(a) (1) The Board consists of 9 members.
(2) Of the 9 Board members:
(i) 5 shall be master heating, ventilation, air–conditioning, and refrigeration contractors licensed in the State, a subdivision of the State, or another state provided that state has licensing requirements equivalent to the licensing requirements of this title;
(ii) 1 shall be a master electrician;
(iii) 1 shall be a master plumber; and
(iv) 2 shall be consumer members.
(3) The Governor shall appoint the members of the Board with the advice of the Secretary and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
(b) Except for the initial members of the Board, of the members appointed under subsection (a)(2)(i), (ii), and (iii) of this section:
(1) 1 shall be from the area that consists of Caroline, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester counties;
(2) 1 shall be from the area that consists of Baltimore City, and Baltimore, Cecil, and Harford counties;
(3) 1 shall be from the area that consists of Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s counties;
(4) 1 shall be from the area that consists of Howard, Montgomery, and Prince George’s counties; and
(5) 1 shall be from the area that consists of Allegany, Carroll, Frederick, Garrett, and Washington counties.
(c) Each member of the Board shall be:
(1) a citizen of the United States; and
(2) a resident of the State.
(d) (1) Each member appointed under subsection (a)(2)(i), (ii), and (iii) of this section:
(i) shall be an active contractor;
(ii) shall hold a current active license under this title or under a licensing program in a subdivision of the State; and
(iii) shall have provided services as a contractor for not less than 5 consecutive years immediately prior to the date of appointment.
(2) The master electrician member of the Board:
(i) shall be actively engaged in the electrical contracting business as a master electrician;
(ii) shall hold a current active license under this article; and
(iii) shall have been engaged in business as a master electrician for not less than 5 consecutive years immediately prior to the date of appointment.
(3) The master plumber member of the Board:
(i) shall be actively engaged in the plumbing contracting business as a master plumber;
(ii) shall hold a current active license under this article; and
(iii) shall have been engaged in business as a master plumber for not less than 5 consecutive years immediately prior to the date of appointment.
(e) Each consumer member of the Board:
(1) shall be a member of the general public;
(2) may not be a licensee or otherwise be subject to the regulation of the Board; and
(3) may not have had within 1 year before appointment a financial interest in or have received compensation from a person regulated by the Board.
(f) Before taking office, each appointee to the Board shall take the oath required by Article I, § 9 of the Maryland Constitution.
(g) (1) The term of a member is 3 years.
(2) The terms of members are staggered as required by the terms provided for members of the Board on January 1, 1993.
(3) At the end of a term, a member continues to serve until a successor is appointed and qualifies.
(4) A member who is appointed after a term has begun serves only for the rest of the term and until a successor is appointed and qualifies.
(5) Board members are eligible for reappointment, but may not serve more than 2 consecutive terms.
(h) (1) The Governor may remove a member for incompetence or misconduct.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection and subject to paragraph (4) of this subsection, a member shall be considered to have resigned if the member did not attend at least two–thirds of the Board meetings held during any consecutive 12–month period while the member was serving on the Board.
(3) The Governor may waive a member’s resignation and allow the member to continue serving if the member has been unable to attend meetings for reasons satisfactory to the Governor and the reasons are made public.
(4) In accordance with § 8–501 of the State Government Article, the chairman shall provide notice to the Governor and the Governor shall appoint a successor.