The House Judiciary Committee heard Rep. Steuerwald’s HB 1223 on administrative law judges. This bill establishes the Office of Administrative Proceedings (office) within the State Personnel Department to hear certain administrative proceedings that result in a finding of fact determining the legal rights, duties, or privileges of a party after an opportunity for an evidentiary hearing. It specifies the administrative proceedings over which the office has jurisdiction and that the office shall have a director who is responsible for administering the office, hiring administrative law judges, and assigning administrative law judges to administrative proceedings. Additionally, the bill provides that formal judicial reviews of final agency actions or certain other administrative actions taken by the office are conducted by a circuit court or superior court with appropriate jurisdiction.
An amendment was adopted by consent to change the effective date, state which agencies this bill does not apply to, and define agency. Representatives from the Governor’s Office, Indiana State Bar Association, Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Indiana Healthcare Association, and Manufacturers Association all testified in favor of the bill. The amended bill passed 10-0.
Read the bill at: http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2019/bills/house/1223