(a) Creation of Commission; compensation. – The North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission is created to consist of a chairman and two associate members. The Commission shall be administratively located within the Department of Public Safety but shall exercise its powers independently of the Secretary of Public Safety. The chairman shall devote his full time to his official duties and receive a salary fixed by the General Assembly in the Current Operations Appropriations Act. The associate members shall be compensated for per diem, subsistence and travel as provided in Chapter 138 of the N.C. Gen. Stat..

(b) Appointment of Members. – Members of the Commission shall be appointed by the Governor to serve at his pleasure.

(c) Vacancy. – The Governor shall fill any vacancy on the Commission by appointing a successor to serve at the Governor’s pleasure. If the chairman’s seat becomes vacant, the Governor may designate either the new member or an existing member of the Commission as the chairman.

(d) Employees. – The Commission may authorize the chairman to employ, discharge, and otherwise supervise subordinate personnel of the Commission. The Commission shall appoint at least one employee to make investigations, hold hearings requested under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 18B-1205, and represent the Commission in contested case hearings or perform any other duties authorized by Chapter 150B. (1937, c. 49, ss. 2, 3; c. 411; 1939, c. 185, s. 5; 1941, c. 107, s. 5; 1963, c. 916, s. 1; 1965, c. 1102, ss. 1, 2; 1969, c. 294, ss. 1, 2; 1971, c. 872, s. 1; 1979, c. 336; 1981, c. 412, s. 2; 1983, c. 717, s. 4; 1983 (Reg. Sess., 1984), c. 1034, s. 164; 1987, c. 827, s. 1; 1993, c. 415, s. 3; 2014-100, s. 15.2A(d).)