Kentucky Revised Statutes Title XL. Crimes and Punishments § 439.320.Parole board; members' qualifications, terms, compensation; chairperson; administrative regulations; quorum

(1) The Governor shall appoint a Parole Board consisting of nine (9) full-time members to be confirmed by the Senate in accordance with KRS 11.160. The Governor shall make each appointment from a list of three (3) names given to him or her by the Kentucky State Corrections Commission. Each member appointed to the board shall have had at least five (5) years of actual experience in the field of penology, correction work, law enforcement, sociology, law, education, social work, medicine, or a combination thereof, or have served at least five (5) years previously on the Parole Board. No more than six (6) board members shall be of the same political party. The board shall be attached to the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet for administrative purposes only. The Department of Corrections shall provide any clerical, stenographic, administrative, and expert staff assistance the board deems necessary to carry out its duties.

(2) The Governor shall designate one (1) member as chairperson of the board. The member designated as chairperson shall serve in that capacity at the pleasure of the Governor or until his or her term expires.

(3) The members of the board shall give full time to the duties of their office and shall receive necessary traveling expenses and a salary to be determined pursuant to KRS 64.640(2), except the chairperson of the board shall receive additional compensation of one thousand dollars ($1,000) per year for his or her services. Their terms of office shall be four (4) years and until their successors are appointed and have qualified. Their successors shall be appointed thereafter as provided in this section for terms of four (4) years, and a vacancy occurring before expiration of the term of office shall be similarly filled for the unexpired term.

(4) The organization of the board shall be determined by the chairperson and shall be consistent with administrative regulations promulgated pursuant to KRS 439.340. For policy and procedural matters, five (5) members shall constitute a quorum. Parole and final parole revocation hearings may be done by panels of the board, subject to the following requirements:

(5) The Governor may not remove any member of the board except for disability, inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office. Before removal, he or she shall give the member a written copy of the charges against him or her and shall fix the time when he or she can be heard in his or her defense, which shall not be less than ten (10) days thereafter. Upon removal, the Governor shall file in the office of the Secretary of State a complete statement of all charges made against the member and the findings thereupon with a record of the proceedings.