§ 23-24.5-23. Asbestos advisory board. (a) There is established an asbestos advisory board consisting of eleven (11) members within the department of health.

(b) The purpose of the board shall be as follows:

(1) To monitor the implementation of this chapter, to ensure that the records of all departments and agencies of state government relating to the asbestos abatement program shall be made accessible to the chairperson of the asbestos advisory board upon request, providing that the board has directed the chairperson by a vote of the board as a whole;

(2) To report on or before March 1 of each year to the speaker of the house and the president of the senate of any legislative changes required in this chapter;

(3) To advise the director on the desirability of proposed regulations.

(c) The members of the board shall be electors and shall be appointed as follows:

(1) There shall be three (3) ex officio members: the director of health, the director of administration, and the commissioner of elementary and secondary education or their designees;

(2) There shall be three (3) public representatives, two (2) to be appointed by the speaker and one by the president of the senate, and there shall be five (5) members appointed by the governor, one of whom shall be a physician familiar with asbestos problems, one of whom shall be a qualified environmental health expert, and one of whom shall be an architect or engineer familiar with asbestos problems, one of whom shall be an asbestos contractor, and one of whom shall be a lawyer.

(d) The term of office of each member shall be for a period of three (3) years except that in the case of the initial appointments of public and professional members, one by the speaker and one by the governor shall be for two (2) years and one by the speaker and three (3) by the governor shall be for one year. Each member shall serve until a successor is appointed or designated. In the month of August of each year, the members shall elect from among their members, a chairperson, vice chairperson and secretary. Any member absent for three (3) or more consecutive meetings shall be considered as having vacated the office. Six (6) members shall be considered a quorum, and the board may fulfill any of its duties by a subcommittee of four (4) members present.

(e) The board may engage any experts and secretarial staff as necessary at a rate of pay approved by the unclassified pay board.

(f) The director shall provide any meeting and hearing rooms as the board may require.

History of Section. (P.L. 1985, ch. 366, § 1; P.L. 1987, ch. 541, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 86, § 9; P.L. 2001, ch. 180, § 50.)