§41-6-4. Board of trustees of department - Vacancies; terms of office; meetings; officers; compensation; powers and duties generally.

(a) The board of trustees shall fill all vacancies occurring on the board, whether by expiration of term of service or by death or resignation, but the names of all successor members shall be communicated to the current session or the next ensuing regular session of the state Senate for confirmation. If the Senate rejects any successor trustee, the board shall proceed forthwith to fill the vacancy.

(b) A trustee appointed to succeed a member whose term has expired shall serve for a term of six years. A person appointed to fill a vacancy occurring by death or resignation shall only serve out the unexpired term of his or her predecessor. A person whose appointment to the board has been confirmed by the Senate shall serve beyond his or her expired term until a successor has been confirmed by the Senate.

(c) The board shall hold at the State Capital at least one regular meeting during every year and as many special meetings as may be necessary, and at any meeting a majority of the trustees shall constitute a quorum. The Governor of the state shall be a member of the board, and he or she shall, as far as possible, lend every encouragement to the success and upbuilding of the department. The director shall be the secretary of the board. The trustees shall receive no compensation for their services. Each member of the board of trustees shall be reimbursed at the same per diem and travel allowance amounts paid by law to state employees for each day of attendance of the business of the board.

(d) The board may:

(1) Adopt rules for its own government and also for the government of the department.

(2) Elect a director and provide for the selection or appointment of other officials or employees as may be authorized.

(3) Provide for the publication of historical material pertaining to the state under the supervision of the director.

(4) Control and expend such appropriations as may be made for the maintenance of the department.

(5) Perform such other acts as may be necessary to carry out the intent and purposes of this article.

(Code 1907, §796; Code 1923, §1402; Code 1940, T. 55, §259; Act 2003-395, §1.)