Sec 4-111. State liquor board; department of liquor licenses and control; members; director; appointment and removal

A. The department of liquor licenses and control is established consisting of the state liquor board and the office of director of the department.

B. From and after January 31, 2003, the board consists of seven members to be appointed by the governor pursuant to section 38-211. Five of the members of the board shall not be financially interested directly or indirectly in business licensed to deal with spirituous liquors. Two members shall currently be engaged in business in the spirituous liquor industry or have been engaged in the past in business in the spirituous liquor industry, at least one of whom shall currently be a retail licensee or employee of a retail licensee. One member shall be a member of a neighborhood association recognized by a county, city or town. The term of members is three years. Members' terms expire on the third Monday in January of the appropriate year. The governor may remove any member of the board for cause. No member may represent a licensee before the board or the department for a period of one year after the conclusion of the member's service on the board.

C. The board shall annually elect from its membership a chairman and vice-chairman. A majority of the board constitutes a quorum, and a concurrence of a majority of a quorum is sufficient for taking any action. If there are unfilled positions on the board, a majority of those persons appointed and serving on the board constitutes a quorum.

D. The chairman may designate panels of not less than three members. A panel may take any action that the board is authorized to take pursuant to this title. Such action includes the ability to hold hearings and hear appeals of administrative disciplinary proceedings of licenses issued pursuant to this chapter. A panel shall not, however, adopt rules as provided in section 4-112, subsection A, paragraph 2. The chairman may from time to time add additional members or remove members from a panel. A majority of a panel may upon the concurrence of a majority of the members of the panel take final action on hearings and appeals of administrative disciplinary proceedings concerning licenses issued pursuant to this chapter.

E. Members of the board are entitled to receive compensation at the rate of fifty dollars per day while engaged in the business of the board.

F. A person shall not be appointed to serve on the board unless the person has been a resident of this state for not less than five years before the person's appointment. No more than four members may be of the same political party. Persons eligible for appointment shall have a continuous recorded registration pursuant to title 16, chapter 1 with the same political party or as an independent for at least two years immediately preceding appointment. No more than two members may be appointed from the same county.

G. The governor shall appoint the director, pursuant to section 38-211, who shall be a qualified elector of the state and experienced in administrative matters and enforcement procedures. The director shall serve at the pleasure of the governor.

H. The director is entitled to receive a salary as determined pursuant to section 38-611.