A. There is hereby created within the Louisiana Department of Health the Louisiana Behavior Analyst Board which shall be subject to the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 36:803.

            B.(1) The board shall be comprised of seven members to include six behavior analysts and one consumer member who shall be appointed by the governor from a list of nominees submitted by the Louisiana Behavior Analysis Association, and who shall be confirmed by the Senate.

            (2)(a) The consumer member of the board shall possess all of the following qualifications:

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

            (ii) Has attained the age of majority.

            (iii) 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).

            (iv) Has never been convicted of a felony.

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

            (b) 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.

            (3) The governor shall ensure that his appointments demonstrate race, gender, ethnic, and geographical diversity. A vacancy in an unexpired term shall be filled in the manner of the original appointment for the remainder of the unexpired term.

            (4) Each member of the board shall be appointed for a term of four years. No member of the board shall serve more than two consecutive complete terms on the board.

            C. Annually, the board shall elect from among its membership a chairman and vice chairman.

            D. A majority of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of all business.

            E. The board shall meet at least quarterly. The board shall meet at the call of the chairman or at the request of at least three members.

            F. Members of the board shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for reasonable travel expenses incurred in attendance at meetings and other official business of the board.

            Acts 2013, No. 351, §2; Acts 2018, No. 206, §3; Acts 2018, No. 515, §2; Acts 2021, No. 59, §1.

            NOTE: See La. Rev. Stat. 37:3718 regarding termination date of Chapter on July 1, 2028.