KRS 342.215: Workers' Compensation Board -- Authority -- Appointment --

Qualifications -- Term -- Vacancies -- Retirement system coverage.

(1) The Workers' Compensation Board is hereby created and established. The board

shall rule on appeals of decisions rendered by administrative law judges under this

chapter. The board shall rule on an appeal of a decision of an administrative law

judge no later than sixty (60) days following the date on which the last appeal brief

was filed.

(2) The Workers' Compensation Board shall consist of three (3) members appointed by

the Governor. Each member shall hold no other public office and shall devote his or

her full time to the duties of his or her office. Each member shall be exempt from

the classified service, and his or her support staff may be exempt from the classified

service.

(3) Of the members of the board appointed under this section, any member appointed to

fill an unexpired term shall immediately assume the office subject to the

confirmation by the Senate in accordance with KRS 11.160 for the remainder of the

term. Any member not currently pending reappointment by the Senate with a term

expiring on or before:

(a) December 1, 2025, shall continue serving a term that shall expire on June 1,

2026;

(b) December 1, 20 26, shall continue serving a term that shall expire on June 1,

2027; or

(c) December 1, 2027, shall continue serving a term that shall expire on June 1,

2028.

Thereafter, each term of a board member shall run for four (4) years from the date

of expiration of the term for which the member's predecessor was appointed, except

that a person appointed to fill a vacancy prior to the expiration of a term shall be

appointed for the remainder of the term. The Governor shall not appoint a member

of the board to fill the unexpired term of another board member, nor shall the

Governor reappoint a member of the board who has been removed from his or her

position prior to the expiration of his or her term. The members of the board shall

have the qualifications required of appeals court judges, except for residence in a

district, and shall receive the same salary and shall be subject to the same standards

of conduct. The Governor shall designate a member of the board to serve as

chairman. Any vacancy in the chairmanship sha ll be filled by the Governor. The

Governor may at any time remove any member for cause after furnishing the

member with a written copy of the charges against him or her and giving the

member a public hearing if he or she requests it.

(4) A decision concurred in by any two (2) of the three (3) members shall constitute a

decision of the board.

(5) Members of the Workers' Compensation Board and the administrative law judges

shall be members of the Kentucky Employees Retirement System.

(6) The Workers' Compensation Board shall be attached to the Department of Workers'

Claims.