(a) There is hereby created within the board an autonomous office to be known as the Office of Administrative Law Judge.

(b) The Governor shall appoint from a list of qualified candidates submitted by the Civil Service Commission after appropriate examination under the act of August 5, 1941 (P.L. 752, No. 286),¹ known as the “Civil Service Act,” as many administrative law judges as the board, with the approval of the Governor, deems necessary for the holding of hearings required or permitted under this act. The Governor shall designate one of the civil service appointees as the chief administrative law judge.

(c) Administrative law judges shall preside at all citation and other enforcement hearings required or permitted under this act.

(d) Administrative law judges appointed under this section shall be learned in the law and shall be members in good standing of the bar of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

(e) Compensation for the administrative law judges shall be established by the Executive Board.

(f) Administrative law judges shall devote full time to their official duties and shall perform no duties inconsistent with their duties and responsibilities as administrative law judges.

(g) Administrative law judges appointed under this section shall be afforded employment security as provided by the “Civil Service Act.”

(h) The board shall select five hearing examiners from the complement of hearing examiners, who have been appointed by the Governor and who are employed by the board on the effective date of this subsection, to conduct the licensing hearings required by this act. The selection of the five hearing examiners shall be at the board's discretion.

(i) Nothing in this section or this act shall be construed or intended to change the terms and conditions of employment of the five hearing examiners selected by the board pursuant to subsection (h).