§3554. Louisiana Board of Massage Therapy; creation, membership, qualifications, terms, vacancies, officers, meetings, reimbursement, liability

            A.(1) The Louisiana Board of Massage Therapy is hereby created within the Louisiana Department of Health subject to the provisions of R.S. 36:803. It shall be composed of seven members appointed by the governor, subject to Senate confirmation. Five of the members shall be appointed from a list of nominees submitted to the governor by professional massage therapy and bodywork associations. From the list of association nominees, three of the persons appointed shall be licensed massage therapists. Two consumer members shall be appointed from the list of nominees, both of whom shall be consumers who have never been nor are currently a licensed massage therapist in the state. The consumer members may also apply directly to the office of the governor. Two additional licensed massage therapists shall be appointed to the board from a general list of names which are submitted for consideration by other interested sources or individuals.

            (2) The governor shall ensure that his appointments demonstrate race, gender, ethnic, and geographical diversity.

            (3)(a) All massage therapists appointed to the board by the governor shall be licensed and in good standing under this Chapter. The massage therapist appointees shall have practiced massage therapy for at least three years.

            (b)(i) The consumer members shall be selected from the state at large. The consumer members of the board shall possess all of the following qualifications:

            (aa) Are citizens of the United States and have been residents of Louisiana for at least one year immediately prior to appointment.

            (bb) Have attained the age of majority.

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

            (dd) Have never been convicted of a felony.

            (ee) Do not have and have never had a material financial interest in the healthcare profession.

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

            B. All members of the board shall serve two-year terms. No member shall serve more than three consecutive terms.

            C. A vacancy on the board occurring prior to expiration of a term shall be filled in the manner of the original appointment for the remainder of the term.

            D. The board shall meet at least twice each year. Additional board meetings may be held at the call of the chairman or upon the written request of any three members of the board.

            E. Each year, the board shall elect a chairman, vice chairman, secretary, and treasurer from its membership and shall maintain records of the attendance of its members at board meetings.

            F. Each member of the board shall serve with compensation, not to exceed fifty dollars per day consisting of at least three hours of board business, including travel time. Board members shall be reimbursed for travel and related expenses incurred, not to exceed those expenses authorized for reimbursement by the Louisiana Department of Health, for each day that the member engages in board business.

            G. No member of the board shall be liable to civil action for any act performed in good faith in the execution of his duties as a board member.

            Acts 1992, No. 753, §2, eff. Sept. 1, 1992; Acts 2001, No. 387, §1; Acts 2012, No. 605, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2013; Acts 2018, No. 515, §2.