1.  Establishment.  The Board of Counseling Professionals Licensure within the department as established by Title 5, section 12004‑A, subsection 9‑C, shall carry out the purposes of this chapter.  

2.  Members.  The board consists of 8 members, 7 of them appointed by the Governor. Each member must be a resident of this State. Six members must be licensed clinical counseling professionals under this chapter, 4 of whom must be clinical professional counselors, one of whom must be a marriage and family therapist and one of whom must be a pastoral counselor. Each counselor member must have been, for at least 5 years immediately preceding appointment, actively engaged as a practitioner, educator or researcher. One member must be a public member as defined in Title 5, section 12004‑A and may not be currently practicing counseling or receiving compensation for counseling services. One member, appointed by the Chancellor of the University of Maine System, must be a member of the university faculty involved in the training of counselors.  

3.  Officers. 

4.  Terms of office.  Appointments are for terms of 3 years each. Appointments of members must comply with Title 10, section 8009.  

5.  Removal.  The Governor may remove any member of the board for cause and the reason for the termination of each appointment must be communicated to each member so terminated. The appointment of any member of the board must be terminated if a member is absent for 6 consecutive board meetings without good and just cause that is communicated to the chair.  

6.  Compensation. 

7.  Meetings; chair.  The board shall meet at least once a year to conduct its business and to elect a chair. Additional meetings must be held as necessary to conduct the business of the board and may be convened at the call of the chair or a majority of the board members.