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Members and Officers
The Board consists of fifteen members. One member is the State Commissioner of Health, or his or her designee, ex officio, with the right to vote as a member of the Board. The other fourteen members are appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the Senate.
Eight of the members are appointed from among individuals holding the degree of doctor of medicine and two hold the degree of doctor of podiatric medicine. One member is an individual licensed by the Board as a Type A physician assistant. Each of these members must be duly licensed to practice his or her profession in the State of West Virginia on the date of appointment and must have been licensed and actively practicing that profession for at least five years immediately preceding the date of appointment. Three lay members are appointed to represent health care consumers. Neither the lay members nor any person of the lay members’ immediate families shall be a provider of or be employed by a provider of health care services.
The term of the state director of health, or his or her designee, shall continue for the period that he or she holds such office. Each other member of the Board is appointed to serve a term of five years and may not be appointed to more than two consecutive full terms on the Board. Not more than four physicians, one podiatrist and two lay members appointed by the Governor as members of the Board shall belong to the same political party.
The Type A physician assistant member may not belong to the same political party to which a majority of the lay members belong. A person is not eligible for membership on the Board who is a member of any political party executive committee or, with the exception of the state director of health, or his or her designee, who holds any public office or public employment under the federal government or under the government of the State of West Virginia or any political subdivision thereof or who is an appointee or employee of the state board of health.
In making appointments to the Board, the Governor shall, so far as practicable, select the members from different geographical sections of the State. When a vacancy on the Board occurs and less than one year remains in the unexpired term, the appointee shall be eligible to serve the remainder of the unexpired term and two consecutive full terms on the Board.
No member may be removed from office except for official misconduct, incompetence, neglect of duty or gross immorality: Provided, That the expiration or revocation of the professional license of a member of the Board shall be cause for removal. Every two years the Board elects from among its members a President and Vice-President. The director of health, or his or her designee, serves as Secretary of the Board.