(a) Each regional board shall establish policy and direction for disability services planning, delivery, and evaluation, including outcome evaluation, within the region, and shall perform such other functions as may be provided or authorized by law.

(b) Membership on the regional board within an established region shall be determined as follows:

(1) Each county with a population of 50,000 or less according to the United States decennial census of 1990 or any future such census shall appoint one member to the board;

(2) Each county with a population of more than 50,000 according to the United States decennial census of 1990 or any future such census shall appoint one member for each population increment of 50,000 or any portion thereof;

(3) The appointment or appointments for each county shall be made by the county governing authority; and

(4) The county governing authority shall appoint a consumer of disability services, a family member of a consumer, an advocate for disability services, or a local leader or businessperson with an interest in mental health, mental retardation, and substance abuse; provided, however, that for counties with more than one appointment, the county governing authority shall seek to ensure that such appointments represent various groups and disability services.

(b.1) A county governing authority may appoint the school superintendent, a member of the board of health, a member of the board of education, or any other elected or appointed official to serve on the regional board provided that such person meets the qualifications of paragraph (4) of subsection (b) of this Code section, such person does not serve on the community service board, and such appointment does not violate the provisions of Chapter 10 of Title 45.

(b.2)(1) A person shall not be eligible to be appointed to or serve on a community service board if such person is:

(A) A member of the regional board which serves the region in which that community service board is included; or

(B) An employee of that community service board or employee or board member of any private or public group, organization, or service provider which contracts with or receives funds from that community service board.

(2) A person shall not be eligible to be appointed to or serve on a community service board if such person's spouse, parent, child, or sibling is a member of that community service board or a member, employee, or board member specified in subparagraph (A) or (B) of paragraph (1) of this subsection. With respect to appointments by the same county governing authority, no person who has served a full term or more on a community service board may be appointed to a regional board until a period of at least two years have passed since the time such person served on the community service board, and no person who has served a full term or more on a regional board may be appointed to a community service board until a period of at least two years have passed since the time such person served on the regional board.

(c) In making appointments to the regional board, the various county governing authorities shall ensure that appointments are reflective of the cultural and social characteristics, including gender, race, ethnic, and age characteristics, of the regional and county populations. The county governing authorities are further encouraged to ensure that each disability group is viably represented on the regional board, and in so doing the county governing authority may consider suggestions for appointments from clinical professional associations as well as advocacy groups, including but not limited to the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network, the Georgia Parent Support Network, the Georgia Alliance for the Mentally Ill, the American Association for Retired Persons, Georgians for Children, the Association for Retarded Citizens, the Mental Health Association of Georgia, the Georgia Network for People with Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities, the Georgia Association for the Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse, and their local chapters and affiliates.

(d) Initial appointments to the regional board shall be made by August 1, 1993. Initial terms of the regional board shall be established in bylaws adopted pursuant to paragraph (e) of this Code section. Thereafter, the term of a member of the board shall be for a period of three years and until the member's successor is appointed and qualified. A member may serve no more than two consecutive terms. The term of a regional board member shall terminate upon resignation, death, or inability to serve due to medical infirmity or other incapacity, or such other reasonable condition as the regional board may impose under their bylaws. Vacancies on the board shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.

(e) Prior to December 31, 1993, each regional board shall adopt bylaws governing its operation and management. At a minimum, the bylaws shall provide for staggered initial terms of the initial board, requirements for an annual meeting to elect officers, a mechanism for ensuring that consumers of disability services and family members of consumers constitute at least approximately one-half of the appointments to the board, and a mechanism for ensuring that each disability service is equitably represented by appointments to the board. Any board member who serves an initial term of less than three years may be eligible to be reappointed for two full consecutive three-year terms. The chair and vice chair of the regional board shall be elected from among the members of the board, to serve a term of one year with the option of reelection for an additional one-year term. The bylaws shall provide for any other officers and their means of selection, as well as any necessary committees or subcommittees of the board. The bylaws may also provide for the appointment by the regional board of an advisory committee or advisory committees to work with the regional board in addressing various issues. Prior to their adoption by the regional board, the bylaws shall be submitted to the division for review and approval. The regional board must have the written approval of the director of the division prior to the adoption of bylaws.

(f) The regional board shall meet not less than once every two months, beginning on July 1 and continuing through the next June 30, which time frame shall be the fiscal year for each regional board.

(g) Each member of the regional board may, upon regional board approval, receive reimbursement for actual expenses not to exceed the per diem allowed legislative members of interim study committees of the General Assembly and the same mileage allowance for use of a personal car as that received by all other state officials and employees or a travel allowance of actual transportation cost if traveling by public carrier.

(h) Each regional board which is composed of members who are appointed thereto by the governing authority of only one county shall have a minimum of six members, notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (b) of this Code section, which members shall in all other respects be appointed as provided in this Code section.