326.259.  Missouri state board of accountancy established, appointment, members, qualifications, terms, removal. — 1.  The "Missouri State Board of Accountancy" is hereby established and shall consist of seven members, one of whom shall be a voting public member, and shall have the functions, powers and duties prescribed in this chapter.

  2.  Each member of the board, except the public member, shall be a licensee pursuant to the laws of this state, and shall at the time of his or her appointment be a citizen of the United States, a resident of this state for at least one year and have practiced continuously as a licensee for a period of at least five years immediately preceding his or her appointment.  At the time of his or her appointment, the public member shall be a citizen of the United States, a resident of this state for a period of one year, a registered voter, a person who is not and never was a member of any profession licensed or regulated pursuant to this chapter or the immediate family member of such a person, and a person who does not have and never has had a material financial interest in either providing professional services regulated by this chapter, or an activity or organization directly related to any profession licensed or regulated pursuant to this chapter.

  3.  Members of the Missouri state board of accountancy, including public members, shall be chosen by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate from lists submitted by the director of the division of professional registration.  The chair of the largest membership state organization of certified public accountants which is dedicated to maintaining the high professional and ethical standards of accountants as well as protection of the public may submit a list of five licensees to the director of the division of professional registration for consideration as a board member, other than the public member.  To be considered by the director of the division of professional registration, the list shall be submitted at least ninety days prior to the expiration of the term of the board member or as soon as feasible after a vacancy on the board occurs.  The duties of the public member shall not include the determination of the technical requirements for licensure, whether any person meets the technical requirements, or the technical competence or technical judgment of a certified public accountant or applicant for licensure.

  4.  The term of office of each board member appointed shall be five years.  Vacancies shall be filled by the governor for the remainder of the unexpired term.  No person shall serve more than two consecutive terms or eleven years, whichever is less; except that a member may hold office until his or her successor is appointed and qualified.  Any member who has served two complete consecutive terms shall be ineligible to be reappointed until one year has lapsed.  No member whose term has been terminated for any reason, other than the term's expiration, shall be eligible for reappointment until the lapse of one year.  An appointment to fill an unexpired term shall not be considered a complete term.

  5.  The governor may remove any member of the board for misconduct, incompetency or neglect of official duties after giving the member written notice of the charges and an opportunity to be heard.