(A) There is created the South Carolina Board of Chiropractic Examiners consisting of nine members. One licensed chiropractor must be appointed by the Governor from each congressional district and must be a chiropractor residing and practicing in the district the chiropractor represents. The board shall certify in writing to the Governor the names of the two nominees who received the highest number of votes in each district’s election conducted pursuant to § 40-9-37. The Governor may reject any or all of the nominees upon satisfactory showing of the unfitness of those rejected. If the Governor declines to appoint any of the nominees submitted, additional nominees must be submitted in the same manner. One member of the board, who must be a licensed and practicing chiropractor, must be appointed by the Governor from the State at large, and one member, who may not be a member of the chiropractic or medical profession, must be appointed by the Governor from the State at large. The conduct of the balloting for the nominees for the board from the respective congressional districts is the responsibility of the Board of Chiropractic Examiners. Each chiropractic member must be a licensed and practicing chiropractor in South Carolina in good standing for a period of five years preceding the date of appointment to the board.

(B) All terms are for four years and until their successors are appointed and qualify. The Governor may remove a member of the board who is guilty of continued neglect of board duties, guilty of a misdemeanor or a felony, or who is found to be incompetent. No member may be removed without first giving the member an opportunity to refute the charges filed against that member who must be given a copy of the charges at the time they are filed.

(C) The South Carolina Board of Chiropractic Examiners shall meet at least twice a year at a time and place as determined by the board. The board shall hold elections for its officers each year. The board may call additional meetings when necessary for the transaction of board business. The board shall adopt regulations for its government, for judging the professional and ethical competence of chiropractors, including compliance with the code of chiropractic ethics, and for the discipline of chiropractors. A majority of the board constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business.

(D) The board may:

(1) establish suitable procedures for carrying out its duties pursuant to this chapter;

(2) execute certificates which must be accepted in the courts of this State and by an administrative law judge as provided under Article 5, Chapter 23 of Title 1 as the best evidence of the minutes of the board and the best evidence of whether a person is registered under the requirements of this chapter;

(3) promulgate regulations not inconsistent with the law as may be necessary to carry out this chapter including, but not limited to, regulations concerning patient care and treatment, solicitation of patients, and advertising; however, the board may not prohibit or discriminate against advertising in any particular media;

(4) conduct investigations and cause the prosecution of all persons violating this chapter and have power to incur necessary expenses for this;

(5) keep a record of all its proceedings;

(6) fix the time for holding its meetings;

(7) examine, license, and renew the licenses of qualified applicants and certify applicants as to their ability and as to the degree of their practice of chiropractic as authorized under the laws of this State; however, the nonchiropractic member of the board may not participate in the examination of a license applicant on matters of technical or professional nature; the board shall use the National Board Examination of the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners in lieu of the state written examination for persons graduating from an approved chiropractic college pursuant to § 40-9-40 after July 1, 1982;

(8) judge the professional and ethical competence of chiropractors, establish a code of chiropractic ethics, and provide for the discipline of chiropractors;

(9) order the revocation, suspension, or restriction of the license of a licensee to practice chiropractic or take other disciplinary action, including assessing a civil fine for a violation of this chapter;

(10) assess and collect costs from a licensee for investigating a complaint and conducting proceedings pursuant to this chapter.