(A) There is created the State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners to be composed of ten members, one of whom must be a consumer member from the State at large, one of whom must be a licensed veterinary technician practicing in this State, one of whom must be a veterinarian from the State at large, and seven of whom must be veterinarians representing each of the seven congressional districts. Each veterinarian and veterinary technician must be a resident of the State, licensed by the State, and currently practicing with at least five years of clinical experience. Each veterinarian representing a congressional district must reside in the district that he represents. The consumer member must be a resident of this State. The terms of the members are for six years and until their successors are appointed and qualify. The chairman may vote only in the case of a tie vote by the board.

(B) The veterinarian at large, the veterinary technician, and the consumer member must be appointed by the Governor. The board shall conduct an election to nominate two veterinarians from each congressional district. The election must provide for participation by all veterinarians currently licensed and residing in the respective nominating district. The South Carolina Veterinary Technician Association shall submit up to two names to the Governor as recommendations for the veterinary technician member. The Governor shall also consider nominations from any other individual, group, or association. The names of the nominees must be forwarded to the Governor by the board and the Governor may appoint one of the nominees as the member; however, the Governor may reject any or all of the nominees upon satisfactory showing of the unfitness of those rejected. If the Governor declines to appoint any of the nominees submitted, additional nominees must be submitted in the same manner. All appointments by the Governor must be made with the advice and consent of the Senate. Vacancies must be filled in the manner of the original appointment for the unexpired portion of the term.

(C) The Governor may remove a member of the board based on grounds provided for in Section 1-3-240. No member may be removed without first giving the member an opportunity to refute the charges filed against that member, and the member must be given a copy of the charges at the time they are filed.

(D) If a board member is disqualified and the member's absence results in the lack of a quorum or an adequate number of members to perform official functions, the Governor may appoint an individual to replace the member during the period of disqualification. This individual shall meet the same qualifications as the member being replaced and shall take the same oath as required of other members of the board.

HISTORY: 2006 Act No. 294, Section 1; 2012 Act No. 279, Section 12, eff June 26, 2012.

Editor's Note

Prior Laws:Civ. C. '22 Section 2473; 1920 (31) 905; 1932 Code Section 5252; 1942 Code Section 5252; 1952 Code Section 56-1553; 1962 Code Section 56-1553; 1974 (58) 2769; 1981 Act No. 174, Sections 2, 3; 1984 Act No. 457; 1987 Act No. 133, Section 2; 1994 Act No. 306, Section 1; 1976 Code Section 40-69-30.

2012 Act No. 279, Section 33, provides as follows:

"Due to the congressional redistricting, any person elected or appointed to serve, or serving, as a member of any board, commission, or committee to represent a congressional district, whose residency is transferred to another district by a change in the composition of the district, may serve, or continue to serve, the term of office for which he was elected or appointed; however, the appointing or electing authority shall appoint or elect an additional member on that board, commission, or committee from the district which loses a resident member as a result of the transfer to serve until the term of the transferred member expires. When a vacancy occurs in the district to which a member has been transferred, the vacancy must not be filled until the full term of the transferred member expires. Further, the inability to hold an election or to make an appointment due to judicial review of the congressional districts does not constitute a vacancy."

Effect of Amendment

The 2012 amendment in subsection (A), substituted "ten members" for "nine members", "seven of whom" for "six of whom", and "seven congressional districts" for "six congressional districts"; and made other nonsubstantive changes.