9-2-1704. Reorganization plan; structure; time frame.

(a) Pursuant to this act and other laws establishing individual departments, the entire executive branch of state government shall be organized into not more than sixteen (16) principal departments except for the offices of the following officials and except as provided in subsections (d) and (e) of this section:

(i) Governor;

(ii) Secretary of state;

(iii) State treasurer;

(iv) State auditor;

(v) Attorney general;

(vi) Superintendent of public instruction.

(b) Repealed By Laws 2001, Ch. 187, § 3.

(c) The legislature may establish temporary agencies for periods not exceeding four (4) years which are not within a department or the office of an official specified in subsection (a) of this section. At the expiration of four (4) years, the agency and all its programs and functions shall either terminate or be assigned within an established department.

(d) The entities of state government specified in this subsection are designated as separate operating agencies, which are separate and distinct from the departments and offices specified in subsection (a) of this section because of their quasi-judicial responsibility or because of their unique, specialized function which precludes their inclusion in another department. This act does not otherwise apply to separate operating agencies. Separate operating agencies are as follows:

(i) Adjutant general's department;

(ii) State public defender's office;

(iii) State building commission;

(iv) Public service commission;

(v) State board of equalization;

(vi) University of Wyoming;

(vii) Community college commission;

(viii) Oil and gas conservation commission;

(ix) State geological survey;

(x) State board of parole;

(xi) Office of administrative hearings created by W.S. 9-2-2201;

(xii) Wyoming water development office;

(xiii) Office of state lands and investments;

(xiv) Environmental quality council;

(xv) School facilities commission established under W.S. 21-15-113;

(xvi) Wyoming enhanced and improved oil recovery commission.

(e) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, the governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, state auditor and the state superintendent of public instruction shall be subject to W.S. 9-2-1706(c) and (d) with respect to deputies and administrators employed within that office. For purposes of this subsection, the definitions in W.S. 9-2-1703 shall apply to the offices of the specified elected officials. This subsection shall only affect positions filled subsequently to its enactment and shall not be deemed to affect the property interests of current permanent employees within the offices addressed in this subsection.

(f) Repealed By Laws 1996, ch. 74, § 3.