1. (A) The Department of Commerce shall be headed by a secretary, to be known as the Secretary of Commerce, who shall be appointed by the Governor upon the advice and consent of the Senate. The secretary shall be vested with the duty and authority to oversee, manage, and control the operation, administration, and organization of the department subject only to the laws of this State and the United States. He shall receive such compensation as may be established under the provisions of Section 8-11-160 and for which funds have been authorized in the general appropriations act. He is subject to removal by the Governor as provided in Section 1-3-240.
2. (B) The Secretary of Commerce may appoint an executive director who shall serve at the pleasure of the secretary and shall be responsible to the secretary for the operation of programs outlined by the secretary.
3. (C) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Secretary of Commerce may appoint a director for each division of the department. Each director shall serve at the pleasure of the Secretary of Commerce and shall be responsible to the secretary for the operation of the programs outlined by the secretary.

HISTORY: 1993 Act No. 181, Section 243, eff July 1, 1993; 1994 Act No. 361, Section 3, eff May 3, 1994; 2005 Act No. 11, Section 1.A, eff upon approval (became law without the Governor's signature on January 13, 2005); 2012 Act No. 270, Section 10, eff June 18, 2012.

Effect of Amendment

The 1994 amendment rewrote this section.

The 2005 amendment rewrote subsection (C) to, among other changes, set forth the exception as to the Executive Director of the Division of Aeronautics.

The 2012 amendment substituted "Each" for "except for the Division of Aeronautics who must be appointed by the Governor in accordance with Section 13-1-1080. Except for the Executive Director of the Division of Aeronautics who shall serve at the pleasure of the Aeronautics Commission, each." in subsection (C).