(A) There is hereby established the South Carolina Military Base Task Force for the purpose of enhancing the value of military installations and facilities and the quality of life for military personnel located in this State. The task force shall assist military communities with such value enhancement, address the various incentives to military personnel assigned in this State, coordinate the efforts of the military communities, and provide for other methods and incentives to accomplish these purposes. The task force shall coordinate efforts among the public and the private sectors to maintain a significant United States Department of Defense presence in South Carolina. The task force shall advise the Governor and the General Assembly on any issues and strategies related to military base closures, realignments, and mission changes.

(B)(1) The task force shall be comprised of the following members or their designees:

(a) South Carolina Adjutant General;

(b) Secretary of the South Carolina Department of Commerce;

(c) Executive Director of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce;

(d) Chief Executive Officer of the Beaufort Chamber of Commerce;

(e) Chief Executive Officer of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce;

(f) Chief Executive Officer of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce;

(g) Chief Executive Officer of the Sumter Chamber of Commerce;

(h) Chairperson of Beaufort County Council;

(i) Chairperson of Berkeley County Council;

(j) Chairperson of Dorchester County Council;

(k) Chairperson of Charleston County Council;

(l) Chairperson of Richland County Council;

(m) Chairperson of Sumter County Council;

(n) Mayor of Beaufort;

(o) Mayor of Charleston;

(p) Mayor of Columbia;

(q) Mayor of North Charleston;

(r) Mayor of Port Royal;

(s) Mayor of Sumter;

(t) one or more members of the Senate or the House of Representatives appointed by the Governor; and

(u) five at-large members appointed by the Governor who have demonstrated experience in one or more of the following areas: economic development, defense industry, military installation operation, environmental issues, finance, local government, or senior military leadership, of whom:

(i) four shall represent, respectively, the four military communities of Beaufort, Charleston, Columbia, and Sumter, and each shall reside in the military community that he is appointed to represent; and

(ii) the fifth at-large member shall serve as the task force chairman.

(2) The Governor may designate any one of the members of the task force as its vice chairman.

(C) Staff support and other resources as necessary may be provided through funding by the General Assembly and/or other resources, which shall be administered by the department to assist the task force in carrying out the directives of this section.

(D) The task force chairman shall appoint an executive committee consisting of the chairman; vice chairman, if any; Adjutant General, or his designee; Secretary of Commerce, or his designee; Executive Coordinator, if any; and the four at-large task force members who represent the four military communities of Beaufort, Charleston, Columbia, and Sumter.

(E) The task force executive committee shall also act as an executive advisory committee to the Governor and the General Assembly on various military matters that affect this State and shall coordinate an annual meeting between the Governor, military commanders, and General Assembly members geographically representing military communities to discuss items of interest to all parties and exchange pertinent information on the current climate and challenges facing our state’s military installations and their personnel.

(F) Upon the approval of the secretary, the task force may pursue specialists to provide information and assistance, develop strategic plans, and assist in executing strategies to support military installations and their related military communities to maximize the potential for increased investment by the United States Department of Defense or other defense-related federal agencies and defense-related businesses in this State.