§ 5-2603

(a) The Commission consists of the following members:

(1) the Secretary, or the Secretary’s designee;

(2) a member of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate, who shall serve as an ex officio nonvoting member;

(3) a member of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the House, who shall serve as an ex officio nonvoting member;

(4) the Director of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s Goddard Space Flight Center, or the Director’s designee, who shall serve as an ex officio nonvoting member;

(5) the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or the Administrator’s designee, who shall serve as an ex officio nonvoting member;

(6) the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, or the Director’s designee, who shall serve as an ex officio nonvoting member;

(7) the president of the Goddard Contractors’ Association, or the president’s designee;

(8) the President of the University of Maryland Baltimore County, or the President’s designee;

(9) the President of the Southern Maryland Navy Alliance, or the President’s designee;

(10) the president of the Maryland Space Business Roundtable, or the president’s designee;

(11) the President of the University of Maryland, College Park, or the President’s designee;

(12) the director of the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, or the director’s designee;

(13) the director of the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, or the director’s designee;

(14) the director of the Space Telescope Science Institute, or the director’s designee; and

(15) the following members, appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate:

(i) a representative of institutions of higher education;

(ii) a representative of the National Society of Black Engineers;

(iii) a representative of the Maryland aerospace manufacturing community; and

(iv) a representative of the aerospace technology industry.

(b) A member of the Commission:

(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Commission; but

(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget.

(c) The Commission and its members are subject to the Maryland Public Ethics Law.

(d) (1) The term of an appointed member is 4 years.

(2) The terms of the appointed members are staggered as required by the terms provided for members on October 1, 2024.

(3) At the end of a term, a member continues to serve until a successor is appointed and qualifies.

(4) A member who is appointed after a term has begun serves only for the rest of the term until a successor is appointed and qualifies.

(e) The Governor may remove a member appointed by the Governor with or without cause.

(f) From among its members, the Commission shall elect a chair and vice chair.