2011 Louisiana Laws
Revised Statutes
TITLE 28 — Mental health
RS 28:853 — Governing board; membership; appointment; terms; compensation

§853. Governing board; membership; appointment; terms; compensation

A. The authority shall be governed by a board of nine members. The board shall include three residents from the parish of St. Tammany; two residents each from the parishes of Livingston and Tangipahoa; and one resident each from the parishes of St. Helena and Washington.

B.(1) The members shall be appointed by the governing authority of each parish. All appointments shall require ratification by a plurality of the legislative delegation representing the five parishes which are included in the authority. The initial appointments shall be made no later than January 1, 2004.

(2) Parishes with two board members shall be represented by one practitioner and one advocate or consumer. Both shall have a history of involvement in one or more of the three areas of service. The advocates shall have demonstrated an active history of support and involvement in one or more of the services areas. Consumers shall have received services in one or more of the three service areas provided by the authority.

(3) The appointments shall be professionals or active advocates in the fields of mental health, developmental disabilities, or substance abuse services.

C.(1) The initial terms of office for the appointees from the parish of St. Tammany shall be one, two, and three years, to be determined by the appointing authority. The initial terms of the appointees from the parishes of Livingston and Tangipahoa shall be one and three years, to be determined by the appointing authority. The initial terms of the appointees from the parishes of St. Helena and Washington shall be two years.

(2) All subsequent appointees shall serve terms of three years. No board member shall serve more than two consecutive three-year terms after his initial term.

D. The chairman shall be elected by the board for a term established under the board's bylaws.

E. Each board member shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses and mileage at the same rate set by the division of administration for state employees for each day in actual attendance at board meetings or for representing the board in an official board-approved activity.

F. No member of the board or of his immediate family shall own or have any interest or part in any public or private organization, business, company, or entity conducting business of any kind with the authority.

G. The board shall adopt bylaws to provide for the governance of the board within ninety days of being established. Such bylaws shall include but not be limited to:

(1) Procedures for the election of board officers, including terms of office and methods and grounds for removal.

(2) Procedures and grounds for the removal of any board member. Grounds for removal shall include conviction of a felony or may include failure to meet board attendance as provided in the bylaws.

H. Procedures for filling a vacancy created by the removal, resignation, or death of any board member prior to the end of the board member's term shall follow those used for initial appointments.

I. All members of the board and employees of the authority shall be subject to the Code of Governmental Ethics.

Acts 2003, No. 594, §2, eff. June 27, 2003.