other appropriate persons, as determined by the commission, shall be ex officio members of the commission.

in violation of the secretary’s written notice shall be without legal force or effect. The secretary, to the extent feasible, shall issue the written notice before the commission enters into a contractual relationship affecting the existing or proposed activities or functions that are the subject of the written notice.

The commission or the secretary may bring an action for judicial relief from the secretary’s written notice, or from noncompliance by the commission with the written notice, in a court of competent jurisdiction, which may issue a temporary restraining order, permanent injunction, or other applicable relief.

The commission shall reimburse the secretary for all expenditures incurred by the secretary in carrying out their duties and responsibilities under this chapter. However, a court may, if it finds that the secretary acted arbitrarily or capriciously in restricting the activities or functions of the commission, relieve the commission of the responsibility for payment of the secretary’s legal costs with regard to that action.

Except for the ex officio members of the commission board of directors, each member of the commission board of directors shall have an alternate member elected in the same manner as the member. An alternate member, in the absence of the member for whom they are an alternate, shall serve in place of the member. An alternate member may also serve in place of any other absent member of the same classification if the member’s alternate is also absent. However, an alternate member may not serve in place of more than one absent member at a meeting. An alternate member serving in place of a member shall have, and may exercise, all rights, privileges, and powers of the member when serving. In the event of death, removal, resignation, or the disqualification

of a member, the alternate for the member, or another alternate of the same classification if the alternate member for the member is absent, shall act as the member until a qualified successor is elected.

Any vacancy on the commission board of directors, including, but not limited to, the failure of any person elected or appointed to the commission board of directors as a member or alternate member to continue in their position due to a change in status making them ineligible to serve, or due to death, removal, or resignation, shall be filled by the election of another person, or appointment in the case of a public member, for the unexpired portion of the term, with elected positions to be filled by a majority vote of the commission board of directors. However, the person elected or appointed shall fulfill all the qualifications set forth in this article as required for the office they are to occupy. The qualifications of any person to fill a

vacancy shall be certified in writing to the secretary. The secretary shall notify the commission if the secretary determines that the person is not qualified.

A grower member and their alternate on the commission board of directors shall be an individual, partner, or employee of a grower who has a financial interest in cultivating agave, or causing agave to be cultivated. The grower member and their alternate shall comply with this section during the entire term of their office in order to remain on the commission board of directors.

A processor member and their alternate on the commission board of directors shall be an individual, partner, or employee of a processor who has a financial interest in processing agave, or causing agave to be processed. The processor member and their alternate shall comply with this section during the entire term of their office in order to remain on the commission board of directors.

The public member and their alternate on the commission board of directors shall have all the powers, rights, and privileges of any other member on the commission board of directors. The public member shall not have any financial interest in the cultivating or processing of agave or the marketing of agave products but may be an individual who provides services to individuals who do have a financial interest. The public member and their alternate shall comply with this section during the entire term of their office.

The commission may sue and be sued and enter into contracts. Copies of its proceedings, records, and acts, when authenticated, shall be admissible in evidence in all courts of the state, and shall be prima facie evidence of the truth of all statements within the proceedings, records, and acts.

A quorum of the commission board of directors is a majority of the members authorized to vote. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, the vote of a majority of these members present at a meeting at which there is a quorum shall constitute an act of the commission.

The secretary or their representatives shall be notified and may attend each meeting of the commission board of directors and any meetings of a committee established by the commission, except the secretary is not authorized to attend an executive session of the commission board of directors called for the purpose of discussing potential or actual litigation against the department.

A member of the commission board of directors or of any committee established by the commission, shall not receive a salary. Except for ex officio government members, members and alternates may receive reasonable and necessary traveling expenses and meal allowances, as established by the commission board of directors, for each day spent in actual attendance at, or in traveling to and from, meetings of the commission or committees of the commission, or on special assignment for the commission.

If the secretary is required to concur in a decision of the commission, the secretary shall indicate their response within 15 working days from notification of the decision. The response may be a request that additional information be provided.

All moneys received by a person from assessments levied under the authority of this chapter or otherwise received by the commission shall be deposited into banks designated by the commission board of directors and shall be disbursed by order of the commission board of directors through an agent or agents designated for that purpose. Any authorized agent or agents shall be bonded by a fidelity bond, executed by a surety company authorized to transact business in the state, in favor of the commission, in the amount of not less than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000).

The state shall not be liable for the acts of the commission or its contracts. Payments of all claims arising by reason of the administration of this chapter or acts of the commission shall be limited to the funds collected by the commission. Members and alternate members of the commission board of directors, employees, and agents of the commission shall not be personally liable for the contracts of the commission, and members and alternate members of the commission board of directors and employees of the commission shall not be responsible individually in any way to a grower, processor, or any other person for error in judgment, mistakes, or other acts, either of commission or omission, as principal, agent, or employee, except for their own individual

acts of dishonesty or crime. Members and alternate members of the commission board of directors shall not be held responsible individually for any act or omission of any other member or alternate member. The liability of the members and alternate members of the commission board of directors shall be several and not joint, and a member or alternate member shall not be liable for the default of any other member or alternate member.