Except as otherwise provided by the Constitution of the State or by this chapter, each principal department shall be headed by a single executive, who shall be nominated and, by and with the advice and consent of the senate, appointed by the governor, for a term to expire at the end of the term for which the governor was elected. A vacancy occurring during a term shall be filled for the unexpired balance of the term, subject to the provisions of Article V, section 6 of the Constitution of the State. The governor may remove a single executive from office at any time, except that the removal of the attorney general shall be subject to the advice and consent of the senate.

[L Sp 1959 2d, c 1, §4; Supp, §14A-2; HRS §26-31; am L 1969, c 24, §1]