(a) In any proceeding under this article, the commissioner may appoint and employ under his or her hand and official seal, special deputy commissioners, as his or her agents, and to employ clerks and assistants and to give to each of them those powers that he or she deems necessary. Upon appointing or employing special deputy commissioners or executive officers, the commissioner shall notify the Chair of the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, by letter, of the action. The costs of employing special deputy commissioners, clerks, and assistants appointed to carry out this article, and all expenses of taking possession of, conserving, conducting, liquidating, disposing of, or otherwise dealing with the business and property of that person under this article, shall be fixed by the commissioner, subject to the approval of the court, and shall be paid out of the assets of that person to the department. In the event the property of that person does not contain cash or liquid assets sufficient to defray the cost of the services required to be performed under the terms of this article, the commissioner may at any time or from time to time pay the cost of those services out of the appropriation for the maintenance of the department, but not out of the assets of other estates. Any amounts so paid shall be deemed expenses of administration and shall be repaid to the fund out of the first available moneys in the estate.

(b) Any person appointed by the commissioner to serve in the capacity of chief executive officer of the department’s Conservation and Liquidation Office shall be subject to confirmation by the Senate.

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 786, Sec. 14. (AB 2303) Effective January 1, 2013.)