(a) There is established, within the Office of Governmental Accountability established under § 1-300, an Office of the Victim Advocate. The Governor, with the approval of the General Assembly, shall appoint a person with knowledge of victims’ rights and services as Victim Advocate. Such person shall be an attorney and qualified by training and experience to perform the duties of Victim Advocate as set forth in § 46a-13c. Upon any vacancy in the position of Victim Advocate, the advisory committee established pursuant to § 46a-13h shall meet to consider and interview successor candidates and shall submit to the Governor a list of not fewer than five and not more than seven candidates not later than sixty days after said vacancy. Such list shall be confidential and not open to the public or subject to disclosure, and shall rank the candidates in the order of committee preference. Not later than eight weeks after receiving the list of candidates from the advisory committee, the Governor shall appoint a candidate for Victim Advocate from among the choices on such list. If, at any time, any of the candidates withdraws from consideration prior to confirmation by the General Assembly, the appointment shall be made from the remaining candidates on the list submitted to the Governor. The person appointed Victim Advocate shall serve for a term of four years and may be reappointed or shall continue to hold office until a successor is appointed and qualified.

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(b) Notwithstanding any other provision of the general statutes, the Victim Advocate shall act independently of any state department in the performance of the advocate’s duties.

(c) The Victim Advocate may, within available funds, appoint such staff as may be deemed necessary. The duties of the staff may include the duties of the Victim Advocate if performed under the direction of the Victim Advocate.

(d) The General Assembly may annually appropriate such sums as necessary for the payment of the salaries of the staff and for the payment of office expenses and other actual expenses incurred by the Victim Advocate in the performance of the advocate’s duties.

(e) The Victim Advocate shall annually submit, in accordance with the provisions of § 11-4a, to the Governor, the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to the judiciary and the advisory committee established pursuant to § 46a-13h a detailed report analyzing the work of the Office of the Victim Advocate.