(a) An AAE is not automatically exempt from any of the requirements that govern State Commissions. However, there are three specific State Commission requirements which the Corporation may waive if a State can demonstrate that one or more of them is impossible or unreasonable to meet. If the Corporation waives a State Commission requirement for a State entity, that State entity is, de facto, an AAE. The three criteria which may be waived for an AAE are as follows:
(1) The requirement that a State's chief executive officer appoint the members of a State Commission. If a State can offer a compelling reason why some or all of the State Commission members should be appointed by the State legislature or by some other appropriate means, the Corporation may grant a waiver.
(2) The requirement that a State Commission have 15-25 members. If a State compellingly demonstrates why its commission should have a larger number of members, the Corporation may grant a waiver.
(3) The requirement that not more than 50% plus one of the State Commission's voting members be from the same political party. This requirement was established to prevent State Commissions from being politically motivated or controlled; however, in some States it is illegal to require prospective members to provide information about political party affiliation. For this or another compelling reason, the Corporation may grant a waiver.
(b) Again, any time the Corporation grants one or more of these waivers for a State entity, that entity becomes an AAE; in all other respects an AAE is the same as a State Commission, having the same requirements, rights, duties and responsibilities.