(a)      The Executive Director of the Commission shall be appointed by the Governor from a list of five names submitted by the Commission and shall be removed by the Governor upon recommendation of two thirds of the members of the Commission. The Executive Director shall appoint a deputy director with the approval of a majority of the members of the Commission. The Executive Director may remove the deputy director with the approval of a majority of the members of the Commission. The Executive Director and deputy director shall perform such duties as may be prescribed by the Commission. In addition, in the absence of the Executive Director, the deputy director shall perform all functions and exercise all authority of the Executive Director. The Executive Director and deputy director shall be paid such compensation as shall be provided in the budget.

      (b)      The Commission shall appoint the number of hearing examiners provided in the budget. The hearing examiner shall be an attorney who is qualified by experience to handle discrimination cases of the type arising under this article. The hearing examiner shall conduct hearings, make findings of fact, and draw conclusions of law in discrimination cases assigned to the hearing examiner. The hearing examiner shall prepare a provisional order which shall become the final order of the Commission unless an appeal is taken from said provisional order to the commissioners. The hearing examiner shall be paid the compensation provided in the budget.

      (c)      (1)      The Human Relations Commission may employ its own attorney, who shall be appointed and removed by the Executive Director with the approval of the Commission. The attorney shall receive compensation as provided in the budget, and shall act as general counsel and legal advisor to the Human Relations Commission and shall represent the Human Relations Commission at all hearings and judicial proceedings in which the Human Relations Commission is a party. The office of the general counsel shall include additional personnel as provided in the budget.

            (2)      The general counsel and any assistant general counsel are special appointments in the State Personnel Management System.

      (d)      The Commission may retain legal assistance for the purpose of advising the commissioners in legal matters and legal advisors retained for the purpose shall be compensated as provided in the budget.