Section 52-5-601 - Creation - Members - Appointment and removal - Terms(a) There is created the statewide planning and policy council for the department to assist in planning a comprehensive array of high-quality prevention, early intervention, treatment, and habilitation services and supports and to advise the department on policy, budget requests, and developing and evaluating services and supports.(b)(1) The statewide planning and policy council must be composed of not less than eleven (11) members, not including ex officio members. The governor shall appoint the chair of the council. The speaker of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives shall each appoint one (1) legislator as a member of the council. The commissioner shall serve, ex officio, as secretary to the council and, if the chair is not present at a meeting, shall designate a member to serve as chair for the meeting. The governor is an ex officio member of the council and may appoint representatives of state agencies as ex officio members of the council. The governor shall appoint one (1) at-large representative.(2) The commissioner shall appoint five (5) members, two (2) of whom must be persons supported or family members of persons supported, one (1) must be a representative for children, one (1) must be an intellectual and developmental disability service provider, and one (1) must represent others affected by intellectual and developmental disability issues. Additionally, the commissioner shall appoint one (1) representative for older persons supported and at least one (1) at-large representative.(3) At least a majority of the council's membership must consist of current or former persons supported and family members of persons supported.(c) The members of the statewide planning and policy council receive no compensation.(d) The statewide planning and policy council shall meet quarterly at a place designated by the chair and may meet more often upon the call of the chair or a majority of the members.(e) Terms on the council are three (3) years, except that the chair and members appointed by the speakers have terms of two (2) years.(f) The appointing authority may remove a member for failure to attend at least one-half (1/2) of the scheduled meetings in any one-year period or for other good cause.Added by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 688,s 2, eff. 7/1/2024.