(1) There shall be a board of public accountancy, consisting of seven (7) members, who are qualified electors of this state; their duties, powers and qualifications are herein prescribed by this chapter. The members of the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy shall be appointed from holders of certificates issued under and by virtue of this chapter.

(2) The present members of the Mississippi State Board of Public Accountancy shall continue to serve until January 1, 1984. After January 1, 1984, the appointments to the board shall be as hereinafter provided.

The Governor shall appoint five (5) members from the congressional districts as they are presently constituted, as follows: The initial member from the First Congressional District shall be appointed for a term of one (1) year; the initial member from the Second Congressional District shall be for a term of two (2) years; the initial member from the Third Congressional District shall be appointed for a term of three (3) years; the initial member from the Fourth Congressional District shall be appointed for a term of four (4) years; the initial member from the Fifth Congressional District shall be appointed for a term of five (5) years.

The members of the board as constituted on July 1, 2007, who are appointed from Congressional Districts and whose terms have not expired shall serve the balance of their terms, after which time the membership of the board shall be appointed as follows: There shall be appointed one (1) member of the board from each of the four (4) Mississippi Congressional Districts as they currently exist. In addition, the Governor shall appoint three (3) members from the state at large. Terms for all members shall be for five (5) years. There shall be no more than two (2) of the three (3) state-at-large members of the board from any one (1) congressional district.

All terms shall begin on January 1 of the appropriate year. No member of the board shall hold any elected office. Appointments made to fill a vacancy of a term shall be made by the appointing officer within sixty (60) days after the vacancy occurs. Any person appointed to fill an unexpired term shall hold office only for and during the unexpired term of the member he succeeds.

(3) Each member of the board shall take the oath prescribed by Section 268 of the Mississippi Constitution. The board shall elect from among its membership, to serve one (1) year terms, a chairman who shall preside over meetings and a vice chairman who shall preside in the absence of the chairman or when the chairman shall be excused. A majority of the membership of the board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business. Any board member who shall not attend three (3) consecutive regular meetings of the board for reasons other than illness of said member shall be subject to removal by a majority vote of the board members.

(4) The board shall hold regular meetings and special meetings as may be necessary for the purposes of conducting such business as may be required. The board shall adopt rules and regulations governing times and places for meetings, and governing the manner of conducting its business. All meetings of the board shall be open to the public.