(a) The Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall each appoint a representative from this state to the Southern States Energy Board which is established by Article II of the compact. Each such representative shall serve at the pleasure of the appointing officer. The Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives are each authorized to appoint an alternate representative who may serve at and for such time as the regular representative shall designate and who shall have the same power and authority as the regular representative when so serving. The representative appointed by the Lieutenant Governor shall be a member of the Senate, and the representative appointed by the Speaker shall be a member of the House of Representatives.

(b) Each person appointed to represent this state on the Southern States Energy Board shall be entitled to receive the same per diem, travel expenses, and allowances for each day of service on the Southern States Energy Board as are authorized by law for members of the General Assembly. Such expenses and allowances for members of the General Assembly serving on the Southern States Energy Board shall be paid from funds appropriated to the legislative branch of government. The person representing the Governor, if a state officer or employee, shall receive such expenses and allowances out of funds appropriated to or otherwise available to the agency by which he is employed or, if he is not a state officer or employee, out of funds appropriated or otherwise available to the executive office of the Governor.