2. The New Jersey Black Cultural and Heritage Initiative Foundation shall be governed by a board of trustees consisting of the following 25 members:

a. the Secretary of State or designee;

b. five State employees or special State officers, who shall be selected from, and appointed by the Secretary of State to represent any or all, of the following State partner organizations:

(1) New Jersey State Council on the Arts;

(2) New Jersey Historical Commission;

(3) New Jersey Council of the Humanities;

(4) New Jersey Public Broadcasting Commission;

(5) Martin Luther King Commemorative Commission;

(6) Amistad Commission;

(7) Department of Education;

(8) Division of Travel and Tourism, Department of State;

(9) Department of Community Affairs;

(10) Department of Transportation;

(11) Department of State, Office of Faith-based Initiatives; and

(12) any other State agency or instrumentality partnering, assisting or supporting the purposes of the foundation.

The State partner members of the board of trustees appointed pursuant to this subsection shall serve at the pleasure of the Secretary of State.

c. Nineteen public members shall be selected from a broad cross-section of the views and interests of the community and the member organizations of the foundation, including educators, clergy, civic and business leaders; philanthropists; visual, creative and performing artists; representatives of Black arts, history and cultural organizations; and persons having knowledge of, expertise in, or commitment to preserving New Jersey’s Black cultural heritage.

Five of the public members shall be appointed by the Secretary of State upon formation and incorporation of the foundation. Thereafter, at least four more public members shall be elected by the nonprofit cultural organizations which become members of the foundation, and the remaining public members shall be nominated by a nominating committee of the board of trustees and appointed by the board of trustees.

The term of office of each public member shall be three years, with each member continuing to serve upon expiration of the term until replaced. Three of the initial public members appointed by the Secretary of State and two of the public members initially elected by member organizations shall serve initial terms of two years.

Vacancies shall be filled and replacements made as provided in the bylaws of the foundation.

L.2005, c.47, s.2; amended 2007, c.253, s.11.