(a) There is created within the executive branch of state government a public body which shall be known as the State Properties Commission and which shall consist of ten members and be composed of the Governor; the Secretary of State; the director of the Office of Treasury and Fiscal Services; the state auditor; three citizens appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives for terms ending on April 1 in each odd-numbered year; and three citizens appointed by the Lieutenant Governor for terms ending on April 1 in each odd-numbered year. The term of office of the appointed members of the commission is continued until their successors are duly appointed and qualified. The Lieutenant Governor may serve as an appointed citizen member.

(b) The Governor shall be the chairperson of the commission, the state auditor shall be its vice chairperson, and the Secretary of State shall be its secretary. Six members of the commission shall constitute a quorum. No vacancy on the commission shall impair the right of the quorum to exercise the powers and perform the duties of the commission. With the sole exception of acquisitions of real property, which acquisitions shall require six affirmative votes of the membership of the commission present and voting at any meeting, the business, powers, and duties of the commission may be transacted, exercised, and performed by a majority vote of the commission members present and voting at a meeting when more than a quorum is present and voting or by a majority vote of a quorum when only a quorum is present and voting at a meeting. An abstention in voting shall be considered as that member not being present and not voting in the matter on which the vote is taken. No person may be appointed, elected, or serve on the commission who is a member of the legislative or judicial branch of government. In the event any ex officio member is determined to be in either the legislative or judicial branch of government, the General Assembly declares that it would have passed this article without such ex officio position on the commission and would have reduced the quorum and vote required of the commission on all actions accordingly.

(c) Meetings shall be held on the call of the chairman, vice-chairman, or two commission members whenever necessary to the performance of the duties of the commission. Minutes or transcripts shall be kept of all meetings of the commission and in the minutes or transcripts there shall be kept a record of the vote of each commission member on all questions, acquisitions, transactions, and all other matters coming before the commission. The secretary shall give or cause to be given to each commission member, not less than three days prior to the meeting, written notice of the date, time, and place of each meeting of the commission.

(d) The commission shall adopt a seal for its use and may adopt bylaws for its internal government and procedures.

(e) Members of the commission who are also state officials shall receive only their traveling and other actual expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties as commission members. Citizen members shall receive the same expense allowance per day as that received by a member of the General Assembly for each day any such member of the commission is in attendance at a meeting or carrying out official duties of the commission inside or outside the state, plus reimbursement for actual transportation costs while traveling by public carrier or the legal mileage rate for the use of a personal automobile inside or outside the state while attending meetings or carrying out their official duties as members of the commission.