1. The commission shall be composed of nine members who are residents of the state of Missouri. Two of the commissioners shall be members of the senate appointed by the president pro tem of the senate, two shall be members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, and five shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. No two committee members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives or appointed by the president pro tem of the senate shall be members of the same political party, and no more than three of the members appointed by the governor shall be members of the same political party. All members, other than legislative members, shall reside in counties which are adjacent to the Mississippi River. To the extent practicable, legislative members shall represent counties which are adjacent to the Mississippi River. The director of the department of transportation or the director’s designee; the director of the division of tourism of the department of economic development or the director’s designee; the director of the department of conservation or the director’s designee; the director of the division of state parks of the department of natural resources or the director’s designee; the director of the department of agriculture or the director’s designee and the director of the department of economic development or the director’s designee shall be ex officio members in addition to the nine members provided. Nothing in this section shall be construed to mandate the attendance of any ex officio members to any commission meeting or commission-related function. All costs associated with travel of any ex officio member to any commission meeting or any commission-related function shall be paid from the existing budget of the department represented by the ex officio member. No funds of the Mississippi River Parkway Commission shall be used to pay the costs associated with such travel by any ex officio member.

2. Commission members serving on August 28, 1996, shall continue to serve the remainder of their term. The first two terms to expire shall be filled by one appointment by the speaker of the house of representatives and one by the president pro tem of the senate. The speaker of the house of representatives and president pro tem of the senate shall each appoint one other member after August 28, 1996. The governor shall fill the remaining five positions on the commission as their terms expire. The term of each member appointed by the governor after August 28, 1996, shall be five years. Legislative members shall serve during their term of office as a member of the general assembly or five years, whichever is shorter. A chairperson shall be chosen from the membership for a two-year term during the first regular meeting of the commission in odd-numbered years; however, no member of the general assembly shall serve as chairperson of the commission. All members shall serve until their successors are appointed and qualified. Vacancies on the commission shall be filled in the same manner and by the same appointing authority as the original appointment. The national commission shall be notified of all such appointments, and shall be given the names and addresses of the appointed members.

3. The governor may remove any member appointed by the governor for cause or for continued nonfeasance.

4. The members of the commission shall not receive any compensation for their services but shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties as members of the commission from moneys appropriated therefor from general revenue.

5. The commission shall be assigned to the department of transportation. No staff or personnel shall be hired, employed, or contracted for by the commission, but the department of transportation may provide such staff services as may be necessary for the commission.