(a)

(1)

(A) The members of the board shall be appointed by the governor for terms of five (5) years' duration, which terms shall commence on May 1 and expire on April 30, five (5) years thereafter. All board members subsequently added to the board after May 2, 1993, shall be appointed so as to serve staggered terms of from one (1) to four (4) years, with one (1) member appointed to a one-year term, the second member appointed to a two-year term, the third member appointed to a three-year term, and the fourth member appointed to serve a four-year term.

(B) The members appointed by the governor in 1988 shall be appointed as follows:

(i) One (1) member shall be appointed to a one-year term expiring on April 30, 1989;

(ii) One (1) member shall be appointed to a two-year term expiring on April 30, 1990;

(iii) One (1) member shall be appointed to a three-year term expiring on April 30, 1991;

(iv) One (1) member shall be appointed to a four-year term expiring on April 30, 1992; and

(v) One (1) member shall be appointed to a five-year term expiring on April 30, 1993.

(2) Members of the board shall, upon expiration of their terms of office, be eligible for reappointment to successive terms.

(3) In making appointments to the board, the governor shall give due regard to the geographic distribution of the membership of the board to assure, to the extent feasible, that all grand divisions of the state are adequately represented on the board.

(4) Board members may be selected from lists of qualified persons submitted to the governor by interested medical groups including, but not limited to, the Tennessee Medical Association. The governor shall consult with such groups to determine qualified persons to fill the positions on the board.

(b) All vacancies occurring on the board by reason of death or resignation shall be filled by the board itself for the unexpired term.

(c) In making appointments to the board, the governor shall, to the extent feasible, strive to ensure the full twelve-member board is composed of at least one (1) person who is sixty (60) years of age or older, one (1) person who is female and one (1) person who is an African-American.

(d) When a board member is absent without excuse from the board business portion of three (3) meetings within any twelve-month period of time, that member shall, after formal action by the board, be removed from office by the governor. A new member shall be appointed by the governor to serve out the remaining term of the member being replaced. An absence shall be deemed excused if it is caused by a health problem or condition verified in writing by a physician or by an accident or similar unforeseen tragedy or event immediately prior to or during the board meeting.