In 1953 the Montana legislature created the Montana Department of State Personnel, establishing a classified service for state officers and employees and providing for the appointment of a personnel commission and director. This Personnel Administration Law was designed to create a system that was based on merit and featured equitable incentives and conditions of employment, compensation based on service rendered, and uniformity in compensation. The Department of State Personnel contained a Personnel Commission composed of four members appointed by the governor, with one member serving as chairman. The Commission appointed the director of the Department, represented the public interest in improving the quality of personnel in state government, established a classification plan for all positions in the state classified service, reviewed the compensation plan, etc. The director served as the executive head of the Department, maintained a roster of all state employees, gave examinations to applicants for state positions, conducted analyses of work loads, prepared and revised a state compensation plan, and worked with the Commission on the creation and revision of a position classification plan. The latter plan established a series of grades for positions based on progressively increasing responsibilities, difficulties, etc. The Department and Commission were abolished in 1967.