(a)Copy CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(a)
(1)Copy CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(a)(1) 公平听证应在部门或部门指定的接收上诉请求表的其他机构收到上诉请求表之日起50天内举行,除非申请人获得延期。申请人在听证开始前首次提出的延期请求,无需说明正当理由即可获准。申请人可基于正当理由的说明请求额外延期。申请人的延期请求将导致其放弃在收到上诉请求表之日起90天内获得关于医疗补助家庭和社区服务决定的权利。
(2)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(a)(2) 区域中心或州营机构也可基于正当理由的说明请求延期,但准予延期不得将作出最终行政决定的时限延长至本章规定的90天期限之外。就本节而言,任何一方的正当理由包括但不限于以下情况:
(A)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(a)(2)(A) 申请人或授权代表,或区域中心或州营机构代表的配偶、父母、子女、兄弟、姐妹或祖父母的死亡。
(B)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(a)(2)(B) 申请人或授权代表,或区域中心或州营机构代表的个人疾病或受伤。
(C)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(a)(2)(C) 突发和意外紧急情况,包括但不限于出庭或日程冲突,如果该冲突超出申请人、授权代表或区域中心或州营机构代表的控制范围。
(D)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(a)(2)(D) 证人或证据无法获得,而其缺失将对申请人或区域中心或州营机构造成严重损害。
(E)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(a)(2)(E) 申请人或申请人的授权代表提出的介入调解请求。
(b)Copy CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(b)
(1)Copy CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(b)(1) 尽管有《政府法典》第19130、19131和19132节的规定,部门应签订合同以提供独立听证官。听证官应在经加利福尼亚州或美国律师协会认可的法学院接受过至少两年全职法律培训,或具备部门通过法规确立的同等培训和经验。
(2)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(b)(2) 听证官应接受关于为智力和发育障碍人士提供服务的法律法规以及行政听证的培训和信息。培训应包括但不限于《兰特曼发育障碍服务法案》及其通过的法规、部门发布的有关书面指令和指导、相关判例法、关于为发育障碍人士提供的服务和支持的信息(包括创新服务和支持)、部门与区域中心之间的标准协议合同,以及区域中心的服务采购政策。培训应包括创建公正和非正式听证环境的方法,以鼓励自由开放的信息交流,并促使各方提出相关事实,保护申请人在公平听证中的权利,重点在于酌情协助无代表的申请人、家庭成员、授权代表或不熟悉行政听证的倡导者充分完善行政记录。培训还应包括关于残疾和可能有助于参与听证的残疾相关支持的信息,以及减少障碍的合理便利。
(3)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(b)(3) 部门和听证办公室应在制定听证官标准化听证程序和培训材料以及部门实施培训程序方面,征求利益相关者的意见,包括代表不同残疾和背景的受助者和家庭成员、州发育障碍委员会、在第4.7分部(始于第4900节)中确定的、并由本州州长指定以履行《2000年联邦发育障碍援助和权利法案》(载于《美国法典》第42篇第144章(始于第15001节))的要求和保证的保护和倡导机构、区域中心机构协会、倡导组织以及其他州机构或组织的意见。部门应至少每年为听证官提供正式培训。
(c)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(c) 听证官不得是针对其行为提起上诉的区域中心或州营机构的雇员、代理人、董事会成员或承包商,也不得是申诉人的配偶、父母、子女、兄弟、姐妹、祖父母、法定监护人或财产管理人,或任何对公平听证结果有直接经济利益的人,或任何其他可能妨碍公平公正听证的利益相关者。
(d)Copy CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(d)
(1)Copy CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(d)(1) 区域中心或州营机构应准备一份立场声明,并在听证会前至少两个工作日以电子方式发送给听证办公室和申诉人,除非申诉人已告知接收文件的替代方式。立场声明应概述案件事实,阐明区域中心或州营机构行动的理由,并应包括其打算在听证会期间传唤的证人名单、每位证人证词的大致主题,以及其打算使用的所有书面证据副本。
(A)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(d)(1)(A) 如果申诉人或其授权代表的首选语言不是英语,区域中心还应提供一份其首选语言的立场声明副本。
(B)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(d)(1)(B) 如果区域中心或州营机构无法在听证会前两个工作日提供申诉人或其授权代表首选语言的立场声明副本,区域中心或州营机构应通知申诉人或其授权代表,提供一份英文立场声明副本,并申请听证会延期,同时附上其翻译立场声明的努力证明。
(C)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(d)(1)(C) 除非申诉人或其授权代表表示希望继续听证,否则听证官应在确定区域中心或州营机构已提供令人满意的翻译立场声明努力证明后,将听证会延期不超过10天。翻译后的立场声明应在延期听证会前至少两个工作日提供。
(2)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(d)(2) 在听证会前至少两个工作日,未由在加利福尼亚州执业的律师代理的申诉人应向区域中心或州营机构以及听证办公室提供一份拟传唤证人名单及其与申诉人关系的简要说明,以及申诉人打算在听证会上使用的任何与资格或服务相关的专业评估或报告副本。在听证会时或之前,申诉人还应向区域中心或州营机构以及听证办公室提供所有其他拟使用的书面证据副本。
(3)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(d)(3) 如果申诉人由在加利福尼亚州执业的律师代理,或申诉人本身就是该律师,则申诉人的律师应准备一份立场声明,并在听证会前至少两个工作日提供给区域中心或州营机构以及听证办公室。立场声明应概述案件事实,阐明申诉人立场的理由,并应包括拟传唤证人名单、每位证人证词的大致主题,以及打算使用的所有书面证据副本。
(4)Copy CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(d)(4)
(A)Copy CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(d)(4)(A) 听证官可以禁止未披露的证人证词或文件引入。但是,为了司法公正,听证官可以允许引入文件或证人证词。
(B)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(d)(4)(A)(B) 在考虑未代理申诉人未能披露证词或文件时,听证官还可以考虑申诉人对披露要求的理解、使申诉人难以遵守规则的残疾因素,以及排除证词或文件对听证官协助双方查明相关事实能力的影响。
(e)Copy CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(e)
(1)Copy CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(e)(1) 公平听证会应在对申诉人及其授权代表而言合理方便的时间和地点举行。申诉人或申诉人的授权代表与区域中心应就公平听证会的地点达成一致。
(2)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(e)(2) 根据第 (1) 款规定的地点可包括双方当事人的协议,或听证官在认定有正当理由后发出的命令,以通过电话、视频会议或其他电子方式进行听证。
(f)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(f) 待决公平听证会的案情实质,不得在另一方不在场的情况下,由听证官与一方当事人讨论。
(g)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(g) The hearing officer shall voluntarily disqualify themselves and
withdraw from any case in which the hearing officer cannot accord a fair and impartial hearing or consideration. Any party may request the disqualification of the hearing officer by filing an affidavit or making an objection on the record, prior to the taking of evidence at a hearing, stating with particularity the grounds upon which it is claimed that a fair and impartial hearing cannot be accorded. The issue shall be decided by the hearing officer and may be reviewed as part of the reconsideration process specified in Section 4713.
(h)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(h) Both parties to the fair hearing shall have the rights specified in subparagraphs (A) to (C), inclusive, of paragraph (9) of subdivision (a) of Section 4701.
