(a)  There is created the State of Rhode Island Abraham Lincoln bicentennial commission, which shall be associated with the Rhode Island Historical Society for administrative purposes. The commission shall be composed of twenty-one (21) members, as follows:

(1)  Two (2) members of the house of representatives, not more than one from the same political party appointed by the speaker of the house;

(2)  Two (2) members of the senate, not more than one from the same political party appointed by the president of the senate;

(3)  One member from the Rhode Island Council on the Humanities, appointed by the executive director of the council;

(4)  One member from the Rhode Island economic development corporation, appointed by the executive director;

(5)  One member from the Rhode Island Historical Society, appointed by the executive director of that organization;

(6)  One member from the historical preservation and heritage commission, appointed by the executive director of the commission;

(7)  One member from the Rhode Island state council on the arts, appointed by the executive director;

(8)  One member from the Heritage Harbor Museum, appointed by the executive director of the museum;

(9)  One member from the Rhode Island Civil Rights Roundtable, appointed by the executive director of that organization;

(10)  One member from the Lincoln Group of Boston, appointed by the president of that organization;

(11)  One member from the Abraham Lincoln bicentennial commission established by the United States Congress, appointed by the concurrence of the chairs of that commission;

(12)  One member from the board of regents for elementary and secondary education, appointed by the chairperson of the board;

(13)  One member from the board of governors for higher education, appointed by the chairperson of the board;

(14)  One member from the John Hay Library of Special Collections at Brown University which houses the McLellan Lincoln Collection, appointed by the president of Brown University;

(15)  One member from the Providence Chapter of the NAACP, appointed by the executive director of that organization; and

(16)  Four (4) public members from the state at large with a demonstrated interest in history and substantial knowledge and appreciation of Abraham Lincoln, appointed by the governor.

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(b)  The chair of the commission shall be elected from among the membership by the commission members.