ORS 677.235: Oregon Medical Board; membership; confirmation; terms; vacancies; compensation.

(1) The Oregon Medical Board consists of 14 members appointed by the Governor and subject to confirmation by the Senate in the manner provided in ORS 171.562 and 171.565. All members of the board must be residents of this state. Of the members of the board: (a) Six must have the degree of Doctor of Medicine; (b) Two must have the degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine; (c) One must have the degree of Doctor of Podiatric Medicine; (d) Two must be physician associates licensed under ORS 677.512; and (e) Three must be members of the public who represent health consumers. (2)(a)(A) Board members required to possess the degree of Doctor of Medicine may be selected by the Governor from a list of three to five candidates for each member described in subsection (1)(a) of this section whose term expires in that year, submitted by the Oregon Medical Association not later than February 1. (B) Board members required to possess the degree of Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine may be selected by the Governor from a list of three to five candidates for each member described in subsection (1)(b) of this section whose term expires in that year, submitted by the Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons of Oregon, Inc., not later than February 1. (C) The board member required to possess the degree of Doctor of Podiatric Medicine may be selected by the Governor from a list of three to five candidates for the member described in subsection (1)(c) of this section whose term expires in that year, submitted by the Oregon Podiatric Medical Association not later than February 1. (D) The board members required to be physician associates licensed under ORS 677.512 may be selected by the Governor from a list of three to five candidates for each member described in subsection (1)(d) of this section whose term expires in that year, submitted by the Oregon Society of Physician Assistants not later than February 1. (b) Members who are physicians or physician associates must have been in the active practice of their profession for at least five years immediately preceding their appointment. (c)(A) A public member may not be otherwise eligible for appointment to the board. (B) A public member, or the spouse, domestic partner, child, parent or sibling of a public member, may not be a licensed health care professional in this state. (d)(A) In selecting the members of the board, the Governor shall strive to balance the representation on the board according to geographic areas of this state and ethnicity. (B) Of the members described in subsection (1)(a) to (d) of this section, at least one member must be appointed from each federal congressional district. (3)(a) The term of office of each board member is three years, but a member serves at the pleasure of the Governor. The terms must be staggered so that no more than five terms end each year. A term begins on March 1 of the year the member is appointed and ends on the last day of February of the third year after the member is appointed. A member may not serve more than two consecutive terms. (b) If a vacancy occurs on the board, another qualifying member possessing the same professional degree or license or fulfilling the same public capacity as the person whose position has been vacated shall be appointed as provided in this section to fill the unexpired term. (c) A board member shall be removed immediately from the board if, during the member’s term, the member: (A) Is not a resident of this state; (B) Has been absent from three consecutive board meetings, unless at least one absence is excused; or (C) Is not a current licensee, if the board member was appointed to serve on the board as a licensee. (4) Members of the board are entitled to compensation and expenses as provided in ORS 292.495. The board may provide by rule for compensation to board members for the performance of official duties at a rate that is greater than the rate provided in ORS 292.495. [1967 c.470 §43 (enacted in lieu of 677.230); 1971 c.650 §26; 1973 c.792 §33; 1979 c.388 §1; 1983 c.486 §28a; 1985 c.322 §4; 1989 c.830 §17; 1997 c.792 §23; 2005 c.760 §3; 2007 c.86 §1; 2007 c.349 §1; 2009 c.535 §5; 2009 c.756 §93; 2013 c.129 §12; 2015 c.403 §1; 2017 c.230 §1; 2017 c.409 §24; 2019 c.228 §1; 2021 c.94 §1; 2023 c.335 §1; 2024 c.73 §129] Sec. 2. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, nothing in the amendments to ORS 677.235 by section 1 of this 2023 Act affects the term of office of any member of the Oregon Medical Board appointed prior to and serving on the operative date specified in section 3 of this 2023 Act [January 1, 2024]. However, as vacancies occur, appointments shall be made in accordance with the qualifications specified in ORS 677.235, as amended by section 1 of this 2023 Act. (2) The term of an emeritus board member expires on the operative date specified in section 3 of this 2023 Act. [2023 c.335 §2]