A. There is hereby created in the Louisiana Department of Health the Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselors Board of Examiners, hereafter referred to as the “board”, consisting of eleven members who shall be residents of the state of Louisiana. Each term shall be for four years. Seven appointments to the board, including one consumer from the public at large, shall be made by the governor from a list of qualified candidates submitted by the executive board of the Louisiana Counseling Association. The consumer member may also apply directly to the office of the governor. Four appointments to the board shall be made by the governor from a list of qualified candidates submitted by the executive board of the Louisiana Association for Marriage and Family Therapy. Each appointment by the governor shall be submitted to the Senate for confirmation. The governor shall ensure that his appointments demonstrate race, gender, ethnic, and geographical diversity.

            B.(1)(a) The membership of the board shall consist of three licensed professional counselors, three educators who are licensed professional counselors and whose function is the training of mental health counselors in accredited programs, four licensed marriage and family therapists, and one consumer from the public at large. The professional membership of the board shall be licensed under this Chapter. The board shall perform such duties and exercise such powers as this Chapter prescribes and confers upon it. No member of the board shall be liable in any civil action for any act performed in good faith in the execution of his duties under this Chapter.

            (b)(i) The consumer member shall be appointed from the state at large and appointed by the governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate. The consumer member of the board shall possess all of the following qualifications:

            (aa) Is a citizen of the United States and has been a resident of Louisiana for at least one year immediately prior to appointment.

            (bb) Has attained the age of majority.

            (cc) Has never been licensed by any of the licensing boards identified in La. Rev. Stat. 36:259(A), nor shall he have a spouse who has ever been licensed by a board identified in La. Rev. Stat. 36:259(A).

            (dd) Has never been convicted of a felony.

            (ee) Does not have and has never had a material financial interest in the healthcare profession.

            (ii) The consumer member shall be a full voting member of the board with all rights and privileges conferred on board members, except that the consumer member shall not participate in the grading of individual examinations.

            (2)(a) The board shall establish a Marriage and Family Therapy Advisory Committee, which shall consist of the four licensed marriage and family therapist board members appointed by the governor from a list of names submitted by the executive board of the Louisiana Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

            (b) The functions of the advisory committee shall be established by rules and regulations developed by the advisory committee, promulgated by the board, and approved jointly by the House and Senate Health and Welfare Committees.

            (c) The functions and duties of the advisory board may include but are not limited to the following:

            (i) Develop rules and regulations in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act as it may deem necessary to implement the provisions of this Chapter for promulgation and implementation by the board.

            (ii) Examine and qualify all applicants for licensure as marriage and family therapists and recommend to the board each successful applicant for licensure, attesting to his professional qualifications to be a marriage and family therapist.

            (iii) Develop for the board application forms for licensure pursuant to this Chapter.

            (iv) Maintain complete records of all meetings, proceedings, and hearings conducted by the advisory committee.

            C. No board member shall serve more than two full consecutive terms. Any board member may be removed by the governor or majority vote of the board, after notice and hearing, for incompetence, neglect of duty, malfeasance in office, or moral turpitude. Any vacancy occurring in board membership for the three licensed professional counselors, three counselor educators, or one member of the public at large, other than by expiration of term, shall be appointed for the remainder of the unexpired term by the governor within thirty days from a list of qualified candidates supplied by the executive board of the Louisiana Counseling Association. Any vacancy occurring in board membership for the four licensed marriage and family therapists, other than by expiration of term, shall be appointed for the remainder of the unexpired term by the governor within thirty days from a list of qualified candidates supplied by the executive board of the Louisiana Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.

            D. Each board member shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for actual travel, incidental, and clerical expenses incurred while engaged on official board business.

            E. Each board member shall take the constitutional oath of office for state officials before any officer authorized to administer oaths in this state.

            F. This board shall be financially self-sufficient. It shall receive no state funds through appropriation or otherwise and shall not expend any such state funds. No state funds shall be expended or committed to expenditure for the group benefits program or any other health insurance or employee benefit program, for any retirement system, for any salary, per diem payment, travel or expenses, office supplies and materials, rent, purchase of any product or service, or for any other purpose.

            Acts 1987, No. 892, §1, eff. July 20, 1987; Acts 1988, No. 225, §1; Acts 1995, No. 1301, §1; Acts 2001, No. 1195, §1; Acts 2003, No. 1139, §§1 and 2; Acts 2010, No. 613, §1; Acts 2018, No. 515, §2.