Mattox Opinion No.
All employees receive such compensation as is fixed by the legislature.
The general counsel and his staff are responsible for the gathering of information relating to all matters within the authority of the commission. The commission shall employ administrative law judges to preside at hearings of major importance before the commission. An administrative law judge must be a licensed attorney with not less than five years' general experience or three years' experience in utility regulatory law. The administrative law judge shall perform his duties independently from the commission. The commission and parties who may appear before the commission may not communicate with an administrative law judge concerning any issue of fact or law in a contested case that has not been finally decided by the commission, except on notice and opportunity for all parties to participate.