(a) On or before February 1, 1975, and quadrennially thereafter, the Governor shall submit each nomination for a department head to either house of the General Assembly. Such house shall immediately refer the nominations to its committee on executive nominations, which shall report thereon by resolution within fifteen calendar days from the date of reference. Such house, by resolution, shall confirm or reject the nomination. If confirmed, the nominee shall take office on the first day of March in the year in which the appointment is submitted, except as provided in § 4-6. If such house rejects the nomination before the first day of March in the year in which it is submitted, the procedure prescribed in subsection (b) of this section shall be followed.

(b) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection, if a vacancy occurs in the office of any department head while the General Assembly is in regular session, the Governor shall, within thirty calendar days of the occurrence of the vacancy, submit his nomination to fill the vacancy to either house of the General Assembly. The house to which the nomination is submitted shall immediately refer the nomination to its committee on executive nominations, which shall report thereon by resolution within ten legislative days from the date of reference. Such house shall confirm or reject said nomination. If such house, by resolution, confirms the nomination within thirty calendar days after it is submitted, the nominee shall forthwith take office to serve at the pleasure of the Governor but no longer than the original appointee could have served under his appointment. If such house rejects the nomination within thirty calendar days after it is submitted, the Governor shall, within thirty calendar days, submit another nomination to either house of the General Assembly, provided, if any nomination is submitted less than thirty calendar days before the date established by the Constitution for adjournment of the General Assembly, and the house to which it is submitted fails to confirm or reject the nomination before its adjournment on said date, the procedure prescribed in subsection (c) of this section shall be followed.

(2) If a vacancy occurs in the office of any department head prior to the first day of March during the first regular session of the General Assembly following the election of a new Governor, the nominee of the newly elected Governor may exercise the powers and duties of the office as provided in § 4-8, as designate, until the nomination is confirmed or rejected pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection.

(c) If a vacancy occurs in the office of any department head while the General Assembly is not in regular session, it shall be filled by the Governor until the sixth Wednesday of the next session of the General Assembly. At the beginning of the next regular session of the General Assembly, the Governor shall submit the name of the vacancy appointee to either house of the General Assembly as he elects and the procedure prescribed in subsection (b) of this section shall be followed.

(d) No person who has been rejected by resolution of the house to which his name has been submitted by the Governor shall serve in the office for which he was nominated during the term of the house which rejected him.