(a) There is established as an independent agency of the executive branch of the government of the State of Alabama, the Alabama Board of Examiners for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology.

(b) The board shall be comprised of seven members, who shall be appointed by the Governor from names submitted to the Governor by the association. Not more than one board member from any United States Congressional District shall be appointed to serve at the same time. Those persons nominated or appointed to serve on the board shall have been engaged in rendering services to the public, or teaching, or research, or any combination of service to the public, teaching, or research, in speech-language pathology or audiology, or both for at least five years immediately preceding their appointment, and shall be citizens of this state. At least three board members shall be speech-language pathologists, at least three shall be audiologists, and one shall be a member of the consuming public or an allied professional. The six professional speech-language pathologist and audiologist board members shall at all times be holders of active and valid licenses for the practice of speech-language pathology and audiology in this state, except for the six members first appointed, who shall fulfill the requirements set forth in the appropriate provisions of Section 34-28A-21. The membership of the board shall be inclusive and reflect the racial, gender, geographic, urban/rural, and economic diversity of the state.

(c) The Governor shall appoint two board members for a term of one year, two for a term of two years, two for a term of three years, and one for a term of four years. Appointments made thereafter shall be for three-year terms, with no person being eligible to serve more than two full consecutive terms. Terms shall begin on October 1, except for the first appointee member, who shall serve through September 30 of the year in which he or she is appointed before commencing the terms provided by this subsection.

(d) The board shall meet during the month of October each year for the purposes of annual reorganization to select a chair and an executive secretary and to compile an annual report of business conducted during the previous year. Copies of the annual report shall be submitted to the Governor or his or her duly named representative and filed in the offices of the members of the board. Additionally, a report of the actions of the board shall be presented during the program of an annual meeting of the Speech and Hearing Association of Alabama. At least one additional meeting shall be held before the end of each year. Further meetings shall be convened at the call of the chair or any two board members. All meetings shall be open to the public; except, that the board may hold closed sessions to prepare, approve, grade, or administer examinations or, upon a request of an applicant who has failed an examination, to prepare a response indicating the reason for failure.

(e) Four members of the board shall constitute a quorum to do business.

(f) When a vacancy on the board occurs, the Speech and Hearing Association of Alabama shall recommend not less than three persons to fill each vacancy, and the Governor shall make his or her appointment from the persons so nominated.

(g) The Governor may remove from office any member of the board for neglect of any duty required by this chapter, for incompetency, or for unprofessional conduct.