(a) There shall be a committee for the purpose of establishing a program and procedures for the training, examination and certification of town clerks and assistant town clerks. The committee shall consist of six members, one of whom shall be from the office of the Secretary of the State, one of whom shall be from the Department of Public Health, one of whom shall be from the Office of Public Records Administration, and three of whom shall be town clerks. The Secretary of the State shall appoint the town clerk committee members and the committee member from the office of the Secretary of the State. Each of the other two committee members shall be appointed by their respective department heads. The committee members shall serve without pay and shall be appointed initially as follows: Two members for two-year terms; two members for four-year terms; and two members for six-year terms. The Secretary of the State shall initially determine the term of each member; and thereafter two committee members shall be appointed every two years for six-year terms. Said committee shall elect its own chairman and adopt rules and regulations for the training and examination of town clerks and assistant town clerks.

(b) Any person may participate in the course of training prescribed by the committee and, upon completing such training and upon successfully completing any examination or examinations prescribed by said committee, shall be recommended to the Secretary of the State as a candidate for certification as a certified Connecticut town clerk. The Secretary of the State shall certify any qualified candidate recommended by the committee as a certified Connecticut town clerk and may rescind such certificate upon a finding, by a majority of the committee, of sufficient cause as defined in rules and regulations adopted by the committee. The Secretary of the State may certify a candidate who has not completed all of the course of training prescribed by the committee provided that the committee has determined that the candidate has experience that is substantially the equivalent of all or part of the course, and provided further, that the candidate has successfully completed any examination or examinations prescribed by said committee.