(a) There is established the Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology within the Department of Health.
(b)
(1)
(A) The board shall be composed of seven (7) members appointed by the Governor to three-year terms.
(B) The members of the board shall be residents of this state for at least two (2) years immediately preceding their appointments.
(2)
(A)
(i) Five (5) members of the board shall be appointed by the Governor after consulting the Arkansas Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Inc., the American Academy of Audiology, and other professional groups or individuals and subject to confirmation by the Senate.
(ii) The Governor shall appoint a new member of the board if a vacancy occurs.
(B) The board shall have the following professional members:
(i) Two (2) speech-language pathologists;
(ii) Two (2) audiologists; and
(iii) A fifth member who shall be either a speech-language pathologist or an audiologist.
(C) There shall be one (1) consumer member who shall not be actively engaged in the practice of speech-language pathology or audiology.
(3)
(A) One (1) member of the board shall represent the elderly.
(B) The representative of the elderly shall:
(i) Be sixty (60) years of age or older;
(ii) Not be actively engaged in or retired from the practice of speech-language pathology or audiology;
(iii) Be appointed from the state at large, subject to confirmation by the Senate; and
(iv) Be a full voting member but shall not participate in the grading of examinations.
(4) The consumer representative position and the representative of the elderly position may not be filled by the same person.
(c) A person shall not be eligible to serve more than two (2) full consecutive terms.
(d) Board members may receive expense reimbursement in accordance with § 25-16-901 et seq.