A state office of administrative hearings is hereby created. The office shall be independent of state administrative agencies and shall be responsible for impartial administration of administrative hearings in accordance with the legislative intent expressed by this chapter. Hearings shall be conducted with the greatest degree of informality consistent with fairness and the nature of the proceeding. The office shall be under the direction of a chief administrative law judge, appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate, for a term of five years. The person appointed is required, as a condition of appointment, to be admitted to practice law in the state of Washington, and may be removed for cause.

Effective dates—1981 c 67: "Sections 12 and 37 of this act are necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately. The remainder of the act shall take effect July 1, 1982." [ 1981 c 67 § 40.]

Severability—1981 c 67: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 1981 c 67 § 39.]