Source: http://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2000_SESSIONS/RS/Bills/HB2998%20INTR.htm
Timestamp: 2018-01-21 03:43:28
Document Index: 335694446

Matched Legal Cases: ['§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29', '§29']

(By Delegates Staton, Amres, Hines, Wills and
Committee on the Judiciary then
Government Organization.]
A BILL to amend chapter twenty-nine-a of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated article eight, relating generally to the creation of an office of administrative hearings in the executive branch of state government; specifying applicability and exceptions; defining terms; specifying the qualifications of chief administrative law judge; nominating persons for chief administrative law judge; filling vacancies; establishing an administrative law commission; making appointments to the administrative law commission; specifying terms of the commissioners; filling vacancies on the commission; compensating commissioners; requiring the cooperation of state agencies with the commission; providing for the confidentiality of information and records furnished to the commission; submitting list of names of persons qualified for chief judge to the governor; requiring the advice and consent of the Senate for the appointment of chief judge; requiring the commission to assist the chief judge in carrying out his or her duties; providing for a system of compensation for adjudicators to be established by the chief judge and the administrative law commission; providing that promotions be based on ability and performance; providing that all adjudicators be part of the classified service; providing for discipline of adjudicators; establishing a complaint resolution board; transferring adjudicatory functions of personnel, equipment and funds of affected state agencies to the office of administrative hearings; providing that all orders, determinations, rules, regulations, certificates, licenses and privileges in effect prior to this article becoming effective shall remain in effect; establishing an evaluation system for adjudicators; establishing qualifications for adjudicators and providing exceptions; establishing the power and duties of the chief administrative law judge; setting forth the nature and type of proceedings over which adjudicators may preside; providing for the use of contract adjudicators; establishing the powers of adjudicators relating to conducting hearings; providing that decisions of adjudicators are final; providing for the continued policy-making authority of agencies; providing for remand of cases which require creation of policy rather than application of policy; providing for appeal of decisions to circuit court; providing that this article is inapplicable to adjudications commenced prior to the effective date of the article; and providing for the repeal of acts or parts of acts which are inconsistent with this article.
That chapter twenty-nine-a of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended, by adding thereto a new article, designated article eight, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 8. OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS.
§29A-8-1. Creation, applicability and exceptions.
(a) There is hereby created, as an independent unit in the executive branch of the state government, an office of administrative hearings.
All agencies that conduct administrative hearings or adjudications as defined in section two of this article are subject to the provisions of this article unless otherwise exempted in this article.
(b) This article does not apply to the governor; any unit of the judicial branch; any unit of the legislative branch; cases involving the conduct of inmates or other persons admitted to public institutions; hearings conducted by the West Virginia board of parole or the conduct of persons in military service.
(c) Until the first day of July, two thousand, the governor may temporarily exempt an agency, from this article.
(d) Any agency that is not required to submit cases for hearing to the office of administrative hearings may request that a case be heard by an adjudicator from the office of administrative hearings. The office of administrative hearings shall charge the requesting agency a fee for services rendered which is sufficient to cover the actual cost of the services provided.
(1) "Action" means an order, decree, decision, determination or ruling by an administrative agency affecting permits, licenses, certifications, personal or property rights, privileges, immunities, duties, liabilities or obligations of a person.
(2) "Adjudication" or "administrative hearing" means a trial-type proceeding, whether conducted pursuant to article five of this chapter, other statutes, or agency regulations or practice, that offers an opportunity for an oral, fact-finding hearing before an adjudicator.
(3) "Adjudicator" is a person who presides over administrative hearings or proceedings for alternative dispute resolution, takes evidence, issues a decision or mediates a resolution. An adjudicator may be an administrative law judge (ALJ) a hearing examiner, or any other presiding official who is qualified to so act. The functions of an adjudicator include, but are not limited to: (I) Making findings of fact; (ii) making decisions regarding federal and State statutory law, rules regulations and agency policy; (iii) writing opinions that marshal the facts and frame the issues in a comprehensible fashion; (iv) conducting adjudicatory proceedings so as to assure a full and informative record; and (v) conducting alternative dispute resolution proceedings.
