(1) There is hereby established the Mississippi Advisory Council in Occupational Therapy under the jurisdiction of the State Board of Health.

(2) The council shall consist of five (5) members appointed by the board, four (4) of whom shall be appointed from a list of names submitted by the Mississippi Occupational Therapy Association, all of whom shall be residents of this state. The persons appointed from the list submitted by the association shall have been engaged in rendering occupational therapy services to the public, teaching or research in occupational therapy at least four (4) years immediately preceding their appointment. At least three (3) members shall be occupational therapists and one (1) member shall be either an occupational therapist or an occupational therapy assistant. These members shall at all times be holders of valid licenses for the practice of occupational therapy in this state, except for the members of the first council, who shall fulfill licensure requirements of this chapter. The remaining member shall be a member of another health profession or member of the public with an interest in the rights of the consumers of health services.

(3) Appointments made thereafter shall be for terms of three (3) years, with no person being eligible to serve more than two (2) full consecutive terms. Terms shall begin on the first day of the calendar year and end on the last day of the calendar year or until successors are appointed, except for the first appointed members, who shall serve through the last calendar day of the year in which they are appointed before commencing the term prescribed by this section.

(4) In the event of a vacancy in one (1) of the positions the association may recommend, as soon as practical, at least two (2) and not more than three (3) persons to fill that vacancy. The board shall appoint, as soon as practical, one (1) of these persons who shall fill the unexpired term. If the association does not provide a recommendation, the board shall appoint a person to the unexpired term.

(5) The council shall meet during the first month of each calendar year to select a chairperson and for other appropriate reasons. Further meetings may be convened at the call of the chairperson, or the written request of any two (2) members of the council. Three (3) members of the council shall constitute a quorum for all purposes. All meetings of the council shall be open to the public, except that the council may hold executive sessions under the Mississippi Open Meetings Law, Section 25-41-1 et seq., Mississippi Code of 1972.