(a)(1) There shall be a Governmental Accountability Commission, within the Office of Governmental Accountability established under section 1-300, that shall consist of seven members as follows: (A) The executive director of the Judicial Review Council established under section 51-51k, or the executive director's designee; (B) the chairperson of the Judicial Selection Commission established under section 51-44a, or the chairperson's designee; (C) the chairperson of the Board of Firearms Permit Examiners established under section 29-32b, or the chairperson's designee; (D) the Child Advocate appointed under section 46a-13k, or the advocate's designee; (E) the Victim Advocate appointed under section 46a-13b, or the advocate's designee; (F) the chairperson of the State Contracting Standards Board established under section 4e-2, or the chairperson's designee; and (G) the Correction Ombuds appointed under section 18-81jj, or the Correction Ombuds' designee, provided no person serving as a designee under this subsection may be a state employee. The Governmental Accountability Commission shall select a chairperson who shall preside at meetings of the commission. Said commission shall meet for the purpose of making recommendations to the Governor for candidates for the executive administrator of the Office of Governmental Accountability pursuant to the provisions of subsection (b) of this section, or for the purpose of terminating the employment of the executive administrator.
(2) The commission established under subdivision (1) of this subsection shall not be construed to be a board or commission within the meaning of section 4-9a.
(b) (1) Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions (2) and (3) of this subsection concerning deadlines for recommendations for and appointment of an executive administrator of the Office of Governmental Accountability, not later than September 1, 2011, the Governor, with the approval of the General Assembly pursuant to subdivision (3) of this subsection, shall appoint a person as the executive administrator of the Office of Governmental Accountability established under section 1-300. Such person shall be qualified by training and experience to perform the administrative duties of the office. The initial appointment shall be made from a list prepared by the Governmental Accountability Commission pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection, except in the case of such initial appointment, such list shall be of not fewer than three persons. Not later than August 1, 2011, the commission shall submit such list to the Governor. If the Governmental Accountability Commission has not submitted such list to the Governor on or before August 1, 2011, then on or after August 2, 2011, the Governor shall appoint an acting executive administrator who shall serve until a successor is appointed and confirmed in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(2) Upon any vacancy in the position of executive administrator of the Office of Governmental Accountability, the commission shall meet to consider and interview successor candidates and shall submit to the Governor a list of not fewer than five and not more than seven of the most outstanding candidates, not later than sixty days after the occurrence of said vacancy. Such list shall rank the candidates in the order of commission preference. Upon receipt of the list of candidates from the commission, the Governor shall designate a candidate for the executive administrator of the Office of Governmental Accountability from among the choices not later than eight weeks after receiving such list. If at any time any candidate withdraws from consideration prior to confirmation by the General Assembly pursuant to subdivision (3) of this subsection, the Governor shall designate a candidate from the remaining candidates on the list.
(3) The candidate designated by the Governor, or if, not later than eight weeks after receiving such list, the Governor fails to designate a candidate on the list, the candidate ranked first on the list, shall be referred to either house of the General Assembly for confirmation. If such house of the General Assembly is not in session, the referred candidate shall serve as acting executive administrator and be entitled to the compensation and shall carry out the duties of the executive administrator until such house meets to take action on said appointment. The person appointed executive administrator shall serve for a term of four years and may be reappointed or shall continue to hold office until such person's successor is appointed and qualified. The Governmental Accountability Commission may terminate the term of an executive administrator in accordance with the provisions of this section.
(P.A. 11-48, S. 59; P.A. 13-247, S. 44; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 16-3, S. 68; P.A. 22-18, S. 5.)
History: P.A. 11-48 effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 13-247 amended Subsec. (a)(1) to prohibit a state employee from serving as a designee, effective July 1, 2013; May Sp. Sess. P.A. 16-3 amended Subsec. (a)(1) to decrease membership on commission from 9 to 6, to delete former Subparas. (A) to (C) re chairpersons of Citizen's Ethics Advisory Board, State Elections Enforcement Commission and Freedom of Information Commission and to redesignate existing Subparas. (D) to (I) as Subparas. (A) to (F), effective July 1, 2016; P.A. 22-18 amended Subsec. (a)(1) to increase membership on commission from 6 to 7 and add Subpara. (G) re Correction Ombuds, effective May 10, 2022.