§31-5-6. State Service Commissioner - Qualifications; appointment; term of office and removal; head of department; representation of state before federal agencies; reciprocal agreements with other states; appointment of district and county service commissioners and other personnel.

(a) It shall be the duty of the State Board of Veterans' Affairs to appoint a State Service Commissioner who shall serve for a term of four years subject to removal by the state board for cause. He shall be appointed on the basis of education, ability, and experience in handling veterans' affairs, and without regard to political affiliations. Such commissioner shall be a resident of the State of Alabama and shall be a veteran who served on active duty for a period of 60 days or more in the military or naval forces of the United States in any war in which the United States shall have been engaged, and shall have been honorably discharged therefrom, and all subsequent appointees to such office shall be selected in like manner and possess like qualifications.

(b) All administrative and executive duties and responsibilities of the department shall be performed by the State Service Commissioner, subject to the authority of the state board. The State Service Commissioner shall be the executive and administrative officer of the State Department of Veterans' Affairs, and shall have the power to issue administrative orders and directives to all officials and employees in the department.

(c) The State Department of Veterans' Affairs, acting through the State Service Commissioner, shall be the designated agency of the State of Alabama to represent the state and its veterans before the United States Veterans' Administration, or any other agency dealing with the interest of the veteran.

(d) The State Service Commissioner, with the approval of the state board, shall be empowered to enter into reciprocal agreements with other states under which veterans who are residents of such other states may be rendered services in the State of Alabama.

(e) The State Service Commissioner, with the approval of the state board, shall appoint all district service commissioners and county service commissioners as provided in this chapter.

(f) The State Service Commissioner shall appoint all clerical and stenographic personnel in the state department, and in all county offices as is authorized or may hereafter be authorized under the State Merit System and approved by the State Personnel Board.

(Acts 1945, No. 173, p. 304, §4.)