A Commissioner may be removed by the Governor only for the same causes as apply to other constitutional officers after a hearing which may be reviewed by the Chancery Court for the First District with right of appeal therefrom to the Supreme Court, such review and appeal to be without presumption in favor of any finding by the Governor or the trial court, and provided further, in addition to the right of confirmation hereinabove reserved to the Senate, the Senate may upon the written request of at least Five (5) of its members that a member or members of the Commission should be removed therefrom, proceed, when in session, to hear any and all evidence pertinent to the reasons for removal. The member or members whose removal is so requested shall be entitled to be heard in the matter and to be represented before the Senate by legal Counsel. These proceedings conducted by the Senate shall be public and a transcript of the testimony so heard shall be prepared and preserved in the journal of the Senate. The taking of evidence either orally or by deposition shall not be bound by the formal rules of evidence. Upon the conclusion of the hearing, the Senate, sitting as a body in executive session, may remove said member or members of the Commission by a majority vote conducted by secret ballot.
Publisher's Notes. Amendment 80 to the Arkansas Constitution, adopted by voter referendum and effective July 1, 2001, established circuit courts as the trial courts of original jurisdiction of all justiciable matters not otherwise assigned pursuant to the Constitution and specifically provided that "jurisdiction conferred on Circuit Courts established by this Amendment includes all matter previously cognizable by Circuit, Chancery, Probate and Juvenile Courts...".