§2704. Board of Social Work Examiners

            A. There is hereby created a Louisiana State Board of Social Work Examiners within the Louisiana Department of Health. The board shall be subject to the provisions of R.S. 36:803. It shall consist of seven members to include six social workers and one consumer member. The members shall be appointed by the governor, subject to Senate confirmation. All appointees shall be selected from one list compiled by all statewide social work membership organizations that have written bylaws and meet all state and federal laws, and the Louisiana Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers shall be responsible for the coordination of this process. The consumer member may apply directly to the office of the governor. The governor shall ensure that his appointments demonstrate race, gender, ethnic, and geographical diversity. All appointees shall serve no more than two consecutive full terms. The completion of an unexpired portion of a full term shall not constitute a full term for purposes of this Section. The board shall consist of the following members:

            (1) One registered social worker with at least three years of social work experience.

            (2) One licensed master's social worker with at least three years of social work experience.

            (3) Three licensed clinical social workers each with at least three years of clinical social work experience.

            (4) One member who is either a registered social worker, a licensed master's social worker, or a licensed clinical social worker.

            (5) One consumer member.

            B. Each board member, with the exception of the consumer member, shall be a person who holds a current, valid license or registration issued pursuant to this Chapter and shall be a citizen of the United States and resident of the state of Louisiana. At all times the board shall consist of at least three members who are engaged primarily in rendering direct services in social work and at least one member who is engaged primarily in social work education or a practice specialty other than clinical.

            C.(1) The consumer member of the board shall be selected from the state at large and shall possess all of the following qualifications:

            (a) Is a citizen of the United States and has been a resident of Louisiana for at least one year immediately prior to appointment.

            (b) Has attained the age of majority.

            (c) Has never been licensed by any of the licensing boards identified in R.S. 36:259(A), nor shall he have a spouse who has ever been licensed by a board identified in R.S. 36:259(A).

            (d) Has never been convicted of a felony.

            (e) Does not have and has never had a material financial interest in the healthcare profession.

            (f) Shall not be an elected official.

            (2) The consumer member shall be a full voting member of the board with all rights and privileges conferred on board members, except that the consumer member shall not participate in the grading of individual examinations.

            D. Each member shall hold office until the expiration of his appointed term or until a successor is duly appointed. When the term of each member expires, the governor shall appoint his successor for a term of three years. Any vacancy occurring in board membership other than by expiration of term shall be filled by the governor, under the provisions of Subsection A of this Section, by appointment of a member to serve for the unexpired term. A board member may be removed upon one or more of the following grounds:

            (1) The refusal or inability of a board member for any reason to perform the duties as a member of the board in an efficient, responsible, and professional manner.

            (2) The misuse of office by a member of the board to gain pecuniary or material gain personally or for another through such office.

            (3) The violation by any member of the board of the laws or rules governing the practice of social work.

            (4) For other just and reasonable causes as determined solely by the board pursuant to applicable laws.

            E. Each board member shall receive a certificate of appointment from the governor; and before commencing the discharge of his duties and within thirty days from the effective date of his appointment, the board member shall subscribe to the oath for state officials before any officer authorized to administer oaths in this state and shall file the same with the secretary of state.

            F. Each board member shall serve without compensation, but shall receive actual traveling, incidental, and clerical expenses necessarily incurred while engaged in the discharge of his official duties. Funds will be allocated for the payment of these expenses as provided for by R.S. 37:2716(B).

            G. The board shall notify all social workers of vacancies on the board, the qualifications for service, and that interested social workers may submit a letter of interest and resume' to qualified social work membership organizations.

            Added by Acts 1972, No. 706, §1. Amended by Acts 1977, No. 684, §28; Acts 1999, No. 1309, §7, eff. Jan. 1, 2000; Acts 2010, No. 880, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2011; Acts 2018, No. 515, §2; Acts 2021, No. 215, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2022.