§ 7-1B-3 NMSA 1978

The head of the administrative hearings office is the "chief hearing officer", who shall be appointed for a term of six years, except that the initial term shall begin on July 1, 2015 and shall end on December 31, 2015. The chief hearing officer may be reappointed to successive terms. An appointed chief hearing officer shall serve and have all the duties, responsibilities and authority of that office during the period of time prior to appointment of a new chief hearing officer. The initial chief hearing officer shall be the person who is the chief of the hearings bureau [administrative hearings office] of the taxation and revenue department on July 1, 2015. The chief hearing officer shall be removed only for malfeasance, misfeasance or abuse of office.