The Board of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services shall be composed of seven (7) members appointed by the Governor with the consent of the Senate. Immediately after June 3, 1953, one member shall be appointed for a term expiring December 31, 1953, and one each for terms ending respectively one (1), two (2), three (3), four (4), five (5) and six (6) years thereafter. Upon the expiration of any of the terms a successor shall be appointed for a full term of seven (7) years. One member, who shall be a physician licensed to practice in this state, and one member, who shall be a psychiatrist certified as a diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, shall both be appointed from a list containing the names of not less than three physicians and not less than three psychiatrists submitted to the Governor by the Oklahoma State Medical Association; one member shall be an attorney licensed to practice in this state and shall be appointed from a list of not less than three names submitted to the Governor by the Oklahoma Bar Association; and one member shall be a psychologist, licensed to practice in this state, who shall be appointed from a list of not less than three names submitted to the Governor by the Oklahoma State Psychological Association. No person shall be appointed a member of the Board who has been a member of the Legislature of this state within the preceding five (5) years. The Board shall elect its own chairman and vice-chairman.

The chairman may call meetings at any time. All regularly scheduled meetings will be held at the Central Office of the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, unless otherwise scheduled. The Board, not in conjunction with a regularly scheduled meeting, or their designee, shall visit each facility once during each fiscal year with a report on the status of each facility given to the full Board after such visit. Four members shall constitute a quorum at any meeting, and all action may be taken by an affirmative vote of the majority of the members present at any such meeting.

The action taken by the Board on any matter, or any document passed by the Board, shall be considered official when such action is placed in writing and signed by the chairman, or vice-chairman.

The duties of the Board shall pertain to the care, treatment, and hospitalization of the mentally ill, and alcohol- or drug-dependent persons.

Members of the Board of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services shall be allowed their necessary travel expenses pursuant to the State Travel Reimbursement Act, Section 500.1 et seq. of Title 74 [74-500.1] of the Oklahoma Statutes.

Laws 1953, HB 846, p. 153, § 12, emerg. eff. June 3, 1953; Amended by Laws 1955, HB 939, p. 249, § 1, emerg. eff. June 6, 1955; Amended by Laws 1970, SB 602, c. 93, § 1, emerg. eff. March 27, 1970; Amended by Laws 1985, HB 1164, c. 178, § 19, emerg. eff. July 1, 1985; Renumbered from 43A O.S. § 12 by Laws 1986, HB 2021, c. 103, § 103, eff. November 1, 1986; Amended by Laws 1986, HB 2021, c. 103, § 10, eff. November 1, 1986; Amended by Laws 1988, HB 1618, c. 58, § 1, eff. November 1, 1988; Amended by Laws 1989, HB 1120, c. 329, § 1, eff. November 1, 1989; Amended by Laws 1990, SB 866, c. 51, § 28, emerg. eff. April 9, 1990; Amended by Laws 1991, SB 132, c. 301, § 9, emerg. eff. July 1, 1991.