(a) For purposes of this section, the association membership shall be divided into three subsets:

(1) The first subset shall consist of the telephone companies owned and operated by the seven Regional Bell Holding Companies;

(2) The second subset shall consist of all other telephone companies with annual operating revenues in excess of forty million dollars;

(3) The third subset shall consist of all other telephone companies. All commonly controlled companies shall be deemed to be one company for purposes of this section.

(b) There shall be fifteen directors of the association.

(c) Two directors shall represent the first subset, two directors shall represent the second subset, six directors shall represent the third subset, and five directors shall represent all three subsets.

(d) No director who represents all three subsets shall be a current or former officer or employee of the association or of any association member, or have a business relationship or other interest that could interfere with his or her exercise of independent judgment.

(e) Each subset of the association membership shall select the directors who will represent it through elections in which each member of the subset shall be entitled to one vote for each director position within that subset.

(f) The association membership shall select the directors who will represent all three subsets through an election in which each member of the association shall be entitled to one vote for each director position. No director representing all three subsets may serve for more than six consecutive calendar years without standing for an election in which that director is opposed by at least one other candidate meeting the qualifications in paragraph (d) of this section.

(g) At least one director representing all three subsets shall be a member of each committee of association directors.

(h) For each access element or group of access elements for which voluntary pooling is permitted, there shall be a committee that is responsible for the preparation of charges for the associated access elements that comply with all applicable sections in this part.

[60 FR 19530, Apr. 19, 1995, as amended at 68 FR 46502, Aug. 6, 2003]