UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 2367
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AN ACT relating to the Kentucky Public Advocate. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
ď˘Section 1. KRS 31.020 is amended to read as follows: 3
(1) The Department of Public Advocacy shall consist of the public advocate, deputy 4
public advocate, general counsel, such assistant public advocates as the public 5
advocate shall deem necessary, and such secretarial and other personnel as the 6
public advocate shall deem necessary. 7
(2) (a) The public advocate shall be: 8
1. Appointed by the Governor from a list of three (3) attorneys submitted 9
to him or her by the Public Advocacy Commission, subject to 10
confirmation by the Senate;[ shall be ] 11
2. An attorney licensed to practice law in Kentucky with at least five (5) 12
years'[years] experience in the practice of law;[ shall be ] 13
3. Excepted from the classified service; and[ shall be ] 14
4. The chief administrator of the Department of Public Advocacy and an 15
appointing authority as that term is defined in KRS 18A.005.[; and] 16
(b) The public advocate shall serve a term of four (4) years, which is renewable, 17
unless removed by the Governor. 18
(c) The incumbent public advocate shall serve until a successor is nominated by 19
the commission and approved by the Governor, subject to the confirmation of 20
the Senate. 21
(d) The compensation of the public advocate shall be set by the provisions of 22
KRS 64.640. 23
(3) The deputy public advocate shall be an attorney and shall be appointed by the 24
public advocate and shall serve at his or her pleasure. 25
(4) The general counsel shall be an attorney and shall be appointed by the public 26
advocate and shall serve at his or her pleasure. The general counsel shall represent 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 2367
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the interests of the department as directed by the public advocate. 1
(5) The assistant public advocates shall be attorneys, shall be appointed by the public 2
advocate, shall be covered by the merit system, and shall not be subject to the 3
provisions of KRS 12.210. 4
(6) Secretarial, clerical, and other personnel shall be appointed by the public advocate 5
and shall be covered by the merit system. 6