§ 5-69-6. Licensing board. (a) Within the department there shall be established a board of licensing for chemical dependency professionals. The governor shall appoint a licensing board consisting of seven (7) members.

(b)(1) Of the seven (7) licensing board members, three (3) shall be licensed under this chapter;

(2) Licensing board members shall be:

(i) Two (2) members appointed by the governor shall be representatives of groups that reflect demographics of person(s) served;

(ii) Three (3) members shall represent the licensed professionals appointed by the director of health;

(iii) One member shall be an active member or administrator of the Rhode Island board for certification of chemical dependency professionals appointed by the director of health;

(iv) One member shall be a consumer advocate from an established substance abuse recovery consumer advocacy group appointed by the director of health.

(3) Licensing board members shall serve without compensation.

(4) Each licensing board member shall take and subscribe to the oath of affirmation prescribed by law and shall file this oath in the office of the secretary of state.

(5) The term of office shall be three (3) years, except that of the members of the first licensing board. Three (3) shall be appointed for a term of one year, three (3) for a term of two (2) years, three (3) for a term of three (3) years. At least one member representing the general public, and one member representing a minority group, as defined by the federal Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, shall be appointed for the initial term of three (3) full years. Successors to these licensing board positions shall be appointed for a term of three (3) years each, except that any person appointed to fill a vacancy shall be for the unexpired term of office. Upon expiration of the term of office, a member shall continue to serve until a successor is appointed and qualified. No person shall be appointed for more than two (2) consecutive three-year (3) terms.

(6) The governor may remove any member of the licensing board for neglect of duty; malfeasance; conviction of a felony or a crime of moral turpitude while in office; or for lack of attendance/participation in board meetings. No licensing board member shall participate in any matter before the licensing board in which pecuniary interest, personal bias, or other similar conflicts of interests is established.

History of Section. (P.L. 1994, ch. 117, § 1; P.L. 1995, ch. 370, art. 14, § 13; P.L. 2008, ch. 100, art. 11, § 1.)