All public officers appointed or renewed in accordance with law shall, within 30 days after being commissioned, qualify to perform the duties of their office and the certificate of qualification must be filed in the office of the Secretary of State. Any officer who fails to qualify within 30 days and file a certificate of qualification in the office of the Secretary of State within 45 days must be suspended by the Secretary of State until the defect is corrected. During this suspension, the officer may be deemed to have forfeited the appointment and the office may be declared vacant by the appointing authority and a new appointment made.   [PL 1991, c. 837, Pt. A, §7 (AMD).]