N.M. Code R. § 16.63.1.12 – Board Governance

A. There is created the board of social work examiners.
B. The board shall be administratively attached to the regulation and licensing department.
C. The board shall consist of seven members who are representative of the geographic and ethnic groups within New Mexico, who are United States citizens and who have been New Mexico residents for at least five years prior to their appointment. Of the seven members:
(1) four shall have been engaged in social work practice for at least five years; at least two of the four shall hold a master's degree in social work; and at least two shall hold a bachelor's degree in social work from schools of social work that are accredited by the council on social work education; at least one of these members shall be engaged primarily in clinical social work practice; one member shall be engaged primarily in education; one member shall be engaged primarily in administration or research in social work practice; and at least one member shall be engaged primarily in community organization, planning and development; these members shall hold a current New Mexico social work license and shall not hold office in any professional organization of social workers during their tenure on the board; and
(2) three members shall represent the public; the public members shall not have been licensed or have practiced as social workers; public member shall not have any significant financial interest, whether direct or indirect, in social work practice.
D. Members of the board shall be appointed by the governor for staggered terms of three years. Each member shall hold office until his successor is appointed. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as original appointments.
E. Except for the representatives of the public on the board, the governor shall appoint board members from a list of nominees submitted by social work organizations and individual social work professionals.
F. Members of the board shall be reimbursed as provided in the Per Diem and Mileage Act and shall receive no other compensation, perquisite or allowance.
G. The board shall elect a chairman and other officers as deemed necessary to administer its duties.
H. A simple majority of the board members currently serving shall constitute a quorum of the board. A board member may participate in a board meeting by means of conference call or other similar communications equipment when it is otherwise difficult or impossible for the member to attend the meeting in person, provided that the member participating by conference call can be identified when speaking, all participants are able to hear each other at the same time and members of the public attending the meeting are able to hear any member of the public body who speaks during the meeting.
I. The board shall meet at least once a year and at such other times as it deems necessary. Other meetings may be called by the chairman upon the written request of a quorum of the board.
J. The governor may remove any member from the board for the neglect of any duty required by law, for incompetence, for improper or unprofessional conduct as defined by board regulation or for any reason that would justify the suspension or revocation of his license to practice social work.
K. No board member shall serve more than two consecutive terms, and any member failing to attend, after proper notice, three consecutive meetings shall automatically be removed as a board member, unless excused for reasons set forth in board regulation.
L. In the event of a vacancy for any reason, the board secretary shall immediately notify the governor and the board of the vacancy and the reason for its occurrence to expedite the appointment of a new board member within a six-month period.
M. Board members may be excused from attending board meetings for any of the reasons set forth below:
(1) illness;
(2) death in the immediate family;
(3) military service;
(4) inclement weather;
(5) any other reason deemed appropriate by the chairperson of the board.
[1/5/95, 5/1/99; 16.63.1.12 NMAC - Rn, 16 NMAC 63.1.12, 06/19/02]