(a) There is created the Universal Newborn Hearing Screening, Tracking, and Intervention Advisory Board.

(b) (1) The board shall be composed of seven (7) members appointed by the Governor, after consulting the Arkansas Speech-Language-Hearing Association, from the following professions or groups:

(A) One (1) audiologist;

(B) One (1) audiologist from the Department of Health;

(C) One (1) audiologist from Arkansas Children's Hospital;

(D) One (1) speech-language pathologist;

(E) One (1) pediatrician-neonatologist or ear, nose, and throat physician;

(F) One (1) adult who is deaf or hard of hearing to represent consumer organizations for deaf and hard of hearing persons; and

(G) One (1) consumer of services who is a parent of a child or children with hearing loss.

(2) Appointments made by the Governor under this subsection shall be subject to confirmation by the Senate.

(c)

(1) Members shall be appointed for three-year staggered terms to be assigned by lot.

(2) The terms shall commence on January 15 of each year.

(d) The board shall annually select by a majority vote one (1) of its members to serve as a chair and one (1) to serve as vice chair.

(e) The Governor may remove any member of the board for misconduct, incompetency, or neglect of duty, or for any malfeasance in office.

(f) The board shall act by majority vote and as required by the Arkansas Administrative Procedure Act, § 25-15-201 et seq.

(g) The board shall have the authority to recommend rules and regulations to implement this subchapter, and the Department of Health shall promulgate these rules and regulations by July 1, 2000.

(h)

(1) The board shall hold its first meeting within thirty (30) days of July 30, 1999, at a place designated by the department.

(2) Subsequent meetings shall be held quarterly at the call of the chair or as often as necessary to make recommendations to the department so that the rules and regulations implementing this subchapter can be promulgated by July 1, 2000.

(3) The board shall complete an annual report for the House Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor and the Senate Committee on Public Health, Welfare, and Labor which provides information such as, but not limited to, the number of hospitals in compliance with this subchapter, the number of hearing-impaired infants identified, and the availability of follow-up services.

(i) The department shall provide administrative support services required by the board.

(j) Members shall not be entitled to compensation for their services but may receive expense reimbursement and a stipend in accordance with § 25-16-902.