(1) There is hereby established the Mississippi Council of Advisors in Acupuncture to aid the State Board of Medical Licensure in administering the provisions of this chapter.

(2) The council shall consist of three (3) persons appointed by the Executive Director of the State Medical Licensure Board to be selected from a list of six (6) nominees of the Mississippi Oriental Medicine Association. Members of the council shall either be acupuncture practitioners who are not medical, osteopathic or chiropractic doctors or surgeons, or medical doctors who are registered to practice acupuncture or qualify as an acupuncture practitioner.

(3) The initial members of the council shall be appointed by the Governor for staggered terms as follows: one (1) member shall be appointed for a term ending on July 1, 2011, and two (2) members shall be appointed for terms ending on July 1, 2012. After the expiration of the initial terms, each successor member shall be appointed for a term of three (3) years. A vacancy shall be filled by appointment by the Governor for the remainder of the unexpired term. Council members shall serve until their successors have been appointed and qualified.

(4) No council member shall serve more than two (2) consecutive full terms, and any member failing to attend three (3) consecutive meetings after proper notice has been given by the council shall automatically be removed as a council member, unless excused for reasons set forth in council regulations.

(5) The Governor may remove any member from the council for neglect of any duty required by law, for incompetence, for improper or unprofessional conduct as defined by board regulations, for conflict of interest, or for any reason that would justify the suspension or revocation of his or her license to practice acupuncture.

(6) A majority of the members of the council shall constitute a quorum to conduct business. It shall require an affirmative vote of a majority of those members present at a meeting to take any action or pass any motion. The council shall, not later than September 1, 2009, and annually thereafter in the month of July, hold a meeting and elect from its membership a chairman and vice chairman. The council shall meet at any other times as it deems necessary or advisable by the chairman, a majority of its members, or the Governor. Reasonable notice of all meetings shall be given in the manner prescribed by the Open Meetings Law (Section 25-3-41 et seq.). Members of the council are not liable to civil action for any act performed in good faith in the execution of duties as a council member.

(7) Members of the council shall be reimbursed for expenses and mileage as provided in Section 25-3-41, but shall receive no other compensation, perquisite or allowance for service on the council.

(8) The council shall report annually to the Legislature statistics regarding the number of licensees, results of the licensing examinations, and violations investigated during the previous year.