There is hereby created a continuing legislative committee to be known as the Legislative Council of the State of Alabama.

In addition to any and all other provisions of law relating to the membership of the Legislative Council, such membership shall be increased to include the Chairman of the Senate Rules Committee and the Chairman of the House Rules Committee, and the Chairman of the House Local Government Committee, and the Chairman of the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee. Each such member shall be entitled to any and all other benefits, privileges, powers and rights with the same obligations and duties as provided by law for all other members.

The Legislative Council shall consist of the President and President Pro Tempore of the Senate, six members of the Senate elected by the Senate, the Speaker and Speaker Pro Tempore of the House of Representatives, six members of the House of Representatives elected by the House of Representatives, the chairs of the Senate's standing committees on finance and taxation and on the judiciary and the chairs of the standing committees on ways and means and on the judiciary of the House. If the Speaker of the House, Speaker Pro Tempore, or President Pro Tempore is also the chair of one of these standing committees, then the vice-chair of the committee shall serve on the council in the place of the chair.

In addition, the majority and minority leaders of the Senate and the majority and minority leaders of the House shall be members of the Legislative Council. The majority and minority leaders of the House and the majority and minority leaders of the Senate may designate a member of their house to serve on the Legislative Council in their place for a one-year term. The designation shall be in writing to the Chair of the Legislative Council and the Speaker of the House, in the case of the majority or minority leader of the House, or the Lieutenant Governor, in the case of the majority or minority leader of the Senate.

The President and President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker and Speaker Pro Tempore of the House of Representatives and any chair of a standing committee who, under this section and Section 29-6-2.1, is a member of the Legislative Council by virtue of holding such chair, may designate a member of his or her house to serve in his or her place on the Legislative Council for a one-year term. The designation shall be in writing to the Chair of the Legislative Council, and the Lieutenant Governor as to Senate members or the Speaker of the House of Representative as to House members.

Additionally, any current House member who has served at least 24 years and is not appointed to any standing committee during the quadrennium shall also be a member of the Legislative Council for that quadrennium, and, in such an event, one additional member of the Senate shall serve on the Legislative Council for that same quadrennium, who shall be appointed by the Senate Committee on Assignments or the successor of this committee.

The House and Senate members shall be elected at the 1975 Regular Session of the Legislature, and at the regular session held every four years thereafter. Members of the Legislative Council, whether elected or holding membership by virtue of office, position, tenure, or chairmanship, may serve on the Legislative Council during the term in which elected, appointed, or qualified and, if reelected to the same house without a break in service to that house, during the succeeding legislative term until a successor on the Legislative Council is elected or qualified as provided by law. The Legislative Council may make temporary appointments to fill vacancies in its membership.

Within 10 days after the whole membership of the Legislative Council is named, it shall convene at a place and time designated by the President of the Senate in written notice given to each member at least five days in advance to select a chairman and vice-chairman from the membership. The Legislative Council shall meet thereafter at the request of the chairman or as its members shall determine, in both cases upon written notice by the secretary at least five days in advance; provided, that the Legislative Council shall meet at least once each three months. Decisions of the membership in the name of the Legislative Council may be made by a majority of members present and voting at any meeting, provided a quorum is in attendance. A quorum shall consist of a total of any nine members who are representatives of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Members of the Legislative Council shall receive the same compensation and expenses for attendance of each meeting of the council or of any committee thereof as do members of the Legislature for attendance at sessions of the Legislature or for attendance of interim legislative committee or subcommittee meetings, based upon the rates of payment that are greater. Additionally, members of the Legislative Council, for attendance of a meeting of the council, shall receive a mileage allowance based on the mileage rate allowed by the Internal Revenue Code for income tax deductions per mile in lieu of actual expenses for transportation. For attendances at conferences and meetings outside the State of Alabama on Legislative Council business, the members shall receive the same compensation as do members of the Legislature, and actual, necessary expenses and transportation expenses. All such compensation and expenses authorized by this section shall be paid from funds appropriated to the use of the Legislative Council.

The Director of the Legislative Reference Service shall serve as Secretary of the Legislative Council without salary other than his compensation as Director of the Legislative Reference Service.

(a) The duties and powers of the Legislative Council shall be the following:

(1) It shall suggest research studies to the Legislative Reference Service and shall set, when requested by the Director of the Legislative Reference Service, as limited by subdivision (1) of Section 29-7-6, the detailed order of undertaking requests for assistance received by the Legislative Reference Service, and it shall receive reports at such times as it may require, not less than each three months, on work performed by the Legislative Reference Service.

(2) It shall examine or cause to be examined the effects of constitutional provisions and statutes of the State of Alabama and the effectiveness of operation of state and local government in Alabama.

(3) It shall prepare suggestions for legislation, in the form of bills or otherwise, which in its opinion the welfare of the State of Alabama demands, and it shall submit these suggestions to the Legislature at each session.

(4) It shall report at each session of the Legislature the activities and accomplishments of the Legislative Reference Service and the Legislative Council.

(b) The Legislative Reference Service shall serve the Legislative Council as its research, reporting and bill-drafting agency.

This chapter shall be liberally construed.