§41-5-3. Chief Examiner - Head of department; appointment; term of office; succession; filling of vacancies; confirmation of appointment by Senate; removal from office.

(a) The affairs of the department shall be administered by a Chief Examiner, whose actions shall be supervised and controlled by a Legislative Committee on Public Accounts. The Chief Examiner shall be selected and appointed by the Legislative Committee on Public Accounts to serve for a term of seven years and until his successor is appointed and qualified. The first of such terms shall commence on October 1, 1947, and such officer shall be eligible for reappointment to such office for such subsequent term of like duration as shall be deemed appropriate by the Legislative Committee on Public Accounts. Vacancies in the office of Chief Examiner arising from any cause shall be filled by the Legislative Committee on Public Accounts, the person so appointed to hold office for the unexpired term of his predecessor. Every appointment of the Chief Examiner shall be subject to confirmation by the Senate at the first regular or special session of the Legislature held thereafter; provided, however, that this shall not affect the right or authority of the Chief Examiner to act pending senatorial confirmation or rejection.

(b) The Chief Examiner may be removed from office through impeachment proceedings instituted before the Supreme Court by the Legislative Committee on Public Accounts, the Governor or by charges preferred by not less than 15 members of the Legislature for any of the causes enumerated in Section 173 of the Constitution of Alabama 1901, such proceedings to be conducted in accordance with the provisions of Sections 36-11-7 through 36-11-12.

(Acts 1947, No. 351, p. 231, §3; Acts 1961, No. 85, p. 100.)