annual distribution paid from the account;

(5) one member appointed by the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas;

(6) one member appointed by the North and East Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association;

(7) one member appointed by the South Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association; and

(8) one member appointed by the West Texas County Judges and Commissioners Association.

(b-1) An appointing entity under Subsection (b) is not a state association of counties.

(c) A commissioners court that sets the tax rate for a hospital district must approve any person appointed by the hospital district to serve on the advisory committee.

(d) The advisory committee shall elect the officers of the committee from among the members of the committee.

(e) The advisory committee may act only on the affirmative votes of eight members of the committee.

(f) Members of the advisory committee serve staggered six-year terms expiring on August 31 of each odd-numbered year.

(g) Appointments to the advisory committee shall be made without regard to the race, color, disability, sex, religion, age, or national origin of the appointees.

(h) A member of the advisory committee may not receive compensation from the trust fund or the state for service on the advisory committee but may be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses of attending meetings of the advisory committee or performing other official duties authorized by the comptroller.

(i) The department shall provide administrative support and resources to the advisory committee as necessary for the advisory committee to perform the advisory committee's duties under this subchapter.

(j) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the advisory committee.