(a) The Legislature hereby declares that due to the need to implement the 2011 Realignment Legislation addressing public safety (Chapter 15 of the Statutes of 2011), it is the intent of the Legislature to afford the courts the maximum flexibility to manage the caseload in the manner that is most appropriate to each court.
(b) Notwithstanding Section 71622, the superior court of any county may appoint as many hearing officers as deemed necessary to conduct parole revocation hearings pursuant to Sections 3000.08 and 3000.09 of the Penal Code and to determine violations of conditions of postrelease supervision pursuant to Section 3455 of the Penal Code, and to perform related duties as authorized by the court. A hearing officer appointed pursuant to this section has the authority to conduct these hearings and to make determinations at those hearings pursuant to applicable law.
(c) (1) A person is eligible to be appointed a hearing officer pursuant to this section if the person meets one of the following criteria:
(A) He or she has been an active member of the State Bar of California for at least 10 years continuously prior to appointment.
(B) He or she is or was a judge of a court of record of California within the last five years, or is currently eligible for the assigned judge program.
(C) He or she is or was a commissioner, magistrate, referee, or hearing officer authorized to perform the duties of a subordinate judicial officer of a court of record of California within the last five years.
(2) The superior court may prescribe additional minimum qualifications for hearing officers appointed pursuant to this section and may prescribe mandatory training for those hearing officers in addition to any training and education that may be required as judges or employees of the superior court.
(d) The manner of appointment of a hearing officer pursuant to this section and compensation to be paid to a hearing officer shall be determined by the court. That compensation is within the definition of “court operations” pursuant to Section 77003 and California Rules of Court, rule 10.810.
(e) The superior courts of two or more counties may appoint the same person as a hearing officer under this section.
(Added by Stats. 2011, Ch. 39, Sec. 1. (AB 117) Effective June 30, 2011. Operative October 1, 2011, pursuant to Secs. 68 and 69 of Ch. 39.)