(A) There is hereby created the commission on minority health, consisting of twenty-two members. The governor shall appoint to the commission nine members from among health researchers, health planners, and health professionals. The governor also shall appoint two members who are representatives of the lupus awareness and education program. The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint to the commission two members of the house of representatives, not more than one of whom is a member of the same political party, and the president of the senate shall appoint to the commission two members of the senate, not more than one of whom is a member of the same political party. The following shall be members of the commission: the directors of health, mental health and addiction services, developmental disabilities, aging, and job and family services, or their designees; the medicaid director, or the director’s designee; and the director of education and workforce, or the director’s designee.

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The commission shall elect a chairperson from among its members.

Of the members appointed by the governor, five shall be appointed to initial terms of one year, and four shall be appointed to initial terms of two years. Thereafter, all members appointed by the governor shall be appointed to terms of two years. All members of the commission appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives or the president of the senate shall be nonvoting members of the commission and be appointed within forty-five days after the commencement of the first regular session of each general assembly, and shall serve until the expiration of the session of the general assembly during which they were appointed.

Members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for the actual and necessary expenses they incur in the performance of their official duties.

(B) The commission shall promote health and the prevention of disease among members of minority groups. Each year the commission shall distribute grants from available funds to community-based health groups to be used to promote health and the prevention of disease among members of minority groups. As used in this division, “minority group” means any of the following economically disadvantaged groups: Blacks, American Indians, Hispanics, and Orientals. The commission shall adopt and maintain rules pursuant to Chapter 119 of the Revised Code to provide for the distribution of these grants. No group shall qualify to receive a grant from the commission unless it receives at least twenty per cent of its funds from sources other than grants distributed under this section.

(C) The commission may appoint such employees as it considers necessary to carry out its duties under this section. The department of health shall provide office space for the commission.

(D) The commission shall meet at the call of its chairperson to conduct its official business. A majority of the voting members of the commission constitute a quorum. The votes of at least eight voting members of the commission are necessary for the commission to take any official action or to approve the distribution of grants under this section.