(a) If any applicant for, or client of, the department is dissatisfied with any action of the department relating to his or her application or receipt of services, or if any person who desires to apply for that assistance is refused the opportunity to submit a signed application therefor and is dissatisfied with that refusal, he or she shall, upon filing a request with the department within one year after the decision or action complained of, have a right to an administrative review and redetermination by a member or members of the supervisory staff of the department and a fair hearing before an impartial hearing officer.
(b) An administrative review shall not delay a hearing before an impartial hearing officer if that hearing is requested. The review shall be held and the decision of the reviewer shall be rendered to the applicant or client within 15 days of the date the request was filed.
(c) A fair hearing shall be held within 60 days of the date a written request is received by the department.
(d) Notwithstanding Sections 19130, 19131, and 19132 of the Government Code, the department shall contract with another office, entity, or department for the provision of impartial hearing officers.
(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 47, Sec. 45. (SB 1041) Effective June 27, 2012. Operative July 27, 2012, by Sec. 59 of Ch. 47.)