§ 43-53-04 — Marriage and family therapy licensure board

1. The North Dakota marriage and family therapy licensure board consists of five
members. The governor shall appoint the board members to serve terms of four years,
except for those first appointed one member must continue in office for two years, two
for three years, and two, including the chairman, for four years.
2. The governor shall appoint members of the board from among individuals who meet
the following qualifications:
a. At least three members must be licensed practicing marriage and family
therapists; and each must have been for at least five years immediately
preceding appointment actively engaged as marriage and family therapists in
rendering professional services in marriage and family therapy; in the education
and training of master's, doctoral, or postdoctoral students of marriage and family
therapy; or in marriage and family therapy research. A member under this
subdivision must have spent the majority of the time devoted by that member to
such activity during the two years preceding appointment residing in this state.
b. At least one member must be a representative of the general public and may not
have any direct affiliation with the practice of marriage and family therapy or
another mental health profession.
c. The initial appointees, with the exception of any representative of the general
public, are deemed to be and become licensed practicing marriage and family
therapists immediately upon appointment and qualification as members of the
board.
3. The governor shall nominate a new member to fill a vacancy on the board within thirty
days of the vacancy. A member chosen to fill a board vacancy must be appointed for
the unexpired term of the board member whom that member is succeeding. Upon the
expiration of a member's term of office, a board member shall continue to serve until a
successor is appointed. An individual may not be appointed more than once to fill an
unexpired term or appointed to more than two consecutive full terms. A member may
not serve as chairman for more than four years. The appointment of any member of
the board automatically terminates thirty days after the date the member is no longer a
resident of this state.
4. The governor may remove any member of the board or the chairman from the position
as chairman for neglect of duty or malfeasance or conviction of a felony or crime of
moral turpitude while in office, but for no other reason. A member may not be removed
until after a hearing on the charges and at least thirty days' prior written notice to such
accused member of the charges and of the date fixed for such hearing.

5. A board member may not participate in any matter before the board in which that
member has a pecuniary interest, personal bias, or other similar conflict of interest. A
board member shall serve without compensation but is entitled to be reimbursed for
the member's actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of official
board business.