(a) Advisory board.--The secretary shall appoint a Humane Society Police Officer Advisory Board to advise him in the administration of this chapter.

(b) Membership.--The board shall consist of the following:

(1) The secretary or his designee, who shall act as a chairman.

(2) A representative of an organization in this Commonwealth of societies or associations for the prevention of cruelty to animals.

(3) A humane society police officer.

(4) A representative of a Statewide veterinary medical association.

(5) A representative of a farm organization.

(6) A district attorney or his designee.

(7) A representative of the police.

(8) A district justice.

(9) A court of common pleas judge or his designee.

(10) A clerk of courts.

(11) A representative of the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

(c) Terms.--The length of the initial term of each appointment to the board shall be set by the secretary and shall be staggered so that the terms of approximately one-third of the appointments expire every other year.

(d) Absences.--Three consecutive unexcused absences from regular board meetings or failure to attend at least 50% of the regularly scheduled board meetings in any calendar year shall be considered cause for termination of appointment unless the secretary, upon written request of the member, finds that the member should be excused from attending a meeting because of illness or death of a family member or for a similar emergency.

(e) Vacancies.--Vacancies in the membership of the board shall be filled for the balance of an unexpired term in the same manner as the original appointment.

(f) Recommendations.--The board may make nonbinding recommendations to the secretary on all matters related to the provisions of this chapter.

(g) Training program approval.--The board shall review and recommend programs required under sections 3712 (relating to training program) and 3713 (relating to continuing education program).

(h) Meetings.--The board shall meet at least once annually or on a basis as necessary to sufficiently advise the secretary and comply with subsection (g).

(Oct. 2, 2018, P.L.511, No.77, eff. one year)

2018 Amendment. Act 77 amended subsec. (b) and added subsecs. (g) and (h).

References in Text. Section 28 of Act 207 of 2004 provided that any and all references in any other law to a "district justice" or "justice of the peace" shall be deemed to be references to a magisterial district judge.