(a) Whenever it is provided by law that an office shall be filled by appointment with the advice and consent of the Senate, such appointment shall be made during the month of February, and the term of office of a person so appointed shall commence on the first day of March thereafter.

(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all secretaries of State agencies and all commissioners of State departments shall take office only with the advice and consent of the Senate except in the case of an appointment to fill a vacancy when the General Assembly is not in session in which case the appointee may take office subject to the provisions of section 257 of this title. (Amended 1975, No. 84, § 1, eff. April 24, 1975; 2013, No. 92 (Adj. Sess.), §§ 247, 302, eff. Feb. 14, 2014.)