(a) The West Virginia contractor licensing board is continued. The board shall consist of ten members appointed by the Governor by and with the advice and consent of the Senate for terms of four years. Such members shall serve until their successors are appointed and have qualified. Eight of the appointed members shall be owners of businesses engaged in the various contracting industries, with at least one member appointed from each of the following contractor classes: One electrical contractor, one general building contractor, one general engineering contractor, one heating, ventilating and cooling contractor, one multifamily contractor, one piping contractor, one plumbing contractor and one residential contractor, as defined in section three hereof. Two of the appointed members shall be building code officials who are not members of any contracting industry. At least three members of the board shall reside at the time of their appointment in each congressional district as existing on January 1, 1998. The commissioner of labor, the secretary of the Department of Tax and Revenue or his designee, and the commissioner of the Bureau of Employment Programs or his designee shall be ex officio nonvoting members of the board.

(b) Terms of the members first appointed shall be two members for one year, two members for two years, three members for three years and three members for four years, as designated by the Governor at the time of appointment. Thereafter, terms shall be for four years. A member who has served all or part of two consecutive terms shall not be subject to reappointment unless four years have elapsed since the member last served. Vacancies shall be filled by appointment by the Governor for the unexpired term of any member whose office is vacant and shall be made within sixty days of the occurrence of the vacancy. A vacancy on the board shall not impair the right of the remaining members to exercise all the powers of the board.

(c) The board shall elect a chair from one of the voting members of the board. The board shall meet at least once annually and at such other times as called by the chair or a majority of the board. Board members shall receive compensation not to exceed the amount paid to members of the Legislature for the interim duties as recommended by the citizens legislative compensation commission and authorized by law for each day or portion of a day spent attending meetings of the board and shall be reimbursed for all reasonable and necessary expenses incurred incident to his or her duties as a member of the board. A majority of the members appointed shall constitute a quorum of the board.