(1) The chief administrative law judge for the Office of Administrative Hearings may contract for the services of persons to act as administrative law judges.

(2) Contract administrative law judges shall meet the same qualifications as administrative law judges regularly employed by the chief administrative law judge and shall be paid at an hourly rate comparable to the per hour cost of salary and benefits for administrative law judges regularly employed by the chief administrative law judge and conducting similar hearings. [1999 c.849 § 6; 2003 c.75 § 5]