§1339. Advisory Committee on Perfusion; creation

A. The Advisory Committee on Perfusion is hereby created and shall be composed of seven members appointed by the governor to assist the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners in the administration of the provisions of this Part.

B.(1) The committee shall be composed of a total of seven persons, including four persons who hold an active license to engage in the practice of perfusion in this state, and are appointed by the governor from a list of names submitted by the Louisiana Perfusion Society, or from the general perfusion community should the Louisiana Perfusion Society disband, and two physicians who are actively engaged in the practice of cardiothoracic surgery, appointed by the governor from a list of names submitted by the Louisiana Society of Thoracic Surgeons and one representative from a hospital with an active open heart program appointed by the governor from a list of names submitted by the Louisiana Hospital Association and the Metropolitan Hospital Council of New Orleans. The initial perfusionist appointees who would otherwise be required to be licensed perfusionists shall instead be individuals who have been practicing perfusion for at least five years and who are eligible under this Part for licensure as a perfusionist.

(2) The nominating organizations shall submit their lists of nominees to the governor by October 1, 2003.

C.(1) The terms of office of the initial members appointed to the board shall be three for a two-year term, two for a three-year term, and two for a four-year term. Thereafter, all members shall be appointed for four-year terms.

(2) All members shall serve until their successors are appointed or confirmed.

(3) No member shall be reappointed for a term that would cause his continuous service on the committee to be longer than eight consecutive years.

D. Upon the expiration of the term of any member or in the event of a vacancy for any reason, the appropriate nominating organization shall submit to the governor the names of two qualified persons for each vacancy to be filled.

E. A vacancy occurring on the committee for any reason shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment was made. However, members appointed to fill vacancies shall serve only for the unexpired term of their predecessors.

F. The committee shall annually elect a chairman and a vice chairman, who shall be perfusionists, and such other officers as it considers necessary to carry out the duties and functions of the committee.

G. Each member of the committee shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for travel expenses incurred in attendance at meetings of the committee and other expenses incurred on business of the committee at its direction.

Acts 2003, No. 811, §1, eff. July 1, 2003.