§ 59-3. Members.

(a) In general.

(1) The Commission is comprised of 17 members.

(2) Of these:

(i) 16 members are appointed by the Mayor in accordance with Article IV, § 6 of the Baltimore City Charter; and

(ii) 1 member shall be the Baltimore City Comptroller or the Comptroller's designee, serving as an ex officio member.

(b) Appointed members: Qualifications.

Of the 16 members appointed by the Mayor:

(1) 1 member must be appointed from each of the 14 Council Districts;

(2) at least 1 member must be a service provider for incarcerated persons or persons with a criminal record; and

(3) at least 1 member must be a representative from a community-based organization that works with low-income communities.

(1) Each member of the City Council and the City Council President shall propose 1 candidate to the Mayor for the Mayor's consideration for appointment to the Commission.

(2) The Mayor shall consider the candidates proposed by the City Council for appointment to the Board and may nominate the candidates at the Mayor's discretion in accordance with City Charter Article IV, § 6.

(3) If the Mayor rejects a candidate proposed by the City Council, the Mayor must provide a written response to the City Council justifying why the Mayor rejected the candidate.

(d) General knowledge.

An individual who is appointed to the Commission must have a demonstrated knowledge of 1 or more of the following:

(1) the history of the resistance of people of African descent to white supremacy, enslavement, Jim Crow laws, and other examples of racial violence and discrimination;

(2) the history of the resistance of racial, ethnic, and other minority groups against discrimination, violence, and inequality;

(3) the needs of individuals returning to the community after incarceration;

(4) the impact of the disproportionate enforcement of drug laws on the quality of life experience by racial and ethnic minorities, especially people of African descent, including specialization in:

(i) the disruption of families;

(ii) exposure to the prison system;

(iii) trauma experienced as a result of community and police violence; or

(iv) another similar factor contributing to quality of life; and

(5) methods for delivering community investment that empower marginalized people to have a voice in the distribution of resources.