(a) The Board of Social Work Examiners (“Board”) consists of 7 members who are appointed by the Governor and meet the following qualifications:

(1) a. Four professional members, consisting of 2 licensed clinical social workers and 2 at-large professional members who may be baccalaureate social workers, master’s social workers, or licensed clinical social workers.

b. Three public members who are accessible to inquiries, comments, and suggestions from the general public and are not, nor have ever been, any of the following:

1. A social worker or a member of the immediate family of a social worker.

2. Employed by a social work agency.

3. Holder of a material financial interest in the providing of goods and services to social workers.

4. Engaged in an activity directly related to social work.

(b) Each member is appointed for a period of 3 years, and may serve 1 additional term. Each term of office expires on the date specified in the appointment; however, a member remains eligible to participate in Board proceedings until the Governor replaces that member.

(c) An individual who has served on the Board for 6 years may not be appointed to the Board again until the expiration of an interim period of at least 3 years since the individual last served.

(d) The Governor may suspend or remove a member for misfeasance, nonfeasance, malfeasance, or neglect of duty.

(1) A member is deemed in neglect of duty if the member is absent from 3 consecutive Board meetings without good cause or fails to attend at least 50% of all regular Board meetings in a calendar year.

(2) A member who is deemed in neglect of duty is considered to have resigned.

(3) A member subject to disciplinary proceedings is disqualified from Board business until the charge is adjudicated, or the matter is otherwise concluded.

(4) A member may appeal any suspension or removal to the Superior Court.

(e) A member while serving on the Board may not be a president, chair, or other elected official of a professional association for social workers other than the Board.

(f) The provisions set forth for employees in Chapter 58 of Title 29, apply to all members and agents that the Board appoints or otherwise employs.

(g) Each member of the Board shall be reimbursed for all expenses involved in each meeting, including travel, and in addition shall receive compensation per meeting attended in an amount determined by the Division in accordance with Del. Const. art. III, § 9.

(h) An act or vote by an individual appointed in violation of this section is invalid. An amendment or revision of this chapter is not sufficient cause for an appointment or attempted appointment in violation of subsection (e) of this section, unless the amendment or revision amends this chapter to permit such an appointment.

63 Del. Laws, c. 462, § 2; 65 Del. Laws, c. 282, § 1; 67 Del. Laws, c. 368, § 25; 70 Del. Laws, c. 143, § 1; 70 Del. Laws, c. 186, § 1; 81 Del. Laws, c. 85, § 22; 81 Del. Laws, c. 263, § 5.