§ 9-105. Membership of Commission

   (a) Composition; appointment of members; recommendations. --

   (1) The Commission consists of seven members appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate.

   (2) The presiding officer of either house of the General Assembly may recommend to the Governor a list of individuals for appointment to the Commission.

(b) Qualifications. --

   (1) At the time of appointment, each member of the Commission shall be:

      (i) at least 25 years old;

      (ii) a resident of the State who has resided in the State for at least 5 years;

      (iii) a qualified voter of the State;

      (iv) an individual who has not been convicted of or granted probation before judgment for a serious crime or a crime that involves moral turpitude or gambling; and

      (v) knowledgeable and experienced in fiscal matters and shall have substantial experience:

         1. as an executive with fiduciary responsibilities in charge of a large organization or foundation;

         2. in an academic field relating to finance or economics; or

         3. as an accountant, economist, or financial analyst, or as a professional in a similar profession relating to fiscal matters or economics.

   (2) A member of the Commission may not:

      (i) have a direct or indirect financial interest, ownership, or management, including holding any stocks, bonds, or other similar financial interests in any gaming activities, including horse racing, video lottery terminals, table games, or lottery;

      (ii) have an official relationship to a person who holds a license under Subtitle 1A of this title;

      (iii) be an elected official of State or local government;

      (iv) receive or share in, directly or indirectly, the receipts or proceeds of any gaming activities, including horse racing, video lottery terminals, table games, or lottery; or

      (v) have a beneficial interest in any contract for the manufacture or sale of gaming devices, the conduct of any gaming activity, or the provision of any independent consulting services in connection with any gaming establishment or gaming activity.

   (3) No more than five members may be of the same political party.

   (4) The members of the Commission shall reflect the geographic, racial, and gender makeup of the State.

   (5) A member of the Commission shall file a financial disclosure statement with the State Ethics Commission in accordance with Title 15, Subtitle 6 of this article.

(c) Tenure; vacancies. --

   (1) The term of a member is 5 years.

   (2) The terms of members are staggered as required by the terms provided for members of the Commission on October 1, 2012.

   (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 and until a successor is appointed and qualifies.

   (5) A member may not serve for more than two full terms.

(d) Removal. --

   (1) Subject to the hearing requirements of this subsection, the Governor may remove a member for cause.

   (2) Before the Governor removes a member, the Governor shall give the member notice and an opportunity for a public hearing.

(e) The Governor shall appoint one member of the Commission to serve as a liaison to the State Racing Commission established under Title 11 of the Business Regulation Article.

(f) Member who is resident of jurisdiction with video lottery facility. -- The Commission shall include at least one member who resides in a local jurisdiction in which a video lottery facility is located.

HISTORY: An. Code 1957, art. 88D, § 5; 1984, ch. 284, § 1; 2007 Sp. Sess., ch. 4; 2012 2nd Sp. Sess., ch. 1, § 1.