(a)
Commencing July 1, 2005, there is hereby created the Board of Parole Hearings. As of July 1, 2005, any reference to the Board of Prison Terms in this or any other code refers to the Board of Parole Hearings. As of that date, the Board of Prison Terms is abolished.
(b)
The Governor shall appoint 14 commissioners, subject to Senate confirmation, pursuant to this section. These commissioners shall be appointed and trained to hear only adult matters. The terms of the commissioners shall expire as follows: eight on July 1, 2007, and nine on July 1, 2008. Successor commissioners shall hold office for terms of three years, each term to commence on the expiration date of the predecessor.
Any appointment to a vacancy that occurs for any reason other than expiration of the term shall be for the remainder of the unexpired term. Commissioners are eligible for reappointment. The selection of persons and their appointment by the Governor and confirmation by the Senate shall reflect as nearly as possible a cross section of the racial, sexual, economic, and geographic features of the population of the state.
(c)
The chair of the board shall be designated by the Governor periodically. The Governor may appoint an executive officer of the board, subject to Senate confirmation, who shall hold office at the pleasure of the Governor. The executive officer shall be the administrative head of the board and shall exercise all duties and functions necessary to insure that the responsibilities of the board are successfully discharged. The secretary shall be the appointing authority for all civil service positions of employment with the board.
(d)
Each commissioner shall participate in hearings on each workday, except when it is necessary for a commissioner to attend training, en banc hearings or full board meetings, or other administrative business requiring the participation of the commissioner. For purposes of this subdivision, these hearings shall include parole consideration hearings, parole rescission hearings, and parole progress hearings.