(i)Copy CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(i)
(1)Copy CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(i)(1) The fair hearing shall be conducted in an impartial and informal manner in order to encourage the presentation of information and the free and open discussion by
participants. The hearing officer shall make their best effort to fully and fairly develop the record and create an environment in which all relevant facts, both favorable and unfavorable, are brought out and to engage the parties to bring out the facts.
(2)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(i)(2) The fair hearing need not be conducted according to the technical rules of evidence and those related to witnesses. Any relevant evidence shall be admitted. Both parties shall be allowed to submit documents into evidence at the beginning of the hearing. A party shall not be required to formally authenticate any document unless the hearing officer determines the necessity to do so in the interest of justice. All testimony shall be under oath or affirmation which the hearing officer is empowered to administer.
(3)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(i)(3) The hearing officer may do any of the following during the hearing to assist in bringing out all relevant facts:
(A)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(i)(3)(A) Question a witness on the record.
(B)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(i)(3)(B) Call a witness to testify at the hearing.
(C)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(i)(3)(C) Hold the record open to allow a party to obtain necessary testimony or documentation identified by the hearing officer during the course of the fair hearing.
(j)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(j) A regional center or state-operated facility shall present its witnesses and all other evidence before the claimant presents the claimant’s case unless the parties agree otherwise or the hearing officer determines that it is appropriate for a witness to be heard out of order. This section does not alter the burden of proof.
(k)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(k) A recording shall be made of the proceedings before the hearing officer. Any cost of recording shall be borne by the
hearing office.
(l)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(l) The fair hearing shall be conducted in the English language. However, if the preferred language of the claimant or authorized representative is not English, an interpreter shall be provided by the hearing office.
(m)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(m) The fair hearing shall be open to the public except at the request of the claimant or authorized representative or when personnel matters are being reviewed.
(n)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(n) The hearing office awarded the contract for independent hearing officers shall biennially conduct, or cause to be conducted, an evaluation of the hearing officers who conduct hearings under this part. The department shall approve the methodology used to conduct the evaluation. Information and data for this evaluation shall be solicited from recipients or applicants who participated in a fair hearing over the past two
years, their family members or authorized representative if involved in the hearing, regional centers, and nonattorney advocates, attorneys who represented either party in a fair hearing over the past two years, and the organizations identified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (b). Regional centers shall forward copies of fair hearing decisions reviewed by the superior court to the department. The areas of evaluation shall include, but not be limited to, the hearing officers’ demeanor toward parties and witnesses, conduct of the hearing in accord with fairness and standards of due process, ability to fairly develop the record in cases in which applicants or recipients represent themselves or are represented by an advocate that does not have significant experience in fair hearings, use of legal authority, clarity of written decisions, and adherence to the requirements of subdivision (c) of Section 4712.5. The department shall be provided with a copy of the evaluation and shall use the evaluation in partial
fulfillment of its evaluation of the contract for the provision of independent hearing officers. A summary of the data collected shall be made available to the public upon request, provided that the names of individual hearing officers and the names and other identifiable information about applicants and recipients shall not be disclosed.
(o)CA 福利和机构 Code § 4712(o) This section shall become operative on March 1, 2023.