(a) Board created.--There is hereby created a departmental administrative board to be known as the State Board of Examiners in Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology which shall be in the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs of the Department of State. It shall consist of eight members, seven of whom shall be appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of a majority of the members elected to the Senate, who shall be residents of Pennsylvania for a three-year period immediately prior to appointment. The Commissioner of Professional and Occupational Affairs shall serve in his official capacity as the eighth member of the board.

(b) Vacancies.--When the term of each appointed member of the board ends, the Governor shall appoint his successor for a term of three years, by and with the advice and consent of a majority of the members elected to the Senate. Any appointive vacancy occurring on the board shall be filled by the Governor by appointment for the unexpired term, by and with the advice and consent of a majority of the members elected to the Senate. Board members shall continue to serve until their successors are appointed and qualified but not longer than six months beyond the three-year period.

(c) Qualifications of board.--The board shall consist of the Commissioner of the Bureau of Professional and Occupational Affairs, one member who at the time of appointment is engaged in rendering professional services in speech-language pathology, one member who at the time of appointment is engaged in rendering professional services in audiology, two members at large who are either speech-language pathologists or audiologists, however, each profession shall not be represented by more than two board members, one member who is a physician licensed to practice medicine in this Commonwealth who specializes in otolaryngology, and two members of the public appointed by the Governor from nominations submitted by the governing boards of groups advocating for the welfare of the speech-language and hearing handicapped. Of the initial members, the speech-language pathologists and audiologists shall possess the necessary qualifications for licensure under this act. Thereafter, the members of the board who are speech-language pathologists and audiologists shall be licensed under this act. No public member appointed under the provisions of this section shall be affiliated in any manner with professions or occupations providing health or corrective communications services or products to communicatively impaired persons. The public members shall be qualified pursuant to law, including section 813 of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L. 177, No. 175),¹ known as The Administrative Code of 1929. In addition, no member of the board shall at the same time be an officer or agent of any Statewide association or organization representing the professions or occupations under the jurisdiction of this board.

(d) Reappointment.--A member of the board shall be eligible for reappointment. A member shall not be appointed to serve more than two consecutive terms.

(e) Compensation; expenses.--The members of the board, other than the Commissioner of Professional and Occupational Affairs, shall receive reimbursement for reasonable travel, hotel and other necessary expenses and $60 per diem when actually engaged in the performance of their official duties.

(f) Meetings of board.--The board shall hold a meeting within 150 days after the effective date of this act and annually thereafter in the month prescribed by the board and elect a chairman, vice chairman and secretary who shall be members of the board. The board shall meet at such other times as deemed necessary and advisable by the chairman or by a majority of its members. Reasonable notice of all meetings shall be given in the manner prescribed by the board. A majority of the board shall constitute a quorum at any meeting or hearing.

(g) Forfeiture.--A member of the board who fails to attend three consecutive meetings shall forfeit his seat unless the Commissioner of Professional and Occupational Affairs, upon written request from the member, finds that the member should be excused from a meeting because of illness or the death of an immediate family member.