(a) The position of deputy attorney general of Alabama is created and established.

(b) The Attorney General may appoint, in such a manner or number as the Attorney General deems necessary, deputy attorneys general so long as the number of full-time deputy attorneys general employed in the office of the Attorney General does not exceed 12 and the number of full-time deputy attorneys general employed in any state department or agency does not exceed one. The compensation, salaries, expenses, and benefits of the deputy attorneys general shall be paid from funds available to the Attorney General or the department or agency employing the deputy attorney general.

(c) All deputy attorneys general shall be appointed by and shall serve at the pleasure of the Attorney General and shall perform such duties and exercise such powers as the Attorney General may direct. Notwithstanding the foregoing, when the State Department of Transportation requires the service of a deputy attorney general for condemnation proceedings, the department shall request that the Attorney General appoint a deputy attorney general for the purpose and if the Attorney General does not make the appointment within 30 days from the receipt of the request, the general counsel of the department shall make the appointment from a list of attorneys compiled by the Attorney General which he or she deems to be competent in handling condemnation proceedings.

(d) No person shall be appointed a deputy attorney general who is not authorized to practice law.

(e) Any attorney serving in the classified service of the State of Alabama may be considered by the Attorney General for appointment as a deputy attorney general. In the event that an attorney serving in the classified service of the State of Alabama shall accept appointment as a deputy attorney general and shall later be removed or resign from the position of deputy attorney general, the attorney shall revert to his or her former position in which he or she held status in the classified service. The reversion shall be without loss of salary or other benefits which would have accrued to the attorney and to which the attorney would have otherwise been entitled had he or she remained within the classified service.

(f) A deputy attorney general employed in the office of the Attorney General shall be compensated at a rate to be designated by the Attorney General. A deputy attorney general assigned to another department or agency shall be compensated at a rate set by the chief executive officer of the department or agency after consultation with the Attorney General. The compensation of all other deputy attorneys general shall be at a rate set by executive order of the Governor. When designating salaries, the Attorney General shall choose from among the salary ranges set by the State Personnel Board and published in the State of Alabama compensation plan. The establishment of the range and step within the range of the starting salary shall be at the discretion of the Attorney General upon the appointment of each deputy attorney general and may vary between persons so appointed. When so designated, the salaries, expenses, and benefits of a deputy attorney general shall be paid from the State Treasury in the same manner that the salary and expenses of employees in the classified service are paid.