legislative appointments; qualifications

Added new section 41-1502 establishing the Arizona Commerce Authority with a board of directors including the governor, chief executive officer, seventeen private sector business leaders, and various ex officio members.

Updated the Arizona Commerce Authority board appointment process to include fingerprinting and criminal background checks for governor-appointed members.

Changed the Arizona Commerce Authority board member terms from two years to staggered three-year terms beginning on the third Monday in January.

Added technical advisors to the Arizona Commerce Authority board including directors from environmental quality, state land, revenue, tourism, transportation, water resources, insurance, and other state agencies.

Updated the Arizona Commerce Authority board meeting procedures to allow executive sessions for competitive business development discussions and clarified what activities are not considered public meetings.

Modified the Arizona Commerce Authority board quorum requirements to include the chairperson and chief executive officer as mandatory voting members.

Added provisions requiring the Arizona Commerce Authority to operate on the state fiscal year and undergo annual audits by an independent certified public accountant.

Updated the Military Affairs Commission meeting requirements to clarify that members meet with the governor, senate president, and house speaker individually or collectively.

Modified the Arizona Commerce Authority board to include a cochairperson appointed by the governor from among voting members.

Added provisions requiring the Arizona Commerce Authority to maintain complete and accurate records of proceedings with public access subject to existing open records laws.

Updated the Arizona Commerce Authority board to adopt written policies and procedures for standards of conduct including a gift policy.

Modified the Arizona Commerce Authority to limit full-time employees to one hundred, excluding those funded with non-state monies.

Modified the Arizona Commerce Authority board composition to require members from geographically diverse areas and added restrictions preventing elected officials from serving as private sector members.