Oklahoma § 59-698.4 - Appointment - Qualifications - Terms - Removal for

§ 59-698.4. Appointment - Qualifications - Terms - Removal for

cause.

A. 1. The State Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners shall

consist of six (6) members, appointed by the Governor with the

advice and consent of the Senate. The Board shall consist of five

licensed veterinarian members, and one lay person representing the

general public.

2. Each veterinary member shall be a graduate of an approved

school of veterinary medicine, shall be a currently licensed

veterinarian and shall have held an active license for the three (3)

years preceding appointment to the Board. One member shall be

appointed from each congressional district and any remaining members

shall be appointed from the state at large. However, when

congressional districts are redrawn each member appointed prior to

July 1 of the year in which such modification becomes effective

shall complete the current term of office and appointments made

after July 1 of the year in which such modification becomes

effective shall be based on the redrawn districts. Appointments

made after July 1 of the year in which such modification becomes

effective shall be from any redrawn districts which are not

represented by a board member until such time as each of the

modified congressional districts are represented by a board member.

No appointments may be made after July 1 of the year in which such

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 59. Professions and Occupations

modification becomes effective if such appointment would result in

more than two members serving from the same modified district.

3. Of the five licensed veterinarian members, one must be an

equine practitioner and one must be a large animal practitioner.

4. The lay member shall have no financial interest in the

profession other than as a consumer or potential consumer of its

services.

5. Members must be residents of this state and be persons of

integrity and good reputation. No member shall be a registered

lobbyist. No member shall be an officer, board member or employee

of a statewide or national organization established for the purpose

of advocating the interests of or conducting peer review of

veterinarians licensed pursuant to the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice

Act.

B. Members of the Board shall be appointed for a term of five

(5) years. No member shall serve consecutively for more than two

(2) terms. Not more than two (2) terms shall expire in each year,

and vacancies for the remainder of an unexpired term shall be filled

by appointment by the Governor. Members shall serve beyond the

expiration of their term until a successor is appointed by the

Governor. The Governor shall appoint to a vacancy within ninety

(90) days of the beginning of the vacancy. Nominees considered by

the Governor for appointment to the Board must be free of pending

disciplinary action or active investigation by the Board.

C. A member may be removed from the Board by the Governor for

cause which shall include, but not be limited to, if a member:

1. Ceases to be qualified;

2. Is found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction of a

felony or unlawful act which involves moral turpitude;

3. Is found guilty of malfeasance, misfeasance or nonfeasance

in relation to Board duties;

4. Is found mentally incompetent by a court of competent

jurisdiction;

5. Is found in violation of the Oklahoma Veterinary Practice

Act; or

6. Fails to attend three successive Board meetings without just

cause as determined by the Board.

Added by Laws 1971, c. 126, § 4, emerg. eff. May 4, 1971. Amended

by Laws 1990, c. 314, § 3, eff. Sept. 1, 1990; Laws 1999, c. 94, §

4, eff. Nov. 1, 1999; Laws 2002, c. 375, § 8, eff. Nov. 5, 2002;

Laws 2010, c. 112, § 2; Laws 2021, c. 564, § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 2021.