(4) "Administrative law judge" means an attorney at law appointed by the chief administrative law judge to conduct or preside at administrative hearings and other proceedings as provided in this article.
(5) "Agency" or "administrative agency" means any administrative unit of state government, including any authority, board, bureau, commission, committee, division, section or office authorized by law to conduct adjudicatory proceedings, except those in the legislative or judicial branches and the office of the governor.
(6) "Alternative dispute resolution" means any procedure that is used in lieu of an administrative hearing to resolve issues in controversy, including, but not limited to, settlement, negotiations, conciliation, facilitation, mediation, fact finding, mini-trials, and arbitration, or any combination thereof.
(7) "Chief judge" means the chief administrative law judge appointed and serving pursuant to the provisions of sections three and four of this article.
(8) "Commission" means the administrative law commission established in accordance with the provisions of section four of this article.
(9) "Hearing examiner" means a non-attorney appointed by the chief administrative law judge to conduct or preside at administrative hearings and other proceedings as provided in this article.
§29A-8-3. Chief administrative law judge.
(a) The chief administrative law judge, or chief judge, is the chief administrative officer of the office and the presiding judge of the office.
(b) To be appointed as chief judge, a nominee for the position must possess the following qualifications:
(1) A minimum of five years experience as a practicing attorney at law;
(2) Current active membership in the West Virginia State Bar; and
(3) A minimum of two years experience in the preparation, presentation or hearing of actions, or in making decisions on the basis of the record of those hearings, originating before administrative agencies or regulatory bodies at the federal, state or local level.
(c) The chief judge shall be nominated as prescribed in section four of this article, and shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. The chief judge shall serve for a term of six years or until a successor is appointed and qualified to serve. A chief judge may be reappointed upon the expiration of his or her term, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, if nominated for reappointment in accordance with the provisions of section four of this article.
(d) If the office of chief judge is vacant, the judge who is senior in length of service as a judge shall serve as acting chief judge until such vacancy is filled. Any vacancy occurring in the office of the chief judge shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment, but only for the unexpired term.
(e) The chief judge shall devote full time to the duties of the office and shall receive a salary as provided by law.
§29A-8-4. Administrative law commission.
(a) There is established an administrative law commission for the office of administrative hearings. The administrative law commission shall consist of seven members selected in accordance with the provisions of subsection (b) of this section. The commission shall submit to the governor the names of qualified nominees for appointment to the position of chief judge.
(b) Each of the following persons shall appoint one person to the administrative law commission on or before the first day of August, one thousand nine hundred ninety-eight:
(1) The chief justice of the supreme court of appeals;
(3) The speaker of the house of delegates;
(4) The president of the West Virginia state bar;
(5) The commissioner of the bureau of employment programs;
(6) The attorney general; and
(7) The dean of the college of law of West Virginia University.
At least one but not more than three of the commission members shall be attorneys who practice before the office of administrative hearings.
(c)(1) The persons first appointed to the commission pursuant to the provisions of subdivisions (5) and (6), subsection (b) of this section shall serve for a period of one year;
(2) The persons first appointed to the commission pursuant to the provisions of subdivisions (2) and (3), subsection (b) of this section shall serve for a period of two years;
(3) The persons first appointed to the commission pursuant to the provisions of subdivisions (1), (4) and (7), subsection (b) of this section shall serve for a period of three years.
(4) Each person appointed after the initial appointments made in accordance with the provisions of this subsection shall be appointed for a term of three years.
(d)(1) Subject to the provisions of this subsection, a vacancy on the commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment. An officer or employee of the state of West Virginia may be a member of the commission. The commission shall select one of its members to be the chairman.
