A. There is hereby created the "Sanitarian and Environmental Specialist Registration Advisory Council", which shall consist of nine (9) members as follows:

1. One member shall be the Commissioner of Health or designated representative;

2. One member shall be the Executive Director of the Department of Environmental Quality or designee;

3. One member shall be the Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services or designee;

4. One member who shall be appointed for an initial term of three (3) years by the Director of the City-County Health Department of Oklahoma County;

5. One member who shall be appointed for an initial term of three (3) years by the Director of the Tulsa City-County Health Department;

6. Two members shall be employed by state government who shall be appointed by the Commissioner for an initial term of two (2) years each; and

7. Two members, for an initial term of one (1) year each, who shall be appointed by the Executive Director of the Department of Environmental Quality, one who is employed by private industry and one who is employed by the Indian Health Service of the Public Health Service or by a tribal government with an office in the State of Oklahoma.

B. With the exception of paragraph 3 of subsection A of this section all of the members shall have at least five (5) years of experience as registered sanitarians or environmental specialists.

C. After expiration of one initial term of office, the term of office of each appointed member shall be for three (3) years. Each appointed member shall hold office until his successor is appointed and has qualified under the Oklahoma Sanitarian and Environmental Specialist Registration Act. The initial term for all appointed members shall begin January 1, 1996.

D. Sixty (60) days prior to the expiration of the term to be filled or whenever a vacancy occurs, any statewide organization whose membership represents more than twenty percent (20%) of the registered sanitarians and environmental specialists in the state may recommend three persons for such position or vacancy to the appointing authority.

E. Appointed members of the Council may be removed from office by the appointing authority.

F. The members of the Council shall serve without pay but may be reimbursed for actual expenses pursuant to the State Travel Reimbursement Act.

G. The Council shall elect from among its membership a chair, vice-chair and secretary to serve a term of not more than one (1) year ending on July 1 of the year designated by the Council. Members may be elected for more than one term. The chair or vice-chair shall preside at all meetings. The chair, vice-chair and secretary shall perform such duties as may be decided by the Council in order to effectively administer the Oklahoma Sanitarian and Environmental Specialist Registration Act.

H. A majority of Council members shall constitute a quorum to transact official business.

I. The Council shall meet within sixty (60) days after the effective date of this act and shall meet thereafter at such times as the Council deems necessary to implement the Oklahoma Sanitarian and Environmental Specialist Registration Act.

Added by Laws 1993, c. 145, § 294, eff. July 1, 1993. Amended by Laws 1995, c. 91, § 5, eff. Nov. 1, 1995; Laws 2012, c. 304, § 277.