- The State Board of Health is continued and reconstituted as follows:
There is created the State Board of Health which, from and after March 30, 2007, shall consist of eleven (11) members appointed with the advice and consent of the Senate, as follows:
- Five (5) members of the board shall be currently licensed physicians of good professional standing who have had at least seven (7) years’ experience in the practice of medicine in this state. Three (3) members shall be appointed by the Governor, one (1) member shall be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor, and one (1) member shall be appointed by the Attorney General, in the manner provided in paragraph (d) of this subsection (1).
- Six (6) members of the board shall be individuals who have a background in public health or an interest in public health who are not currently or formerly licensed physicians. Four (4) of those members shall be appointed by the Governor, one (1) of those members shall be appointed by the Lieutenant Governor, and one (1) of those members shall be appointed by the Attorney General, in the manner provided in paragraph (d) of this subsection (1).
- The Governor, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General shall give due regard to geographic distribution, race and gender in making their appointments to the board. It is the intent of the Legislature that the membership of the board reflect the population of the State of Mississippi. Of the Governor’s appointments, one (1) member of the board shall be appointed from each of the four (4) congressional districts as constituted on June 30, 2007, and one (1) member of the board shall be appointed from each of the three (3) Supreme Court districts as constituted on June 30, 2007. Of the Lieutenant Governor’s appointments, one (1) member of the board shall be appointed from the First Congressional District and one (1) member of the board shall be appointed from the Fourth Congressional District as constituted on June 30, 2007. Of the Attorney General’s appointments, one (1) member of the board shall be appointed from the Second Congressional District and one (1) member of the board shall be appointed from the Third Congressional District as constituted on June 30, 2007.
- The initial members of the board shall be appointed for staggered terms, as follows: Of the Governor’s appointments, two (2) members shall be appointed for terms that end on June 30, 2009; two (2) members shall be appointed for terms that end on June 30, 2011; and three (3) members shall be appointed for terms that end on June 30, 2013. Of the Lieutenant Governor’s appointments, one (1) member shall be appointed for a term that ends on June 30, 2009; and one (1) member shall be appointed for a term that ends on June 30, 2013. Of the Attorney General’s appointments, one (1) member shall be appointed for a term that ends on June 30, 2009; and one (1) member shall be appointed for a term that ends on June 30, 2011.
A member of the board serving before January 1, 2007, shall be eligible for reappointment to the reconstituted board unless the person is disqualified under subsection (4) of this section.
- At the expiration of the terms of the initial members, all members of the board shall be appointed by the Governor, in the same manner and from the same districts prescribed in subsection (1) of this section, for terms of six (6) years from the expiration of the previous term and thereafter until his or her successor is duly appointed. Vacancies in office shall be filled by appointment in the same manner as the appointment to the position that becomes vacant, subject to the advice and consent of the Senate at the next regular session of the Legislature. An appointment to fill a vacancy other than by expiration of a term of office shall be for the balance of the unexpired term and thereafter until his or her successor is duly appointed.
- The Lieutenant Governor may designate one (1) Senator and the Speaker of the House of Representatives may designate one (1) Representative to attend any meeting of the State Board of Health. The appointing authorities may designate alternate members from their respective houses to serve when the regular designees are unable to attend the meetings of the board. Those legislative designees shall have no jurisdiction or vote on any matter within the jurisdiction of the board. For attending meetings of the board, the legislators shall receive per diem and expenses, which shall be paid from the contingent expense funds of their respective houses in the same amounts as provided for committee meetings when the Legislature is not in session; however, no per diem and expenses for attending meetings of the board will be paid while the Legislature is in session. No per diem and expenses will be paid except for attending meetings of the board without prior approval of the proper committee in their respective houses.
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- All members of the State Board of Health shall file with the Mississippi Ethics Commission, before the first day of May each year, the statement of economic interest as required by Sections 25-4-25 through 25-4-29.
- No member of the board shall participate in any action by the board or department if that action could have any monetary effect on any business with which that member is associated, as defined in Section 25-4-103.
- When any matter in which a member may not participate comes before the board or department, that member must fully recuse himself or herself from the entire matter. The member shall avoid debating, discussing or taking action on the subject matter during official meetings or deliberations by leaving the meeting room before the matter comes before the board and by returning only after the discussion, vote or other action is completed. The member shall not discuss the matter with other members, department staff or any other person. Any minutes or other record of the meeting shall accurately reflect the recusal. If a member is uncertain whether recusal is required, the member shall follow the determination of the Mississippi Ethics Commission. The commission may delegate that determination to its executive director.
- Upon a determination by the board or by any court of competent jurisdiction that a member of the board has violated the provisions of this subsection (4) regarding recusal, the member shall be removed from office. Any member of the board who violates the provisions of this section regarding recusal also shall be subject to the penalties set forth in Sections 25-4-109 through 25-4-117. After removal from office, the member shall not be eligible for appointment to any agency, board or commission of the state for a period of two (2) years. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the restrictions codified in Section 25-4-105.
