By: Rosson S.B. No. 1001
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
1-1 Relating to the powers and authority of the State Office of
1-2 Administrative Hearings.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 2, Article 6252-13f, Vernon's Texas Civil
1-5 Statutes, is amended to read as follows:
1-6 STATE OFFICE OF ADMINISTRATIVE HEARINGS; CHIEF
1-7 ADMINISTRATIVE LAW JUDGE
1-8 SEC. 2. (a) The State Office of Administrative Hearings is
1-9 a state agency under the direction of a chief administrative law
1-10 judge appointed by the governor for a two-year term. To be
1-11 eligible for appointment as chief administrative law judge, a
1-12 person must be licensed to practice law in this state, must be
1-13 board-certified in administrative law, and must have at least five
1-14 years' experience in conducting administrative hearings under the
1-15 Administrative Procedure and Texas Register Act (Article 6252-13a,
1-16 Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes).
1-17 (b) The office shall conduct all administrative hearings in
1-18 contested cases under the Administrative Procedure and Texas
1-19 Register Act (Article 6252-13a, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes)
1-20 (-<that are before an agency that does not employ a person whose
1-21 only duty is to preside as a hearings officer over matters related
1-22 to contested cases before the agency>.
1-23 (c) Hearings shall be conducted at a site to be designated
2-1 by the Office.
2-2 (d) The State Office of Administrative Hearings may
2-3 promulgate procedural rules to govern hearings conducted by the
2-4 Office.
2-5 (e) The State Office of Administrative Hearings may conduct
2-6 non-APTRA hearings at the request of other agencies.
2-7 (f) The State Office of Administrative Hearings may provide
2-8 non-binding alternative means to resolve disputes that are before
2-9 it for administrative adjudication.
2-10 (g) The State Office of Administrative Hearings may contract
2-11 to provide other agencies training relating to the conduct of
2-12 administrative hearings.
2-13 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
2-14 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-15 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-16 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-17 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-18 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.