(2) Any member appointed to serve an unexpired term which has arisen by virtue of the death, disability, retirement, or resignation of a member shall be appointed only for the unexpired term, but shall be eligible for reappointment.
(e)(1) A member of the commission who is an officer or employee of the State of West Virginia shall not receive additional compensation, other than travel expenses, while serving as a member of the commission. Other members of the commission shall receive reasonable compensation for each day he or she is engaged in the actual performance of his or her duties as a member of the commission and such traveling expenses as are incurred in the performance of his or her duties. Payment for traveling expenses shall be made consistent with state travel rules. A member shall not be considered an officer or employee of the State of West Virginia solely by reason of his or her service as a member of the commission.
(2) All agencies of the State of West Virginia shall provide to the commission the assistance and facilities that the commission requests, including access to records and other information pertaining to prospective nominees, to enable the commission to perform its functions. All furnished records and information shall be treated as privileged and confidential by the commission.
(3) Funds appropriated to conduct the general operations of the office may be expended to defray the expenses of the commission.
(f)(1) For the initial appointment of the chief judge, the commission, on or before the thirty-first day of October, one thousand nine hundred ninety-eight, shall submit to the governor for appointment a list of the names of three persons qualified to fill the vacancy.
(2) Not less than sixty days before the term of the chief judge expires, the commission shall submit to the governor for appointment a list of the names of three persons, one of who may be the incumbent chief judge, who are qualified to be the chief judge.
(3) In the event of a subsequent vacancy in the position prior to the end of the term of the chief judge, within sixty days after notification that a vacancy will be occurring or has occurred the commission shall submit to the governor for appointment a list of the names of three persons qualified to fill the vacancy.
(4) The governor shall appoint the chief judge, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, from the list provided by the commission. The initial appointee shall serve as the temporary chief administrative law judge until such time as the Senate approval of a chief judge is received.
(g) The commission shall advise the chief administrative law judge in carrying out his or her duties, including but not limited to: (I) Identifying issues of importance to the office of administrative hearings that should be addressed by the chief administrative law judge; (ii) reviewing issues and problems relating to administrative hearings and the administrative process; and (iii) reviewing and commenting upon policies and rules proposed by the chief administrative law judge.
(h) The commission shall advise the governor and the Legislature as to those agencies for which a continuing exemption under section (1) of this article should be maintained as consistent with the purposes of this article.
§29A-8-5. Compensation and promotion.
(a) In cooperation with the administrative law commission, the chief judge shall establish an administrative law judge salary system which places each administrative law judge in one of three levels, designated ALJ-3, ALJ-2 and ALJ-1. Within these levels salaries for administrative law judges shall be established which are no greater than ninety percent nor less than fifty percent of the salary of circuit court judges. The salary of the chief administrative law judge shall be set by the governor within the prescribed levels for administrative law judges, commiserate with the additional duties and responsibilities of the position.
(b) In cooperation with the administrative law commission, the chief judge shall establish a hearing examiner salary system consisting of not less than three levels designated HE-3, HE-2 and HE-1. Within these levels salaries for hearing examiners shall be established which are no greater than the highest salary level for magistrates as set forth in section three in section three, article one, chapter fifty of this code.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that a multi-grade system of hiring and promotion be established and maintained in the office, and that individual adjudicators be paid according to their abilities and performance, as shown by evaluations conducted in accordance with the provisions of subdivision (14), section nine of this article.
§29A-8-6. Professional employees; removal; discipline; creation of complaint resolution board.
(a) All adjudicators in the office of administrative hearings shall be professionals who are members of the classified service.
(b) Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section:
(1) An adjudicator may not be removed, suspended, reprimanded, or disciplined except for misconduct, incompetence, or neglect of duty but may be removed or suspended for physical or mental disability which can not be reasonably accommodated and prohibits him or her from performing his or her assigned duties; and
(2) An action specified in subdivision (1) of this subsection may be taken against an adjudicator only after the chief administrative law judge has filed a notice of adverse action against the adjudicator and has determined, after an opportunity for the adjudicator to meet with the chief administrative law judge, that there is good cause to take action.
