§ 5-20-6. Board of examiners - Composition - Appointment of members. (a) A state board of plumbing examiners is created in the department of labor and training whose duty it is to supervise the operation of the division of professional regulation in an advisory capacity in promulgating any policy that is necessary to improve the operation of the division in their area of expertise. The promulgation of that policy is subject to the approval of the director of the department.

(b)(1) The board shall consist of nine (9) members:

(i) One shall be the director of labor and training, or his or her designee ex officio who shall be a nonvoting member;

(ii) One of whom shall be a licensed plumber appointed by the director of labor and training possessing at the time of appointment, for a period of five (5) years, a certificate of license in full force and effect from the department of labor and training, under the provisions of this chapter, specifying that person as a licensed master or journeyperson plumber;

(iii) Three (3) shall be master plumbers possessing at the time of appointment, for a period of five (5) years, a certificate of license in full force and effect from the department of labor and training, under the provisions of this chapter, specifying those persons as master plumbers;

(iv) Three (3) shall be journeyperson plumbers possessing at the time of appointment, for a period of ten (10) years, a certificate of license in full force and effect from the department of labor and training, under the provisions of this chapter, specifying those persons as journeyperson plumbers; and

(v) One shall be a master irrigator who, at the time of appointment, shall be duly certified as such by the department of labor and training for a period of not less than two (2) years.

(2) All of the members of the board must be citizens of this state for at least two (2) years immediately preceding their appointment. The board shall elect from its membership a chairperson, deputy chairperson, and secretary. The members of the board, except the ex officio members, shall be appointed as subsequently provided.

(c) The provisions of subsection (b) of this section are applicable only to appointments made by the governor after May 16, 1966.

(d) On the expiration of the term of any master plumber member, journeyperson plumber member, or master irrigator member of the board, the governor shall appoint for a term of three (3) years a master plumber member and a journeyperson plumber member having the qualifications required by this chapter to take the place of the master plumber member and the journeyperson plumber member whose term on the board has expired. That member shall hold office until the expiration of the term for which the member is appointed and until his or her successor has been appointed and qualified. Any vacancy that occurs in the master plumber members, journeyperson plumber members, or master irrigator member of the board from any cause shall be filled by appointment by the governor for the remainder of the unexpired term of that member.

History of Section. (P.L. 1945, ch. 1661, § 10; G.L. 1956, § 5-20-6; P.L. 1966, ch. 160, § 1; P.L. 1977, ch. 230, § 1; P.L. 1978, ch. 172, § 1; P.L. 1985, ch. 181, art. 54, § 1; P.L. 1986, ch. 338, § 1; P.L. 1999, ch. 115, § 1; P.L. 2000, ch. 425, § 1; P.L. 2001, ch. 214, § 2; P.L. 2002, ch. 378, § 1; P.L. 2005, ch. 102, § 1.)