90D-5. Creation of the Board.

(a) The North Carolina Interpreter and Transliterator Licensing Board is created.

(b) Composition and Terms. - The Board shall consist of nine members who shall serve staggered terms. The initial Board members shall be selected on or before July 1, 2003, as follows:

(1) A member of the North Carolina Association of the Deaf (NCAD) who is deaf and familiar with the interpreting process. This member shall be appointed by the Governor and serve for a term of two years.

(2) An interpreter who is a member of the North Carolina Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc., (NCRID) with five years experience in a community setting and who is licensed to practice as an interpreter or transliterator under this Chapter. This member shall be appointed by the Governor and serve for a term of three years.

(3) An employee of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. This member shall be appointed by the Governor, upon recommendation of the Secretary of the Department, and serve a term of three years.

(4) An interpreter or transliterator for deaf-blind individuals who is licensed to practice as an interpreter or transliterator under this Chapter or a deaf-blind individual who is a member of the North Carolina Deaf-Blind Association and who has knowledge of the interpreting process. This member shall be appointed by the General Assembly, upon recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and serve for a term of three years.

(5) A cued speech or oral transliterator licensed to practice as an interpreter or transliterator under this Chapter. This member shall be appointed by the General Assembly, upon recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and serve for a term of two years.

(6) A member of the Hearing Loss Association of America-North Carolina State Association (HLAA-NC) with knowledge of the interpreting process and deafness. This member shall be appointed by the General Assembly, upon recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and serve for a term of three years.

(7) An interpreter who is a member of the North Carolina Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc., (NCRID) with five years experience in an educational setting in grades K-12 and who is licensed to practice as an interpreter or transliterator under this Chapter. This member shall be appointed by the General Assembly, upon recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and serve for a term of two years.

(8) A faculty member of an Interpreter Training Program (ITP), an Interpreter Preparation Program (IPP), or a qualified or professional certified instructor of the American Sign Language Teachers Association (ASLTA). This member shall be appointed by the General Assembly, upon recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and serve for a term of two years.

(9) A public member. This member shall be appointed by the General Assembly, upon recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and serve a term of two years. For purposes of this section, a public member shall not be licensed under this Chapter or have an immediate family member who is deaf or hard-of-hearing.

Upon the expiration of the terms of the initial Board members, each member shall be appointed for a term of three years and shall serve until a successor is appointed and qualified. No member may serve more than two consecutive full terms.

(c) Qualifications. - All members of the Board who are required to be licensed under this Chapter shall reside or be employed in North Carolina and shall remain in active practice and in good standing with the Board as a licensee during their terms.

(d) Vacancies. - A vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. Appointees to fill vacancies shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term and until their successors have been duly appointed and qualified.

(e) Removal. - The Board may remove any of its members for neglect of duty, incompetence, or unprofessional conduct. A member subject to disciplinary proceedings as a licensee shall be disqualified from participating in the official business of the Board until the charges have been resolved.

(f) Compensation. - Each member of the Board shall receive per diem and reimbursement for travel and subsistence as provided in G.S. 93B-5.

(g) Officers. - The officers of the Board shall be a chair, a vice-chair, and other officers deemed necessary by the Board to carry out the purposes of this Chapter. All officers shall be elected by the Board for two-year terms and shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified.

(h) Meetings. - The Board shall hold at least two meetings each year to conduct business. The Board shall establish procedures governing the calling, holding, and conducting of regular and special meetings. A majority of the Board shall constitute a quorum.