(c) Under legislative rules proposed for promulgation by the chief judge in accordance with the provisions of chapter twenty- nine-a of this code, a complaint resolution board shall be established within the office to consider and recommend appropriate action to be taken upon complaints against the official conduct of adjudicators.
(d) The complaint resolution board shall consist of three adjudicators from the office, selected by the chief judge and two members of the state bar who shall be appointed by the president of the West Virginia state bar. Of the members of the board initially appointed by the chief judge, the first appointment shall end in twelve months, the second in eighteen months and the third in two years. Of the members of the board appointed by the president of the West Virginia state bar, the first appointment shall end in one year and the second appointment shall end in two years. All subsequent appointments shall be for a term of two years. In the event a vacancy or disqualification occurs, the member shall be replaced in the same manner as the original appointment. The chief judge and the immediate supervisor of the adjudicator involved in the complaint may not serve on the board.
(e) A complaint of misconduct on the part of an adjudicator must be made in writing. The complaint shall be filed with the chief judge, or it may be originated by the chief judge on his or her own motion. The chief judge shall refer the complaint to the board. The complaint must be referred as it was originally received or drawn and may not be accompanied by any other material. The adjudicator who is the subject of the complaint shall be given notice of the complaint and shall be given the opportunity to respond in writing to the board.
(f) The board shall inquire into the complaint and shall render a report on the complaint to the chief administrative law judge. A copy of the report shall be provided concurrently to the adjudicator who is the subject of the complaint. The report shall be advisory only, except that if the chief administrative law judge decides to act contrary to the report, based on the matters contained in the complaint, he or she may do so only upon a finding that the recommendation of the report is unwarranted by the facts, is not supported by substantial evidence, or is arbitrary, capricious or otherwise not in conformity to the law.
(g) In the event a complaint is against the chief judge the recommendation of the board shall be forwarded to the commission and the governor for action consistent with this section.
(h) The proceedings, deliberations, and reports of the board and the contents of complaints under this section shall be treated as privileged and confidential. Documents considered by the board and reports of the board are exempt from disclosure or publication.
§29A-8-7. Transfer of functions to the office.
(a) All functions performed prior to the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred ninety-nine, by the administrative law judges, hearing officers or other persons previously utilized by the agencies subject to the provisions of this article to conduct administrative hearings or other proceedings are hereby transferred to the office of administrative hearings.
(b) With the consent of the agencies concerned, the office of administrative hearings may use the facilities and the services of officers, employees, and other personnel of agencies from which functions and duties are transferred to the office for as long as they may be needed to facilitate the orderly transfer of those functions and duties under this article.
(c) The full-time personnel utilized for any form of administrative adjudication, assets, liabilities, contracts, property, records, and unexpended balances of appropriations, authorization, allocations, and other funds employed, held, used, arising from, available or to be made available, in connection with the functions, offices, and agencies transferred by this article are correspondingly transferred to the office of administrative hearings for appropriate allocation.
(d) The transfer of personnel pursuant to subsection (b) of this section shall be without reduction in compensation.
(e) The secretary of each department or the agency head of agencies effected by this article shall provide for such further measures and dispositions as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this article, and for the termination of the offices and agencies specified in this article.
(f) All orders, determinations, rules, regulations, certificates, licenses, and privileges which have been issued, made, granted, or allowed to become effective in the exercise of any duties, powers, or functions which are transferred under this article and are in effect at the time this article becomes effective shall continue in effect according to their terms until modified, terminated, superseded, set aside, or repealed by the office of administrative hearings of the state of West Virginia or an adjudicator of the office in the exercise of authority vested in the office or its members by this article, by a court of competent jurisdiction, or by operation of law.
(g) This article does not affect any proceeding before any agency or component of an agency which is pending at the time this article takes effect. Such a proceeding shall be continued before the office of administrative hearings or, to the extent the proceeding does not relate to functions so transferred, shall be continued before the agency in which it was pending on the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred ninety-nine.
