A. The governor shall appoint, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, three citizens who shall form the Board of Examiners for New Orleans and Baton Rouge Steamship Pilots for the Mississippi River from the port of New Orleans to and including the port of Baton Rouge and intermediate ports. When an examiner vacancy occurs on the board, the board shall make a recommendation to the governor to fill the vacancy. The board shall recommend only those pilots who have served at least five years as an unrestricted Louisiana state commissioned New Orleans and Baton Rouge Steamship Pilot. The examiners shall continue in office until their successors are appointed and qualified. Appointments shall be exclusively made from the pilots commissioned by virtue of this Part. The governor, in appointing the examiners, shall designate the president of the board. The examiners shall be removable by the governor for cause, and shall qualify by taking an oath of office.

            B. The board of examiners shall report immediately to the governor all cases of neglect of duty, habitual drunkenness, and gross violations of its rules. The governor shall, thereupon, refer the same for investigation to the board of examiners, the members of which shall sit as investigators and report their findings to the governor, recommending, if justified, a penalty. Whereupon, the governor may remove, suspend, or reprimand in his discretion.

            Amended by Acts 1988, No. 418, §1, eff. July 10, 1988; Acts 2015, No. 18, §1, eff. May 26, 2015.