Sec. 4. (a) The office consists of the following employees:
(1) A director, appointed by the governor, who may serve as an environmental law judge.
(2) Environmental law judges, employed by the director.
(3) Any other staff, employed by the director, that are necessary to carry out the functions of the office.
(b) In the event of a vacancy, the governor shall appoint the director based upon recommendations by a four (4) member panel. Not more than two (2) members of the panel may be affiliated with the same political party. The panel shall consist of:
(1) one (1) person, who shall serve as the chair of the panel, appointed by the chief justice of the supreme court of Indiana;
(2) one (1) person appointed by the governor;
(3) one (1) person appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives; and
(4) one (1) person appointed by the president pro tempore of the senate.
The panel shall nominate three (3) candidates for each vacancy and certify them to the governor as promptly as possible, but not later than sixty (60) days from the date a vacancy occurs. Not later than thirty (30) days after receipt of the panel's list of three (3) candidates, the governor may select one (1) candidate from the panel's list, or the governor may request that the panel nominate three (3) additional candidates. The panel shall meet whenever there is a vacancy in the director position.
As added by P.L.41-1995, SEC.2. Amended by P.L.10-2019, SEC.6.