(b) The unexpired terms of members of the public service commission at the time this subsection becomes effective are continued. Upon expiration of the terms, appointments are for terms of six years, except that an appointment to fill a vacancy is for the unexpired term only. The commissioners whose terms are terminated by the provisions of this subsection are eligible for reappointment.
(c) No person while in the employ of, or holding any official relation to, any public utility subject to the provisions of this chapter or holding any stocks or bonds of a public utility subject to the provisions of this chapter or who is pecuniarily interested in a public utility subject to the provisions of this chapter may serve as a member of the commission or as an employee of the commission. Nor may any commissioner be a candidate for or hold public office or be a member of any political committee while acting as a commissioner; nor may any commissioner or employee of the commission receive any pass, free transportation or other thing of value, either directly or indirectly, from any public utility or motor carrier subject to the provisions of this chapter. In case any of the commissioners becomes a candidate for any public office or a member of any political committee, the governor shall remove him or her from office and shall appoint a new commissioner to fill the vacancy created.
(d) The salaries of members of the public service commission and the manner in which they are paid established by the prior enactment of this section are continued. Effective the first day of July, two thousand one, the annual salary of each commissioner provided in section two-a, article seven, chapter six of this code shall be paid in monthly installments from the special funds in the percentages that follow:
(1) From the public service commission fund collected under the provisions of section six, article three of this chapter, eighty percent;
(2) From the public service commission motor carrier fund collected under the provisions of section six, article six, chapter twenty-four-a of this code, seventeen percent; and
(3) From the public service commission gas pipeline safety fund collected under the provisions of section three, article five, chapter twenty-four-b of this code, three percent.
In addition to the salary provided for all commissioners in section two-a, article seven, chapter six of this code, the chairman of the commission shall receive five thousand dollars per annum to be paid in monthly installments from the public service commission fund collected under the provisions of section six, article three of this chapter.