Sec. 6. 39-A MRSA §152-A is enacted to read:

§152-A.__Duties of executive director

1.__Preparation of budget.__Subject to review and approval by the board, the executive director shall submit the biennial budget in accordance with Title 5, sections 1665 and 1666 and shall submit the annual budget in accordance with Title 5, section 1667.

2. Hearing officers.__The executive director shall obtain the services of persons qualified by background and training to serve as hearing officers, who shall conduct all adjudicatory hearings arising under section 315, all proceedings ancillary to such hearings except as otherwise provided in this Title and any other adjudicatory proceedings of the board as assigned at the discretion of the executive director.__The services of hearing officers may be obtained by either of the following methods:

A.__The executive director may contract for the services of hearing officers.__If the executive director contracts directly with individual hearing officers, they must be paid reasonable per diem fees for their services plus reimbursement of their actual, necessary and reasonable expenses incurred in the performance of their duties, consistent with policies established by the board; or

B.__The executive director may appoint hearing officers to serve for 5-year terms.__Hearing officers appointed pursuant to this paragraph are not subject to the Civil Service Law, are subject to removal by the executive director for good cause shown and may be appointed for additional 5-year terms at the pleasure of the executive director.

Sec. 7. 39-A MRSA §154, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 1991, c. 885, Pt. A, §8 and affected by §§9 to 11, is amended to read:

2. Expenditures. Expenditures Except as provided in subsection 2-A, expenditures from the Workers' Compensation Board Administrative Fund are subject to legislative approval and allocation in the same manner as appropriations are made from the General Fund. The joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over appropriations and financial affairs shall approve the allocation.

Sec. 8. 39-A MRSA §154, sub-§2-A is enacted to read: