Section 185020.

(a) There is in the Transportation Agency a High-Speed Rail Authority.

(b) (1) The authority is composed of nine members as follows:

(A) Five members appointed by the Governor.

(B) Two members appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules.

(C) Two members appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.

(2) For the purposes of making appointments to the authority, the Governor, the Senate Committee on Rules, and the Speaker of the Assembly shall take into consideration geographical diversity to ensure that all regions of the state are adequately represented.

(c) Except as provided in subdivision (d), and until their successors are appointed, members of the authority shall hold office for terms of four years. A vacancy shall be filled by the appointing power making the original appointment, by appointing a member to serve the remainder of the term.

(d) (1) On and after January 1, 2001, the terms of all persons who are then members of the authority shall expire, but those members may continue to serve until they are reappointed or until their successors are appointed. In order to provide for evenly staggered terms, persons appointed or reappointed to the authority after January 1, 2001, shall be appointed to initial terms to expire as follows:

(A) Of the five persons appointed by the Governor, one shall be appointed to a term which expires on December 31, 2002, one shall be appointed to a term which expires on December 31, 2003, one shall be appointed to a term which expires on December 31, 2004, and two shall be appointed to terms which expires on December 31, 2005.

(B) Of the two persons appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, one shall be appointed to a term which expires on December 31, 2002, and one shall be appointed to a term which expires on December 31, 2004.

(C) Of the two persons appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly, one shall be appointed to a term which expires on December 31, 2003, and one shall be appointed to a term which expires on December 31, 2005.

(2) Following expiration of each of the initial terms provided for in this subdivision, the term shall expire every four years thereafter on December 31.

(e) Members of the authority are subject to the Political Reform Act of 1974 (Title 9 (commencing with Section 81000)).

(f) From among its members, the authority shall elect a chairperson, who shall preside at all meetings of the authority, and a vice chairperson to preside in the absence of the chairperson. The chairperson shall serve a term of one year.

(g) Five members of the authority constitute a quorum for taking any action by the authority.

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 352, Sec. 511. Effective September 26, 2013. Operative July 1, 2013, by Sec. 543 of Ch. 352.)