(Effective January 1, 2025.) (1) The membership of any statutory entity must: (a) Include at least three individuals from underrepresented populations who have direct lived experience with the identified policy or issue that the statutory entity is tasked with examining; and (b) Reflect, to the greatest extent possible, the diversity of people with direct lived experience with the identified issue or issues, including members who reside in urban and rural communities, and with differing cultural and economic circumstances. (2) If compliance with subsection (1) of this section requires that additional members be appointed to statutory entities created on or after January 1, 2025, the identified appointing authority for the statutory entity must be the appointing authority for the additional members. If there are multiple appointing authorities for one statutory entity, they may collectively defer to one of the appointing authorities, a statutory state commission, board, or committee, or the office of equity, to appoint any additional members as needed. The additional members shall be voting members of the statutory entity. (3) When making appointments to a statutory entity, appointing authorities: (a) May consult with the office of equity; and (b) Must consult with the relevant state entities identified in the toolkit created by the office of equity pursuant to section 117, chapter 475, Laws of 2023, except for appointing authorities from the legislative branch. (4) The statute law committee must include in any published bill drafting guide reference to the requirements in subsection (1) of this section. (5) Nothing in this section may be construed to restrict additional membership of statutory entities. [ 2024 c 283 s 3.]
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