(h) No suit, action, or other proceeding commenced on or before the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred ninety- nine abates by reason of the enactment of this article.
§29A-8-8. Adjudicators; evaluation.
(a) Adjudicators shall be hired and have their duties assigned by the chief administrative law judge. At least once during the first year of employment and periodically thereafter, each adjudicator shall be subject to a program of evaluation as delineated in subsection (14), section nine of this article. The chief judge shall establish a staggered schedule for evaluating all adjudicators in the office at least once each year.
(b) Except as otherwise provided in subsection (c) of this section, an administrative law judge appointed by the chief administrative law judge shall have a minimum of three years experience as a practicing attorney at law and be a current active member of the West Virginia State Bar.
(c) A person who served as a full-time administrative law judge or hearing examiner for an agency subject to the provisions of this article prior to being transferred to the office of administrative hearings shall not be required to have been an attorney or, if an attorney, shall not be required to have been an attorney for three years in order to serve as an adjudicator in the office.
§29A-8-9. Powers and duties of the chief administrative law judge.
The following powers and duties are vested in the chief administrative law judge of the office of administrative hearings, and shall be performed by the chief judge or by the employees of the office as the chief judge designates:
(1) Administering and causing the work of the office to be performed with efficiency, uniformity, and justice including, as necessary, assignment of cases on the basis of subject matter, expertise and case complexity;
(2) Appointing such clerical and other specialized or technical personnel as may be necessary for the conduct of the office, these employees shall be members of the classified service;
(3) Assigning and reassigning personnel to employment within the office;
(4) Directing and supervising the activities of administrative law judges, hearing examiners and other employees of the office;
(5) Accepting and expending funds and grants;
(6) Developing a code of professional responsibility for adjudicators, rules of evidence, and procedures for administrative hearings and other proceedings;
(7) Conducting, or otherwise providing for the conduct of, studies and research into methods of assuring improvements in the operation of the office of administrative hearings;
(8) Proposing for promulgation, in accordance with the provisions of article three of this chapter, the rules for the prompt implementation and coordinated administration of this article, as may be required or appropriate. The initial rules may be filed as emergency rules;
(9) Employing the services of the agencies effected by this article and of the employees of the agencies in the manner and extent as may be agreed upon by the chief judge and the chief executive officer of the agency in order to carry out the intent of this article;
(10) Hiring administrative law judges and hearing examiners to fulfill the duties prescribed in this article. The chief administrative law judge may conduct hearings and other proceedings set forth in this article;
(11) Contracting with qualified individuals to serve as administrative law judges for specific hearings. Those individuals shall be compensated for their services on a contractual basis for each hearing. The compensation shall be determined in advance by the chief administrative law judge with the approval of the administrative law commission. Adjudicators appointed pursuant to this procedure shall have the same qualifications for appointment as permanent adjudicators;
(12) Securing, compiling and maintaining all records of hearing decisions issued and decisions of alternative dispute resolutions undertaken pursuant to this article, and the reference materials and supporting information as may be appropriate;
(13) Developing and maintaining a program for the continuing training, cross-training and education of adjudicators, including but not limited to research, technical assistance, technical and professional publications, compiling and disseminating information and advising of changes in the law relative to their duties;
(14) Developing and implementing a program of judicial evaluation to aid in the performance of his or her duties. This program of evaluation, for all adjudicators, shall focus on three areas of judicial performance: Competence, productivity, and demeanor. It shall include consideration of: Industry and promptness in adhering to schedules, making rulings and rendering decisions; tolerance, courtesy, patience, attentiveness, and self-control in dealing with litigants, witnesses and counsel, and in presiding over adjudications; legal skills and knowledge of the law and new legal developments; analytical talents and writing abilities; settlement skills; quantity, nature and quality of caseload disposition; impartiality and conscientiousness. The chief judge shall develop standards and procedures for this program, which shall include taking comments from litigants and lawyers who have appeared before an adjudicator. The methods used by the adjudicator, but not the result arrived at, may be used in evaluating an adjudicator. Before implementing any action based on the findings of the evaluation program, the chief judge shall discuss the findings and the proposed action with the effected adjudicator;
(15) Promulgating and enforcing rules for reasonable sanctions, including assessments of costs and attorneys' fees which may be imposed on a party, an attorney or other representative of a party who, without just excuse, fails to comply with any procedural order or with any standard or rule applying to an adjudication and including the imposition of a fine not to exceed one thousand dollars for misconduct which obstructs or tends to obstruct the conduct of adjudications.
