Section 430 ILCS 27/15 - Illinois Propane Education and Research Council(a) The qualified industry organizations shall select all retail marketers, public, and producer members of the Council. The producer organizations shall select the producer members of the Council, the retail marketer organizations shall select retail marketer members, and all qualified industry organizations shall jointly select the public members. Vacancies in the unfinished terms of Council members shall be filled in the same manner as were the original appointments. (b) In selecting members of the Council, the qualified industry organizations shall give due regard to selecting a Council that is representative of the industry, including representation of: (1) gas processors and oil refiners among producers; (2) interstate and intrastate operators among retail marketers; (3) large and small companies among producers and retail marketers, including agricultural cooperatives; and (4) diverse geographic regions of the State. (c) The Council shall consist of 12 members, with 6 members representing retail marketers, 4 members representing producers, and 2 public members. Other than the public members, Council members shall be full-time employees or owners of businesses in the industry or representatives of agricultural cooperatives. No employee of a qualified industry organization shall serve as a member of the Council, and no member of the Council may serve concurrently as an officer of the board of directors of a qualified industry organization or other trade association. Only one person at a time from any company or its affiliate may serve on the Council. The Director may serve as an ex-officio non-voting member of the Council. (d) Council members shall receive no compensation for their services. Council members may be reimbursed for reasonable expenses directly related to their participation in Council meetings. (e) Council members shall serve terms of 3 years . The Council shall notify the Director of the name, address, and propane-related affiliation, if any, of a Council member within 30 days after the appointment of the member to the Council. (f) The Council shall develop programs and projects and enter into contracts or agreements for implementing this Act, including programs to enhance consumer and employee safety and training, to provide for research and development of clean and efficient propane utilization equipment, to inform and educate the public about safety and other issues associated with the use of propane, and to provide for the payment of the costs thereof with funds collected pursuant to this Act. The Council shall coordinate its activities with industry trade associations and others as appropriate to provide efficient delivery of services and to avoid unnecessary duplication of activities. (g) Issues related to research and development, safety, education, and training shall be given priority by the Council in the development of its programs and projects. (h) The Council shall select from among its members a Chairperson and other officers as necessary, may establish committees and subcommittees of the Council, and shall adopt rules and bylaws for the conduct of business and the implementation of this Act. The Council shall establish procedures for the solicitation of industry comment and recommendations on any significant plans, programs, and projects to be funded by the Council. The Council may establish advisory committees of persons other than Council members.(i) At the beginning of each fiscal period, the Council shall prepare a budget plan for the next fiscal period, including the probable cost of all programs, projects, and contracts and a recommended rate of assessment sufficient to cover such costs. The Council shall submit the proposed budget to the Director for review and comment. The Director may recommend programs and activities considered appropriate. (j) The Council shall keep minutes, books, and records that clearly reflect all of the acts and transactions of the Council and make public such information. The books of the Council shall be audited by a certified public accountant at least once each fiscal year and at such other times as the Council may designate. The expense of the audit shall be the responsibility of the Council. Copies of such audit shall be provided to all members of the Council, all qualified industry organizations, and to other members of the industry upon request.Amended by P.A. 093-0716, § 5, eff. 1/1/2005. P.A. 90-305, eff. 1-1-98.