§ 7-14-3 — Civil service commission

There shall be a civil service commission in each county and the state. Each such civil service commission shall consist of three commissioners, one of whom shall be appointed by the bar association of such county, one of whom shall be appointed by the deputy sheriff's association of such county, and one of whom shall be appointed by the county commission of such county. In the event the bar association or deputy sheriff's association fails to make an appointment within the time prescribed in this section therefor, then such appointment shall be made by the county commission. The persons appointed commissioners shall be qualified voters of the county for which they are appointed, and at least two of the commissioners shall be persons in full sympathy with the purposes of this article. Not more than two of the commissioners, at any one time, shall be members of the same political party. The commissioners in each county shall be appointed as follows: Within sixty days from the effective date of this article, the authorities having the power to appoint members to the civil service commission shall appoint the three commissioners, the first to be appointed by the bar association of the county shall serve for six years from the date of appointment, the second to be appointed by the deputy sheriff's association of the county shall serve for four years from the date of appointment, and the third to be appointed by the county commission of the county shall serve for a term of two years from the date of appointment. All subsequent appointments shall be made for terms of four years. In the event that any commissioner of the civil service commission ceases to be a member thereof by virtue of death, final removal or other cause, a new commissioner shall be appointed to fill the unexpired term of that commissioner within ten days after said ex-commissioner ceased to be a member of the commission. Such appointment shall be made by the authority who appointed the commissioner who is no longer a member of the commission. Each year the three members of the commission shall, together, elect one of their number to act as president of the commission for a term of one year. The county commission may at any time remove a commissioner for good cause, which shall be stated in writing and made a part of the records of the commission. Once the county commission has removed any commissioner, such county commission shall within ten days thereafter file in the office of the clerk of the circuit court of the county a petition setting forth in full the reason for the removal and praying for the confirmation of the circuit court of the action of the county commission in removing the said commissioner. A copy of the petition shall be served upon the commissioner so removed simultaneously with its filing in the office of the clerk of the circuit court and has precedence on the docket of the circuit court and shall be heard by the court as soon as practicable upon the request of the removed commissioner. All rights hereby vested in the circuit court may be exercised by the judge thereof in vacation. In the event that no term of the circuit court is being held at the time of the filing of the petition, and the judge thereof cannot be reached in the county wherein the petition was filed, the petition shall be heard at the next succeeding term of the circuit court, whether regular or special, and the commissioner so removed shall remain removed until a hearing is had upon the petition of the county commission. The circuit court, or the judge thereof in vacation, shall hear and decide the issues presented by the petition. The county commission or commissioner, as the case may be, against whom the decisions of the circuit court or judge thereof in vacation is rendered has the right to petition the supreme court of appeals for a review of the decision of the circuit court or the judge thereof in vacation as in other civil cases. In the event that the county commission fails to file its petition in the office of the clerk of the circuit court, as hereinbefore provided, within ten days after the removal of the commissioner, such commissioner immediately resumes his position as a member of the civil service commission.

Any resident of the county has the right at any time to file charges against and seek the removal of any member of the civil service commission. The charges shall be filed in the form of a petition in the office of the clerk of the circuit court of the county. A copy of the petition shall be served upon the commissioner sought to be removed. The petition shall be matured for hearing and heard as a civil action by the circuit court of the county for which the commissioner serves as a member of the civil service commission or by the judge thereof in vacation. The party against whom the decision of the circuit court or judge thereof in vacation is rendered has the right to petition the supreme court of appeals for a review of the decision of the circuit court or judge thereof in vacation as in other civil cases.

No commissioner may hold any other office (other than the office of notary public) under the United States, this state or any municipality, county or other political subdivision thereof; nor may any commissioner serve on any political party committee or take any active part in the management of any political campaign.

Legislative History

2012 Reg. Sess., HB4063; 2011 Reg. Sess., HB2703; 1991 Reg. Sess., SB478; 1971 Reg. Sess., HB676