(a) By and with the advice and consent of the Senate, the Governor shall appoint the members of the boards.
(b) The term of office for each member shall commence January 15 and shall end on January 14 of the fifth or seventh year, as the number of years the full term may be, following the year in which the term commenced. The terms shall be arranged so that the term of one (1) member of each board shall expire each year.
(c)
(1) Within twenty (20) days after the convening of the General Assembly in a regular session or a fiscal session, the Governor shall submit to the Senate for confirmation the names of those board members and appointees who are by law required to be confirmed by the Senate.
(2) However, the names of appointees to fill vacancies which occur after the first twenty (20) days of the session of the General Assembly, but prior to the adjournment thereof, shall be submitted within five (5) days from the date of each vacancy.
(3) In the event of rejection by the Senate of an appointee whose name has been so submitted, the Governor shall submit the name of another appointee to fill the vacancy within ten (10) days after receipt of written notice from the Secretary of the Senate of the rejection.
(4) In the event the Governor within the time herein required should fail to appoint or fail to submit to the Senate for confirmation the name of any appointee, then the office shall be vacant, and the Senate shall proceed to fill the vacancy by an appointee of its own choice.
(d) Any vacancies arising in the membership of the boards for any reason other than the expiration of the regular terms for which the members were appointed shall be filled by the appointment of the Governor, subject to the approval by a majority of the remaining members of the respective boards and shall be thereafter effective until the expiration of the regular terms.
(e) The Secretary of State shall furnish a certificate to each board member within ten (10) days following appointment, whereupon the appointee shall notify the Governor and the Secretary of State in writing of his or her acceptance of the appointment within thirty (30) days. If the appointee shall fail to give notice of his or her acceptance within the time required, then the appointment shall be declared void and another appointment shall be made.