§1281.2. Committee of certification; appointment; terms; powers; duties; annual report; compensation

            A. The state health officer shall appoint a committee of certification to advise and assist him in the administration of the certification program. The committee is charged with the responsibility of conducting all work necessary to promote the certification program to develop examinations, examine certificate candidates, and maintain records, and shall also suggest to the secretary rules of procedure or policies required in performing its obligations in conformity with the provisions of the Louisiana Administrative Procedure Act.

            B. The committee shall consist of the following members whose terms shall commence on September 1, 1972:

            (1) Two members from a list of six recommended by the Louisiana conference who are currently employed waterworks operators eligible for certificates of the highest classification issued by the department and in the employ of a municipality. One member shall be appointed initially for a two year term and one for a three year term, respectively.

            (2) Two members from a list of six recommended by the Louisiana conference who are currently employed as waterworks or sewerage works operators eligible for a certificate of the highest classification issued by the department and in the employ of an investor owned water or sewerage utility. One member shall be appointed initially for a two year term and one for a three year term, respectively.

            (3) Two members from a list of six recommended by the Louisiana conference who are currently employed municipal sewage treatment plant operators eligible for certificates of the highest classification issued by the department. One member shall be appointed initially for a one year term and one for a four year term, respectively.

            (4) Two members from a list of six recommended by the Louisiana Municipal Association. One member shall be appointed initially for a one year term and one for a four year term, respectively.

            (5) One ex officio member representing the department. This member will be the state sanitary engineer or a qualified member of his staff.

            C. Each member of the committee, with the exception of the ex officio member from the department, shall be appointed for a four year term except in the case of the initial appointments which shall be for terms of one, two, three, and four years, as set out in Subsection B above, so that not more than two appointments will expire in any one year. Whenever a vacancy occurs on the committee by reason of the expiration of a term of service as herein provided, the state health officer shall appoint a successor of like qualifications from a list of names submitted by the original nominating group for the vacated position. Wherever a vacancy shall occur on the committee for any reason prior to expiration of the appointment term, the state health officer shall appoint a successor for the remainder of the term in the same manner as regular appointments.

            D. The committee shall elect from its membership a chairman and other necessary officers. The department representative of the committee shall be responsible for maintaining records and shall act as committee secretary.

            E. The committee shall hold at least one examination each year for the purpose of examining candidates for certification at a time and place designated by the committee. Those applicants whose competency is acceptable to the committee shall be recommended to the state health officer for certification. Additional meetings may be called by the chairman or the state health officer as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Subpart. Five members shall constitute a quorum.

            F. The committee shall fix and accept fees on a per person basis for examinations and for issuance, renewal, reinstatement, or reciprocation of certificates according to the schedule of fees that it may adopt. However, the fee per person collected for examinations or certifications, including but not limited to a fifth certification in the fields of water or sewerage, in connection with training conducted at a university shall be twenty-five dollars. All or a portion of fees collected at a university may be retained by the university pursuant to an agreement with the department. In no case will the total fees paid by private Louisiana-domiciled corporations exceed five hundred dollars. The fee authorized in this Subsection shall not apply to an individual who owns an on-site individual waste water system of one thousand five hundred gallons per day or smaller.

            G. The committee shall maintain all funds collected in a separate account and shall use these funds in the administration of this Subpart; it shall prepare an annual report to be submitted to the undersecretary of the department, showing its financial and operational activities. The committee may use the office of management and finance of the department and may reimburse the department for such services as it may render.

            H. The committee members shall serve without pay. Travel and subsistence expenses incidental to attending committee meetings shall be reimbursed at the same rate as for regular employees of the department. The domicile of the committee shall be the same as the Louisiana Department of Health.

            Acts 1972, No. 538, §2. Amended by Acts 1978, No. 786, §5, eff. July 17, 1978; Acts 1986, No. 983, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1988; Acts 2005, No. 270, §1; Redesignated from R.S. 40:1142 by HCR 84 of 2015 R.S.