A. 1. The State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners shall consist of six (6) members, appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Board shall consist of five licensed veterinarian members, and one lay person representing the general public.

2. Each veterinary member shall be a graduate of an approved school of veterinary medicine, shall be a currently licensed veterinarian and shall have held an active license for the three (3) years preceding appointment to the Board. One member shall be appointed from each congressional district and any remaining members shall be appointed from the state at large. However, when congressional districts are redrawn each member appointed prior to July 1 of the year in which such modification becomes effective shall complete the current term of office and appointments made after July 1 of the year in which such modification becomes effective shall be based on the redrawn districts. Appointments made after July 1 of the year in which such modification becomes effective shall be from any redrawn districts which are not represented by a board member until such time as each of the modified congressional districts are represented by a board member. No appointments may be made after July 1 of the year in which such modification becomes effective if such appointment would result in more than two members serving from the same modified district.

3. Of the five licensed veterinarian members, one must be an equine practitioner and one must be a large animal practitioner.

4. The lay member shall have no financial interest in the profession other than as a consumer or potential consumer of its services.

5. Members must be residents of the State of Oklahoma and be persons of integrity and good reputation. No member shall be a registered lobbyist. No member shall be an officer, board member or employee of a statewide or national organization established for the purpose of advocating the interests of or conducting peer review of veterinarians licensed pursuant to the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice Act.

B. Members of the Board shall be appointed for a term of five (5) years. No member shall serve consecutively for more than two (2) terms. Not more than two (2) terms shall expire in each year, and vacancies for the remainder of an unexpired term shall be filled by appointment by the Governor. Members shall serve beyond the expiration of their term until a successor is appointed by the Governor. The initial appointee for the Board position created on November 1, 1999, shall be appointed for less than five (5) years to abide by staggered term requirements. The Governor shall appoint to a vacancy within ninety (90) days of the beginning of the vacancy. Nominees considered by the Governor for appointment to the Board must be free of pending disciplinary action or active investigation by the Board.

C. A member may be removed from the Board by the Governor for cause which shall include, but not be limited to, if a member:

1. Ceases to be qualified;

2. Is found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction of a felony or unlawful act which involves moral turpitude;

3. Is found guilty of malfeasance, misfeasance or nonfeasance in relation to Board duties;

4. Is found mentally incompetent by a court of competent jurisdiction;

5. Is found in violation of the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice Act; or

6. Fails to attend three successive Board meetings without just cause as determined by the Board.

Added by Laws 1971, c. 126, § 4, emerg. eff. May 4, 1971. Amended by Laws 1990, c. 314, § 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1990; Laws 1999, c. 94, § 4, eff. Nov. 1, 1999; Laws 2002, c. 375, § 8, eff. Nov. 5, 2002; Laws 2010, c. 112, § 2.