There is created and established the Department of Public Safety to coordinate and efficiently manage the law enforcement and public safety responsibilities of the State, to consist of the Commissioner of Public Safety, in this chapter called "commissioner," who is appointed by the Governor, subject to review by the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over criminal justice matters and to confirmation by the Legislature, to serve at the pleasure of the Governor, and the following: the Bureau of State Police, the Bureau of Liquor Enforcement, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Maine Criminal Justice Academy, the Bureau of Highway Safety and the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.

Sec. T-5. 25 MRSA §2902, sub-§3, as amended by PL 2001, c. 559, Pt. KK, §4, is repealed.

Sec. T-6. 25 MRSA Pt. 10, as amended, is repealed.

Sec. T-7. 28-A MRSA §2, sub-§6, as amended by PL 1993, c. 730, §4, is further amended to read:

6. Bureau. "Bureau" means the Bureau of Liquor Enforcement, which includes the Liquor Licensing and Tax Division, division within the Department of Public Safety designated by the commissioner to enforce the law relating to the manufacture, importation, storage, transportation and sale of all liquor and to administer those laws relating to licensing and collection of taxes on malt liquor and wine.

Sec. T-8. 28-A MRSA §2, sub-§8-A, as amended by PL 1997, c. 373, §12, is repealed.

Sec. T-9. 28-A MRSA §82, sub-§5, as amended by PL 1997, c. 571, §1, is further amended to read:

5. Appeals. Review all appeals from the decisions of municipal officers. The chief commissioner may conduct appeal hearings or appoint a hearings officer to conduct appeal hearings. Except as provided in section 805, the decision of the chief commissioner is final.

The chief commissioner or the hearings officer may conduct hearings in any licensing matter pending before the bureau. If a hearings officer conducts the hearing, the hearings officer, after holding the hearing, shall file with the bureau all papers connected with the case and report the findings to the chief