§ 421. Boards of visitors; officers; meetings. 1. The board of visitors of a hospital in the department shall elect a chairman from among its members.

2. (a) The board of visitors of each hospital in the department, other than the institute for the study of malignant diseases, shall hold regular meetings at least once every three months throughout the year, and cause to be typewritten within ten days after each such meeting, the minutes and proceedings of such meeting, and cause a copy thereof, to be sent forthwith to each member of the board of visitors, to the commissioner and to the governor.

(b) The board of visitors of the state institute for the study of malignant diseases shall meet quarterly to consider the affairs of the institute and at the last quarterly meeting in a calendar year shall prepare and transmit to the commissioner, a report of the work of the institute for the twelve months preceding such meeting.

(c) The board of visitors of each hospital in the department may meet at any time on call of the chairman.

3. Members of a board of visitors who fail to attend meetings of the board at least twice in each calendar year shall be deemed to have vacated their membership in such board of visitors, whereupon the governor shall fill the vacancies so created as provided by this chapter, unless the absence of such visitors shall be excused by the governor.