(a) Establishment.--There is hereby established the State Board of Crane Operators within the department.

(b) Composition.--The board shall consist of the following:

(c) Meeting.--The board shall meet within 30 days after the appointment of the initial members and shall:

(d) Term of membership.--Professional and public members shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. Professional and public members shall be citizens of the United States and residents of this Commonwealth. Except as provided in subsection (e), professional and public members shall serve a term of four years or until a successor has been appointed and qualified but in no event longer than six months beyond the four-year period. In the event that a member dies or resigns or otherwise is disqualified during the term of office, a successor shall be appointed in the same way and with the same qualifications and shall hold office for an unexpired term. A professional or public member shall not be eligible to hold more than two consecutive terms.

(e) Initial appointments.--For professional and public members first appointed to the board pursuant to this act, the term of office shall be as follows:

(f) Professional members and initial appointments.--A professional member initially appointed to the board pursuant to this act need not be licensed at the time of appointment but at the time of appointment must have satisfied eligibility requirements for licensure, including holding current certification, as a crane operator as provided in this act.

(g) Quorum.--A majority of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum. Except for temporary and automatic suspensions under section 705,¹ a member may not be counted as part of a quorum or vote on any issue unless the member is physically in attendance at the meeting.

(h) Chairperson.--The board shall select annually a chairperson from among its members.

(i) Expenses.--With the exception of the commissioner, each member of the board shall receive $60 per diem when actually attending to the work of the board. A member shall also receive the amount of reasonable traveling, hotel and other necessary expenses incurred in the performance of the member's duties in accordance with Commonwealth regulations.

(j) Forfeiture.--A professional or public member who fails to attend three consecutive meetings 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 the death of a family member.

(k) Training seminars.--A public member who fails to attend two consecutive statutorily mandated training seminars in accordance with section 813(e) of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L. 177, No. 175),² known as The Administrative Code of 1929, shall forfeit the member's seat unless the commissioner, upon written request from the public member, finds that the public member should be excused from a meeting because of illness or the death of a family member.

(l) Frequency of meetings.--The board shall meet at least four times a year in the City of Harrisburg and at such additional times as may be necessary to conduct the business of the board.