5. a. There is established in the department a New Jersey Invasive Species Council. The council shall consist of 19 members as follows:
(1) the Commissioner of Environmental Protection or the commissioner's designee, who shall serve ex-officio;
(2) the Secretary of Agriculture or the secretary's designee, who shall serve ex-officio;
(3) the State Treasurer or the treasurer's designee, who shall serve ex-officio;
(4) the Commissioner of Transportation or the commissioner's designee, who shall serve ex-officio;
(5) the Commissioner of Health, or the commissioner's designee, who shall serve ex-officio;
(6) the State Forester designated pursuant to section 17 of P.L.1983, c.324 (C.13:1L-17), who shall serve ex-officio; and
(7) 13 members of the public, appointed by the Governor no later than 60 days after the effective date of this act, as follows:
(a) two representatives from environmental organizations involved in protecting native plants and animals;
(b) two representatives from the food agricultural sector;
(c) two representatives from the landscape industry;
(d) two representatives from the nursery industry;
(e) two representatives of New Jersey higher education institutions with a demonstrated knowledge of plant or animal invasive species;
(f) one representative from a county park system;
(g) one representative involved in urban ecosystems; and
(h) one member of the general public with knowledge or experience of invasive species.
b. The council shall meet at such times and places as may be determined by its chairperson, who shall be designated by the Governor and who shall be jointly recommended by the Department of Environmental Protection and Department of Agriculture as having knowledge and expertise concerning invasive species issues. A majority of the council's authorized membership shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of council business, and action may be taken, at any council meeting, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the members present who are in good standing.
c. The council may consult with any organization, educational institution, or governmental agency, including, but not limited to, the United States Department of the Interior, the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the United States Department of Agriculture, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the National Invasive Species Council, the New Jersey Highlands Water Protection and Planning Council, the New Jersey Pinelands Commission, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority, the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference, the Delaware and Raritan Canal Commission, and the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station at Rutgers, the State University.
d. Each of the 13 members appointed by the Governor shall serve for a term of three years. Upon the expiration of an appointed member's term, the member may continue in their post and shall be deemed to be a member in good standing, until a successor is appointed, pursuant to this section, and is sworn into office. A public member in good standing may be reappointed to the council following the expiration of the member's term. A public member who is not in good standing may be removed from the council, for cause, on that basis.
e. Any vacancy in the membership of the council shall be filled, within six months after the date on which the vacancy occurs, in the same manner provided for the initial appointments.
f. Members of the council shall not be entitled to compensation but may be reimbursed for travel and other necessary expenses incurred thereby in the performance of their duties, within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available for the council's purposes.
g. The council, upon the call of the chairperson, shall hold an organizational meeting as soon as practicable following the appointment of a majority of its authorized membership pursuant to this act and shall meet at the call of the chairperson or at least on a quarterly basis thereafter.
h. The council shall develop its own rules of order.
i. The council shall establish subcommittees as appropriate to address issues such as product review, ecosystem impacts, and the conditional use of prohibited species.
j. Before issuing a formal recommendation to the departments, the council shall provide an opportunity for members of the public to provide comments on the council's draft recommendations.
k. The Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Agriculture shall provide staff support to the council, and the council shall also be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State department, board, bureau, commission, or agency as it may require and as may be available for its purposes.