(a)(1) The board shall be composed of the Governor, as chair, and representatives, to serve for a term of four years from the date of their respective appointments, who shall be selected from the memberships of the Alabama Department of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American Veterans, the Vietnam Veterans of America, AMVETS, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, the American Ex-Prisoners of War, Incorporated, the Alabama Aliance of the Military Officers Association of America, Incorporated, and the Marine Corps League.
(2)The nomination of the representatives shall be made by the executive committees or similar governing bodies of the respective organizations. There shall be one representative from each of the organizations for the first 7,500 resident
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(a)(1) The board shall be composed of the Governor, as chair, and representatives, to serve for a term of four years from the date of their respective appointments, who shall be selected from the memberships of the Alabama Department of the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the Disabled American Veterans, the Vietnam Veterans of America, AMVETS, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, the American Ex-Prisoners of War, Incorporated, the Alabama Aliance of the Military Officers Association of America, Incorporated, and the Marine Corps League.
(2) The nomination of the representatives shall be made by the executive committees or similar governing bodies of the respective organizations. There shall be one representative from each of the organizations for the first 7,500 resident members, or fraction thereof, and one additional representative from each organization for each additional 7,500 resident members, or fraction thereof. The total memberships of the respective organizations shall be determined on July 1 of the year in which the representatives shall be designated from the state enrollment of each organization as duly verified for correctness by the adjutant or a similar officer of the organization. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the executive committees or similar governing bodies of the organizations shall each nominate to the Governor three veterans who are members of the organizations for each place on the board to which the organizations are entitled to have a nominee. The nominations shall also include, in representative proportions, veterans of every war which are included in the membership of the organizations.
(3) Notwithstanding subdivisions (1) and (2), if (i) a vacancy occurs before the end of a term, (ii) an organization fails to nominate to the Governor a list of nominees within 90 days after a term ends, or (iii) the membership of any organization decreases below 500 members, the Governor may appoint a veteran of his or her choosing in a manner that conforms with subdivision (4).
(4)
Appointments to the board shall be representative of the entirety of the state’s veteran community. Board members shall include veterans from various branches of the Armed Forces of the United States and service eras, including active-duty service members so long as permitted under federal law, and consist of both members and nonmembers of veteran service organizations. Board members should also represent entities that provide meaningful services to veterans and their families.
The appointing authorities shall coordinate their appointments to assure that the membership of the board is inclusive and reflects the racial, gender, geographic, urban, rural, and economic diversity of the state’s veteran community.
(5) A member may not serve more than two consecutive terms.
(6) By May 16, 2025, an organization may nominate a new slate of names from which the Governor shall appoint a new member to fill the remainder of the respective term.
(b) The board
shall serve in an oversight capacity and shall do all of the following:
(1) Advise the commissioner on veterans’ matters that are within the scope of the authority of the department.
(2) Develop policy recommendations for the state as it relates to veterans and veterans’ affairs.
(3) Recommend initiatives to assist the well-being of veterans and veterans’ families.
(4) Assist the commissioner and department as needed and as otherwise provided in this chapter.
(c) The board shall hold meetings at times and locations to be determined by rules of the department or as designated by the chair.
(d) The presence of a majority of the members at any regular or special meeting of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business.
(e) Members of the board shall be entitled to a per diem, to be fixed by the commissioner, and their traveling and other necessary expenses actually incurred while attending meetings of the board or on the business of the department.
(Acts 1945, No. 173, p. 304, §§3, 4; Acts 1966, Ex. Sess., No. 207, p. 255; Acts 1975, No. 1038, p. 2081; Acts 1986, No. 86-504, p. 984; Acts 1990, No. 90-526, p. 769; Acts 1994, No. 94-262, p. 495, §1; Act 2009-788, p. 2477, §1; Act 2011-625, p. 1476, §1; Act 2012-528, p. 1569, §§1, 2; Act 2024-442, §1; Act 2025-37, §1.)