(a) There is created the Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers, and Marriage and Family Therapists. The board shall consist of ten members who have been residents of this state for at least 12 months prior to taking office. The ten members shall be constituted as follows:

(1) Three members licensed in professional counseling, two of whom shall be designated at the time of their appointment to serve an initial term ending December 31, 1988, and one of whom shall be designated to serve an initial term ending December 31, 1987;

(2) Three members licensed as social workers, one of whom shall be designated at the time of appointment to serve an initial term ending December 31, 1988, the other two of whom shall be designated to serve an initial term ending December 31, 1987;

(3) Three members licensed as marriage and family therapists, two of whom shall be designated at the time of their appointment to serve an initial term ending December 31, 1987, and one of whom shall be designated to serve an initial term ending December 31, 1988; and

(4) One member who shall represent the public at large and have no professional connection with any specialty to serve an initial term ending December 31, 1988.

(b) All members of the board shall be appointed by the Governor, subject to confirmation by the Senate. Those members first appointed to the board under this chapter shall serve for initial terms of office beginning September 1, 1985. Those members of the board required to be licensed and who are first appointed to the board shall be persons who are practicing in the designated specialty at the time of appointment and who must be licensed therein as required within 12 months following their appointment.

(c) After the initial terms specified in subsection (a) of this Code section, members of the board shall take office on the first day of January immediately following the expired term of that office and shall serve for a term of three years and until the appointment and qualification of their respective successors. No member shall serve on the board more than two consecutive terms.

(d) Members of the board may be removed by the Governor, after notice and opportunity for hearing, for incompetence, neglect of duty, unprofessional conduct, or conviction of any felony.

(e) Vacancies occurring on the board, other than those caused by expiration of a term of office, shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment to the position vacated for the remainder of the unexpired term and until a successor is appointed and qualified.

(f) Any person appointed to the board when the Senate is not in regular session may serve on the board without Senate confirmation until the Senate acts upon that appointment.