Opinion ID: 2207217
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: The Status of Citizens' Aide as an Agency.

Text: Citizens' Aide contends that the unique function of its office distinguishes it from other creatures of statute and that the legislature did not intend to include its office in the definition of agency. Section 17A.2(1) provides this definition: Agency means each board, commission, department, officer or other administrative office or the unit of the state.Agency does not mean the general assembly, the judicial department or any of its components, the office of consumer advocate, the governor or a political subdivision of the state or its offices and units. The first sentence of this definition, taken alone, would obviously include the Citizens' Aide because the phrase board, commission, department, officer or other administrative office is very broad. The second sentence of the definition provides for limited exceptions, and clearly Citizens' Aide is not one of those entities excepted. We agree with Rolfes that, for purposes of chapter 17A proceedings, the Office of Citizens' Aide is an agency. Citizens' Aide concedes that, if it is an agency under the definition of chapter 17A, Rolfes is entitled to the protections accorded by that chapter. That raises the second issue.