Section 21-M:3 Attorney General; Deputy; Associates; Assistants.
I. The attorney general shall be appointed as provided by the constitution. He shall serve for a term of 4 years. He shall have been admitted to the practice of law in New Hampshire. He shall also be qualified by reason of education and experience.
II. The attorney general shall nominate the deputy attorney general for appointment by the governor, with the consent of the council. The deputy attorney general shall serve for a term to expire on March 31, 1987, and thereafter for a fixed term of 4 years. The deputy attorney general shall have been admitted to the practice of law in New Hampshire and be qualified by reason of education and experience.
III. (a) The attorney general, subject to the approval of the governor and council, may appoint assistant attorneys general within the limits of the appropriation made for the appointments, each of whom shall hold office for a term of 5 years. Any vacancy in such office may be filled for the unexpired term. An assistant attorney general may be removed only as provided by RSA 4:1.
(b) The attorney general may, in his or her discretion, designate to serve without compensation, current assistant United States Attorneys, with prior authorization from the United States Attorney, or assistant county attorneys, with prior authorization from the county attorney, to assist with state cases.
IV. The attorney general may designate senior assistant attorneys general. Senior assistant attorneys general may serve as bureau chiefs and in such other positions as the attorney general may determine. Senior assistants shall serve in that capacity at the pleasure of the attorney general. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the positions in this section shall be funded within appropriations made to the department of justice for each biennium and through the salary adjustment fund, as needed.
V. The attorney general may designate associate attorneys general. Associate attorneys general may serve as directors of the divisions of public protection and legal counsel and shall serve in that capacity at the pleasure of the attorney general.
VI. The attorney general shall nominate, subject to confirmation by the governor and council, an unclassified director of administration for the office of attorney general, within the limits of the appropriation made for the appointment, who shall serve for a 5-year term. The director of administration may be removed only as provided by RSA 4:1.
VII. The attorney general may nominate, subject to confirmation by the governor and council, criminal justice investigators and consumer protection investigators within the limits of the appropriations made for the appointments, each of whom shall have statewide law enforcement authority, shall be a peace officer as defined by RSA 594:1, III, and shall serve for a 5-year term. Any person nominated for such a position shall be certified or eligible for certification as a police officer pursuant to RSA 188-F:26. A criminal justice investigator or a consumer protection investigator shall be removed if he or she fails to achieve certification or if he or she is decertified by the police standards and training council, otherwise a criminal justice investigator or a consumer protection investigator may be removed only as provided by RSA 4:1.
Source. 1985, 300:1; 410:12, 13. 1986, 135:5. 1990, 266:4, eff. June 27, 1990. 2001, 158:104, eff. Dec. 28, 2001. 2002, 276:3, eff. Aug. 16, 2002. 2007, 235:2, eff. Aug. 24, 2007. 2009, 40:1, eff. July 14, 2009.