Section 442-I. State real estate board

1. There is hereby established
  within the department of state a state real  estate  board  which  shall
  consist  of  the  secretary  of  state,  the  executive  director of the
  consumer protection board, and thirteen  additional  members.  At  least
  five  of  these members shall be "real estate brokers", each of whom, at
  the time of appointment, shall be  licensed  and  qualified  as  a  real
  estate  broker  under  the  laws  of  New York state and shall have been
  engaged in the real estate business in this state for a  period  of  not
  less  than  ten years prior to appointment.  The remaining members shall
  be "public members" who shall not be real estate licensees.
    2. The thirteen members shall be appointed as follows:  seven  members
  shall  be  appointed by the governor, three of whom shall be real estate
  brokers and four of whom shall be public members; two members  shall  be
  appointed by the temporary president of the senate, one of whom shall be
  a  real  estate  broker  and  one  of whom shall be a public member; two
  members shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly, one  of  whom
  shall  be a real estate broker and one of whom shall be a public member;
  one member shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate,  who
  shall  be either a real estate broker or a public member; and one member
  shall be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly, who shall  be
  either a real estate broker or a public member.
    3.   Each appointed member shall serve for a term of two years; at any
  point during such term the appointed member may be removed by the person
  who appointed such member.  In the event that any of said members  shall
  die  or  resign  during  the  term  of  office,  the  successor shall be
  appointed in the same way and with the same qualifications as set  forth
  above.    A member may be reappointed for successive terms but no member
  shall serve more than ten years in his or her lifetime.
    4. A majority of members currently  serving  on  the  board  shall  be
  required in order to pass any resolution or to approve any matter before
  the  board.  The  secretary  of state shall be chairperson of the board.
  The vice-chairperson and a secretary shall be  elected  from  among  the
  members.  A  board member who fails to attend three consecutive meetings
  shall forfeit the seat unless  the  secretary  of  state,  upon  written
  request  from the member, finds that the member should have been excused
  from a meeting because of illness or death of a family member.
    5. Each member of the board shall receive no compensation  other  than
  reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses.
    6.  The board shall meet no fewer than three times per year and at the
  call of the secretary of state or a majority of the board.  In  addition
  to  regularly  scheduled  meetings of the board, there shall be at least
  one public hearing each year in New York city, one public  hearing  each
  year  in  Buffalo,  and one public hearing each year in Albany. At least
  fifteen days prior to the  holding  of  any  of  these  public  hearings
  pursuant  to this subdivision, the board shall give public notice of the
  hearing in a newspaper of general circulation in  each  area  where  the
  public  meeting is to be held. The purpose of these hearings shall be to
  solicit  from  members  of  the  public,  suggestions,   comments,   and
  observations about real estate practice in New York state.