(a) The Irrigator Advisory Council is composed of nine members that are appointed by the commission. Appointments to the council will be made without regard to race, creed, sex, religion, or national origin of the appointees. The purpose of the council is to give the commission the benefit of the members' collective business, environmental, and technical expertise and experience with respect to matters relating to landscape irrigation. The council has no executive or administrative powers or duties with respect to the operation of the commission, and all such powers and duties rest solely with the commission.
(b) Six members of the council must be licensed irrigators who are residents of the State of Texas, experienced in the irrigation business, and familiar with irrigation methods and techniques.
(c) Three members must be representatives of the public. A person is not eligible for appointment as a public member if the person or the person's spouse:
  (1) is licensed by an occupational regulatory agency in the field of irrigation; or
  (2) is employed by, participates in the management of, or has, other than as a consumer, a financial interest in a business entity or other organization related to the field of irrigation.
(d) It is grounds for removal from the council by the commission if a member:
  (1) does not meet, at the time of the appointment, the qualifications that are required by subsection (b) or (c) of this section for appointment to the council;
  (2) does not maintain, during service on the council, the qualifications that are required by subsection (b) or (c) of this section for appointment to the council; or
  (3) misses three consecutive regularly scheduled meetings or more than half of all the regularly scheduled meetings in a one-year period.
(e) The members of the council serve staggered six-year terms, with the terms expiring February 1 of each odd-numbered year. For cases where a council member cannot finish their term, the replacement member will serve the remainder of the term.
(f) A member of the council is entitled to per diem as appropriated by the Texas Legislature for each day that the member engages in the business of the council. A member is entitled to reimbursement for travel expenses, including expenses for meals and lodging, as provided for in the General Appropriations Act.
(g) The council shall hold meetings at the call of the commission or chairman.
(h) A majority of the council constitutes a quorum for conducting business.
(i) The council will elect a chairman by a majority vote.

Source Note: The provisions of this §344.80 adopted to be effective January 1, 2009, 33 TexReg 5713; amended to be effective July 26, 2020, 45 TexReg 4986