There shall be a natural area reserves system commission, hereinafter called the “commission”. The commission shall consist of thirteen members who shall be appointed in the manner and serve for the term set in § 26-34. Six of the members of the commission shall be persons possessing scientific qualifications as evidenced by an academic degree in wildlife or marine biology, botany, forestry, ecology, resource management, biogeography, zoology, or geology; one member shall be a person possessing membership in a hiking organization organized in the State; one member shall be a person possessing membership in a hunting organization organized in the State; and one member shall be a person possessing a background in native Hawaiian traditional and customary practices. The chairperson of the board of land and natural resources, the director of the office of planning and sustainable development, the chairperson of the board of agriculture and the president of the University of Hawaii, or their designated representatives, shall serve as ex officio[,] voting members. The governor shall appoint the chairperson from one of the appointed members of the commission. The members shall receive no compensation for their services on the commission but shall be entitled to reimbursement for necessary expenses while attending meetings and while in the discharge of their duties.

The commission shall be a part of the department for administrative purposes as provided in § 26-35.

Any action taken by the commission shall be by a simple majority of its members. Seven members of the commission shall constitute a quorum to do business.

The commission may engage employees necessary to perform its duties, including administrative personnel, as provided by § 26-35.

The commission shall adopt rules guiding its conduct and shall maintain a record of its activities and actions.