90C-23. North Carolina Recreational Therapy Licensure Board is created.

(a) The North Carolina Recreational Therapy Licensure Board is created.

(b) Composition. - The Board shall consist of eight members appointed as follows:

(1) Three practicing recreational therapists, one of whom shall be appointed by the Governor, one of whom shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and one of whom shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

(2) One licensed practicing recreational therapy assistant appointed by the Governor.

(3) One licensed practicing recreational therapist who is engaged primarily in providing education or training for recreational therapists or recreational therapy assistants appointed by the Governor.

(4) One physician licensed pursuant to Article 1 of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes appointed by the Governor.

(5) Two public members, one of whom shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate and one of whom shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The Governor shall make appointments after consultation with the North Carolina Recreational Therapy Licensure Board and other interested persons.

(c) Qualifications. - The nonpublic recreational therapist or recreational therapy assistant members of the Board shall hold a current license. Each nonpublic recreational therapist or recreational therapy assistant member of the Board, at the time of his or her appointment and for at least two years before, shall have been actively engaged in North Carolina in the practice of recreational therapy or therapeutic recreation, in the education and training of graduate or undergraduate students of recreational therapy or therapeutic recreation, or in recreational therapy or therapeutic recreation research.

One public member shall not be a licensed health care professional or an agent or employee of any health care institution, health care insurer, health care professional school, or a member of any allied health profession. One public member shall have received recreational therapy or therapeutic recreation services. For purposes of this subsection, a person enrolled in a program to prepare him or her to be a licensed health care professional or an allied health professional shall not be eligible to serve as a public member of the Board. The spouse of any person who would be prohibited by this subsection from serving on the Board as a public member shall not serve as a public member of the Board. Public members shall reasonably reflect the population of this State.

(d) Term. - Members of the Board shall serve three-year staggered terms and shall serve until a successor is appointed and qualified. No member shall serve more than two consecutive full terms.

(e) Vacancies. - The Governor shall fill vacancies to the Board positions for which the Governor is the appointing authority within 30 days after a position is vacated. The General Assembly shall fill vacancies for which it is the appointing authority in accordance with G.S. 120-122. Appointees shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term and until their successors have been appointed and qualified.

(f) Removal. - The Board may remove any of its members for gross neglect of duty, incompetence, or unprofessional conduct. A member subject to disciplinary proceedings shall be disqualified from Board business until the charges are resolved. The Governor may also remove any member for gross neglect of duty, incompetence, or unprofessional conduct.

(g) Compensation. - Each member of the Board shall receive such per diem compensation and reimbursement for travel and subsistence as shall be set for licensing Board members generally, as provided in G.S. 93B-5.

(h) Officers. - The officers of the Board shall be a chairman, a vice-chairman, and other officers deemed necessary by the Board to carry out the purposes of this Chapter. All officers shall be elected annually by the Board for one-year terms and shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified.

(i) Meetings. - The Board shall hold at least two meetings each year to conduct business and shall adopt rules governing the calling, holding, and conducting of regular and special meetings. A majority of the Board members shall constitute a quorum.

(j) Employees. - The Board may employ necessary personnel for the performance of its functions and fix their compensation within the limits of the funds available to the Board.

(k) The total expense of the administration of this Chapter shall not exceed the total income from fees collected pursuant to this Chapter. None of the expenses of the Board, or the compensation or expenses of any officer or any employee of the Board, shall be paid or payable out of the General Fund. Neither the Board nor any of its officers or employees may incur any expense, debt, or other financial obligation binding upon the State.