(a) The Tennessee radiologic imaging and radiation therapy board of examiners, or for the purposes of this part, the “board,” is hereby created.

(b)

(1) The board shall consist of nine (9) members who shall serve staggered terms. Initial board members shall be appointed on or before October 1, 2016, as follows:

(A) The governor shall appoint:

(i) One (1) licensed radiographer who shall serve a three-year term;

(ii) One (1) licensed nuclear medicine technologist who shall serve a two-year term;

(iii) One (1) licensed radiation therapist who shall serve a one-year term;

(iv) One (1) full-time educator of a program that prepares providers licensed under § 63-6-902 who shall serve a two-year term; and

(v) One (1) licensed magnetic resonance technologist or licensed computed tomography technologist who shall serve a two-year term;

(B) The speaker of the house of representatives shall appoint:

(i) One (1) radiologist who shall serve a two-year term; and

(ii) One (1) public member who shall serve a two-year term; and

(C) The speaker of the senate shall appoint:

(i) One (1) medical physicist, diagnostic or therapeutic, who shall serve a three-year term; and

(ii) One (1) licensed physician practicing in a hospital setting who shall serve a three-year term.

(2) Upon the expiration of the terms of the initial board members, members shall be appointed by the appointing authority making the initial appointment for terms of three (3) years. Members shall serve until their successors are appointed. Successors shall be appointed by the appointing authority making the original appointment and shall be registered in the same specialty as the member of the board who the member replaces. No member may serve more than two (2) consecutive terms.

(c) Except for the public member of the board, every member of the board shall hold a valid license issued by the board in the category of license for that member's respective modality, shall be a resident of this state, and shall remain in active practice and in good standing with the board as a licensee during the member's term. The public member shall be a resident of this state and shall not be:

(1) A currently or actively licensed practitioner; or

(2) A person who administers radiation therapy procedures under this part.

(d) A vacancy shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment and shall be filled within forty-five (45) days after the vacancy occurs. Appointees to fill vacancies shall serve the remainder of the unexpired term and until their successors have been duly appointed and qualified.

(e) The board may remove any of its members for neglect of duty, incompetence, or unprofessional conduct. A member subject to disciplinary proceedings as a licensee shall be disqualified from participating in the official business of the board until the charges have been resolved.

(f) Each member of the board shall receive per diem and reimbursement for travel and expenses as provided in the comprehensive travel rules promulgated by the commissioner of finance and administration and approved by the attorney general and reporter.

(g) The officers of the board shall be a chair, who shall be licensed under § 63-6-902; a vice chair; and other officers deemed necessary by the board to carry out this part. All officers shall be elected annually by the board for one-year terms and shall serve until their successors are elected and qualified.

(h) The board shall hold at least two (2) meetings each year to conduct business and to review the standards and rules for improving the administration of radiologic imaging and radiation therapy procedures. The board shall establish the procedures for calling, holding, and conducting regular and special meetings. A majority of board members constitutes a quorum.

(i) The board shall have the power and duty to:

(1) Administer this part;

(2) Issue interpretations of this part;

(3) Adopt rules as may be necessary to implement this part;

(4) Employ and fix the compensation of personnel that the board determines is necessary to carry out this part, and incur other expenses necessary to effectuate this part;

(5) Examine and determine the qualifications and fitness of applicants for licensure, renewal of licensure, and reciprocal licensure;

(6) Issue, renew, deny, suspend, or revoke licenses and carry out any disciplinary actions authorized by this part;

(7) Set fees for licensure, license renewal, and other services deemed necessary to carry out this part;

(8) Conduct investigations for the purpose of determining whether violations of this part, or grounds for disciplining licensees, exist;

(9) Conduct administrative hearings in accordance with the Uniform Administrative Procedures Act, compiled in title 4, chapter 5; and

(10) Maintain a record of all proceedings and make available to licensees and other concerned parties an annual report of all board action.