(a) There is created a board to be known as the “Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling”, consisting of nine (9) members who shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate.
(b) Appointments shall be made so as to ensure that the Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling consists of citizens of the United States, residents of Arkansas, at least one (1) member of each sex, and at least one (1) member of an ethnic minority.
(c)
(1) The composition of the Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling shall include:
(A)
(i) Six (6) licensed or licensable counselors, three (3) of whom are practicing counselors and three (3) of whom are counselor educators.
(ii) The Governor shall consult the Executive Committee of the Arkansas Counseling Association and the Executive Committee of the Arkansas Mental Health Counselors Association before making an appointment under this subdivision (c)(1)(A);
(B)
(i) One (1) licensed marriage and family therapist.
(ii) The Governor shall consult the Board of Directors of the Arkansas Association for Marriage and Family Therapists before making an appointment under this subdivision (c)(1)(B);
(C) One (1) member from the general public who is not licensed or licensable and not actively engaged in or retired from the profession of counseling who shall represent consumers; and
(D)
(i) One (1) member who shall represent the elderly.
(ii) This member shall be sixty (60) years of age or older and not actively engaged in or retired from the profession of counseling.
(iii) He or she shall be appointed from the state at large subject to confirmation by the Senate and shall be a full voting member but shall not participate in the grading of examinations.
(2) The same person may not be both the consumer representative and the representative of the elderly.
(d) Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling members shall be appointed for three-year terms.
(e) Any Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling member may be removed by the Governor after written notice and a hearing for incapacity, incompetence, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office.
(f)
(1) The members shall immediately and before performing public duties take the constitutional oath of office.
(2) Each member may receive expense reimbursement in accordance with § 25-16-901 et seq., provided that the expenses shall in no case exceed funds available to the Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling.