439.320 Parole board -- Members' qualifications, terms, compensation -- Chairperson -- Administrative regulations -- Quorum

439.320 Parole board -- Members' qualifications, terms, compensation --

Chairperson -- Administrative regulations -- Quorum.

(1) (a) The Governor shall appoint a Parole Board consisting of nine (9) full-time

members to be confirmed by the Senate in accordance with KRS 11.160.

(b) The Governor shall make each appointment from a list of three (3) names

given to him or her by the Kentucky State Corrections Commission.

(c) Each member appointed to the board shall have had at least five (5) years of

actual experience in the field of penology, correction work, law enforcement,

sociology, law, education, social work, medicine, or a combination thereof, or

have served at least five (5) years previously on the Parole Board.

(d) No more than six (6) board members shall be of the same political party.

(e) The board shall be attached to the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet for

administrative purposes only. The Department of Corrections shall provide

any clerical, stenographic, administrative, and expert staff assistance the board

deems necessary to carry out its duties.

(2) The Governor shall designate one (1) member as chairperson of the board. The

member designated as chairperson shall serve in that capacity at the pleasure of the

Governor or until his or her term expires.

(3) (a) The members of the board shall give full time to the duties of their office and

shall receive necessary traveling expenses and a salary to be determined

pursuant to KRS 64.640(2), except the chairperson of the board shall receive

additional compensation of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per year for his or

her services.

(b) The members of the board shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor, but for

no more than four (4) years without reappointment. Their successors shall be

appointed thereafter as provided in this section. A vacancy occurring before

expiration of the term of office shall be similarly filled for the unexpired term.

(4) The organization of the board shall be determined by the chairperson and shall be

consistent with administrative regulations promulgated pursuant to KRS 439.340.

For policy and procedural matters, five (5) members shall constitute a quorum.

(5) Parole and final parole revocation hearings may be done by panels of the board,

subject to the following requirements:

(a) A panel shall consist of not less than three (3) and not more than six (6)

members; and

(b) All members of the panel shall agree on a decision or the matter shall be

referred to the full board.

(6) The Governor may not remove any member of the board except for disability,

inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office. Before removal, he or she

shall give the member a written copy of the charges against him or her and shall fix

the time when he or she can be heard in his or her defense, which shall not be less

than ten (10) days thereafter. Upon removal, the Governor shall file in the office of

the Secretary of State a complete statement of all charges made against the member

and the findings thereupon with a record of the proceedings.