§ 101. Composition of Department; Commissioner of Liquor and Lottery; Board of Liquor and Lottery
(a)(1) The Department of Liquor and Lottery, created by 3 V.S.A. § 212, shall administer the laws relating to alcoholic beverages, tobacco, and the State Lottery. It shall include the Commissioner of Liquor and Lottery and the Board of Liquor and Lottery.
(2) The Board of Liquor and Lottery shall supervise and manage the sales of spirits and fortified wines pursuant to this title and the establishment and management of the State Lottery pursuant to 31 V.S.A. chapter 14.
(3)(A) The Department of Liquor and Lottery shall be under the immediate supervision and direction of the Commissioner of Liquor and Lottery.
(B) The Division of Liquor Control is created within the Department to administer and carry out the laws relating to alcohol and tobacco set forth in this title.
(C) The Division of Lottery is created within the Department to administer and carry out the laws relating to the State Lottery set forth in 31 V.S.A. chapter 14.
(D) The Commissioner, with the approval of the Governor, may appoint a Deputy Commissioner of Liquor Control to supervise and direct the Division of Liquor Control and a Deputy Commissioner of the State Lottery to supervise and direct the Division of Lottery. Both Deputy Commissioners shall be exempt from the classified service and shall serve at the pleasure of the Commissioner.
(b)(1) The Board of Liquor and Lottery shall consist of five persons. Not all members of the Board shall belong to the same political party.
(2)(A) With the advice and consent of the Senate, the Governor shall appoint the members of the Board for staggered three-year terms.
(B) The Governor shall fill a vacancy occurring during a term by an appointment for the unexpired term in accordance with the provisions of 3 V.S.A. § 257(b).
(C) A member's term of office shall commence on February 1 of the year in which the member is appointed.
(3) A member of the Board may serve for no more than two consecutive full terms. A member who is appointed to fill a vacancy occurring during a term may serve two consecutive full terms in addition to the unexpired portion of the term during which the member is first appointed.
(4) The Governor shall designate a member of the Board to be its Chair. The Chair shall have general charge of the offices and employees of the Board.
(c) No member of the Board shall have a financial interest in any licensee under this title or 31 V.S.A. chapter 14, nor shall any member of the Board have a financial interest in any contract awarded by the Board or the Department of Liquor and Lottery.
(d) The Governor shall annually submit a budget for the Department to the General Assembly. (Amended 1959, No. 329 (Adj. Sess.), § 32, eff. March 1, 1961; 2011, No. 115 (Adj. Sess.), § 8, eff. May 9, 2012; 2015, No. 144 (Adj. Sess.), § 14; 2018, No. 1 (Sp. Sess.), § 9.)