§29A-8-10. Assignment of adjudicators or persons not employees of office by special appointment; powers of adjudicators.
(a) Adjudicators shall be assigned by the chief judge to preside over proceedings wherein the issue is the validity of an action of an administrative agency. Such proceedings include, but are not limited to, the following:
(1) An application for review of the action of an agency which will result in the denial, modification, suspension or revocation of a permit, license, or registration;
(2) An application for review of an action of an agency which constitutes: (I) A notice of a violation of statutory or regulatory law; (ii) an order to cease or modify activities or operations; or (iii) an order which vacates or terminates a prior order or authorization;
(3) An application for review of an assessment of a civil penalty or penalties; and
(4) Any other application for review authorized or required by law, whether denominated as an application, appeal, complaint, petition or otherwise, that requires a hearing to be held on the issue of the validity of a determination or ruling by an administrative agency affecting personal or property rights, privileges, immunities, duties, liabilities or obligations of a person.
(b) A person who is not an employee of the office may be specially appointed and assigned by the chief judge to preside over a specific adjudication.
(c) Each adjudicator has and may exercise the powers conferred upon the chief judge to the extent that the chief judge delegates them by rule.
(d) Each adjudicator has all powers necessary to the conduct of fair, expeditious, and impartial hearings, including the following:
(2) To issue subpoenas authorized by law;
(3) To rule on offers of proof and receive relevant evidence;
(4) To regulate the course of the hearing and the conduct of persons at the hearing;
(5) To hold conferences for the settlement or simplification of the issues by consent of the parties or by the use of alternative dispute resolution;
(6) To inform the parties as to the availability of one or more methods of alternative dispute resolution, and encourage the use of those methods;
(7) To require the attendance at any conference held pursuant to subdivision (5) of this subsection of at least one representative of each party who has the authority to negotiate concerning resolution of the issues in controversy;
(8) To dispose of procedural motions;
(9) To make decisions;
(10) To call and question witnesses;
(11) To impose appropriate sanctions against any party or person failing to obey an order, refusing to adhere to reasonable standards of orderly and ethical conduct, or refusing to act in good faith; and
(12) To take any other action authorized by the chief judge which is within the authority of the chief judge to delegate or is within the power of the agency from which the case or proceeding arose.
(e) The decisions rendered by adjudicators of the office of administrative hearings are final and binding on the parties. Any aggrieved party may appeal an adverse decision to the Circuit Court of Kanawha County or the county where the dispute arose in accordance with the provisions of article five of this chapter.
(f) Nothing in this article shall be construed to deprive the head of any agency of the authority to determine and adopt agency policy. In those instances where existing policy would not apply or adequately resolve one or more issues in a case that would otherwise be within the jurisdiction of the office, the agency may petition the office for remand of the case. The petition must fully explain the policy considerations which remove the case from the jurisdiction of the office. The petition must be served on all interested parties. Any party may file a response in opposition or support of the petition. The office must decide jurisdictional questions within ten days of receipt of all evidence and arguments.
§29A-8-11. Inapplicability of article to adjudication initiated prior to effective date.
Nothing in this article shall be construed to affect the conduct of any adjudication initiated prior to the effective date of this article, or the making of any adjudicatory decision in such adjudication.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create the Office of Administrative Hearings.