(a) There is hereby created a departmental administrative board to be known as the State Board of Occupational Therapy Education and Licensure which shall be in the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs of the Department of State. It shall consist of seven members, all of whom shall be residents of Pennsylvania and two of whom shall be chosen as representatives of the public interest. The remaining five members shall be occupational therapists licensed to practice in the commonwealth, except that the first appointments shall be qualified to receive licensure under the terms of this act, provided they have had at least five years working experience in Pennsylvania as occupational therapists immediately preceding appointment. The occupational therapist members of the board should be chosen so they are geographically representative.

(b) The Governor shall appoint the members to serve on the board. The commissioner shall serve as an ex officio member of the board. In appointing persons to fill vacancies in the five board positions designated to be held by licensed occupational therapists, the Governor should select occupational therapists who reside in different regions of the Commonwealth in an effort to provide Statewide representation of occupational therapists. The Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association shall submit a list of names and addresses of qualified occupational therapists willing to serve on the State Board of Occupational Therapy Education and Licensure for the Governor's consideration prior to the making of an appointment to fill such a vacancy.

(c) The term of office of a member shall be three years, except that of the occupational therapist members of the board first appointed, two shall serve terms of three years, two shall serve terms of two years and one shall serve a term of one year. A member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring otherwise than by expiration of a term shall be appointed for the remainder of the unexpired term.

(d) A member of the board shall be eligible for reappointment. A member shall not be appointed to serve more than two consecutive terms. A member shall receive reimbursement for reasonable expenses incurred while engaged in the discharge of official duties, as well as a $30 per diem allowance.

(e) The board shall meet at least twice a year and may hold additional meetings whenever necessary, subject to the approval of the commissioner, to discharge its duties. The location of the meetings shall be determined by the board, subject to the approval of the commissioner, but shall be within the Commonwealth.

(f) A member who fails to attend three meetings in 18 months shall forfeit the member's seat unless the commissioner, upon written request from the member, finds that the member should be excused from a meeting because of illness or death of a family member.