1. The Commission shall, within the limits of legislative appropriations or authorizations, employ and fix the salaries of or contract for the services of such professional, technical and operational personnel and consultants as the execution of its duties and the operation of the Commission may require.

2. The Commission shall appoint an Executive Director, who must be:

(a) Knowledgeable and experienced in public administration and fiscal management;

(b) Knowledgeable in the areas of utility regulation by the Commission; and

(c) Independent of and have no pecuniary interest in any entity regulated by the Commission.

3. The Executive Director shall:

(a) Serve as Chief Financial Officer for the Commission;

(b) Direct the daily operation of the Commission, including, without limitation:

(1) Budget preparation;

(2) Administration;

(3) Human resources;

(4) Purchases and acquisitions made by the Commission; and

(5) Contracts and leases entered into by the Commission;

(c) Develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure the efficient operation of the Commission;

(d) Oversee:

(1) The review of applications for certificates, permits and modifications of tariffs;

(2) The maintenance of a hearing calendar of all matters pending before the Commission; and

(3) Compliance with and enforcement of statutes and regulations pertaining to utilities which are regulated by the Commission; and

(e) Authenticate documents and serve as custodian of all agency records.

4. The Executive Director is in the unclassified service of the State.

5. The Executive Director, with the approval of the Commission, shall designate a Secretary who shall perform such administrative and other duties as are prescribed by the Executive Director. The Executive Director, with the approval of the Commission, shall also designate an Assistant Secretary.

6. The Executive Director may employ such other clerks, experts or engineers as may be necessary.

7. Except as otherwise provided in subsection 8, the Commission:

(a) May appoint one or more hearing officers for a period specified by the Commission to conduct proceedings or hearings that may be conducted by the Commission pursuant to NRS 702.160 and 702.170 and chapters 704, 704A, 704B, 705, 708 and 711 of NRS.

(b) Shall prescribe by regulation the procedure for appealing a decision of a hearing officer to the Commission.

8. The Commission shall not appoint a hearing officer to conduct proceedings or hearings:

(a) In any matter pending before the Commission pursuant to NRS 704.7561 to 704.7595, inclusive; or

(b) In any matter pending before the Commission pursuant to NRS 704.061 to 704.110, inclusive, in which an electric utility has filed a general rate application or an annual deferred energy accounting adjustment application.

9. As used in this section, “electric utility” has the meaning ascribed to it in NRS 704.187.

[Part 5:109:1919; A 1931, 225; 1941, 40; 1949, 449; 1951, 200; 1953, 252] — (NRS A 1967, 1094, 1382, 1504; 1971, 1443; 1979, 1108; 1981, 1285; 1999, 3259; 2001, 342, 3238; 2007, 2976; 2009, 609, 1390; 2013, 738)