(1) The state fire safety board is created in the bureau and shall consist of 17 members who are residents of this state. Of the members:

    (a) Three shall be representatives of organized fire departments in the Lower Peninsula.

    (b) One shall be a representative of organized fire departments in the Upper Peninsula.

    (c) One shall be a representative of hospital administration.

    (d) One shall be a registered professional engineer.

    (e) One shall be a registered architect.

    (f) One shall be a representative of the nursing home industry.

    (g) One shall be an individual who meets any of the following criteria:

    (i) The individual is a member of the governing board of a school district, public school academy, or intermediate school district.

    (ii) The individual is employed by a school district, a public school academy, or an intermediate school district in an administrative capacity.

    (iii) The individual is a member of, or is employed by, a statewide association representing school board members or school administrators.

    (h) One shall be a representative of the building trades.

    (i) One shall be a representative of persons who own a place of public assemblage.

    (j) One shall be a representative of the flammable liquids industry.

    (k) One shall be a representative of the liquefied petroleum gas industry or the flammable compressed gases industry.

    (l) One shall be a representative of the chemical manufacturing industry.

    (m) One shall be a licensed electrical contractor or master electrician.

    (n) One shall be a representative of persons who own adult foster care facilities.

    (o) One shall be the state fire marshal or an employee of the bureau designated by the state fire marshal.

    (2) Board members, other than the state fire marshal or the state fire marshal's designee, shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. The members appointed by the governor shall have the qualifications the governor considers essential to enable them to competently decide matters of fire prevention and fire safety for the establishments or facilities specified in section 3c(1).

    (3) Each member appointed by the governor before January 1, 2007 shall be appointed for a term of 3 years. Each member appointed by the governor after December 31, 2006 shall be appointed for a term of 4 years. Continued absence of a member appointed by the governor from regular or special meetings of the board makes the member subject to immediate removal by the governor.

    (4) A majority of the members appointed to and serving on the board constitutes a quorum. Affirmative votes of at least a majority of the members appointed to and serving on the board is required to decide any question, action, or business of the board, except that a hearing of a contested case may be conducted before 3 board members who, after hearing the facts and considering the evidence and testimony, shall recommend the action the board should take.

    (5) The governor shall designate 1 of the members of the board to serve as chairperson of the board at the pleasure of the governor. Annually, the board may elect from its members a vice-chairperson of the board. Each year, the board shall hold not fewer than 4 regular meetings. Special meetings may be called by the chairperson or upon written request of 5 board members. Meetings shall be held at a location in this state designated by the chairperson.

    (6) The business of the board shall be conducted at a public meeting that complies with the open meetings act, 1976 PA 267, MCL 15.261 to 15.275.

    (7) Each appointed member of the board is entitled to actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of his or her duties as a member of the board, subject to available appropriations.

    (8) The board shall keep minutes of its proceedings, showing the vote of each member on each proposition or question, or indicating if a member is absent or fails to vote. A record of board action and business shall be made and maintained.

    (9) Except as provided in subsections (10) and (11), a writing prepared, owned, used, in the possession of, or retained by the board, the department, their agents, or others in the performance of an official function under this act is subject to the freedom of information act, 1976 PA 442, MCL 15.231 to 15.246.

    (10) A person regulated under this act may designate a report or other information furnished to or obtained by the department, its agents, or others under this act as being only for confidential use by the department, its agents, or others in the performance of an official function. If the department, its agents, or others receive a request under section 5 of the freedom of information act, 1976 PA 442, MCL 15.235, for a public record that includes information designated as confidential or information obtained under section 4, the department, its agents, or others shall notify the person regulated under this act. The person regulated under this act has 30 days after receipt of the notice to demonstrate to the department, its agents, or others, that the information designated as confidential or information obtained under section 4 constitutes a trade secret or confidential business information that, if disclosed, may cause a competitive disadvantage. The department, its agents, or others shall grant the request for the information unless the person regulated under this act makes a satisfactory demonstration to the department, its agents, or others that disclosure of the information may cause a competitive disadvantage. If a dispute occurs between the person regulated under this act and the person requesting the information, the board shall make a final decision to grant or deny the request.

    (11) This act does not prevent the use of a record or information by the department to compile or publish reports, analyses, or summaries of general conditions for the prevention of fire, or the use of a record or information to administer or enforce federal, state, or local fire prevention laws. However, a report, analysis, summary, or use shall not directly or indirectly publicly reveal information otherwise confidential under this section.