Substitute Senate Bill No. 410 Summary

• Allows aggrieved persons and authorized representatives (including conservators, legal guardians, and power of attorney holders) to request administrative hearings concerning Department of Social Services decisions by mail, telephone, or electronic means rather than in writing.

• Establishes a 65-day deadline for submitting hearing requests after a department decision and requires the department to hold hearings within 45 days of receiving the request, with expedited 4-business-day hearings for emergency housing benefit denials.

• Permits testimony by telephone and allows aggrieved persons to be excused from personal appearance if represented by legal counsel and the hearing officer determines their testimony is unnecessary.

• Restricts hearing officers from communicating with other department employees or counsel about factual or legal issues in the hearing without advance notice and opportunity for all parties to participate on the record.

• Requires final hearing decisions to be issued within 105 days of the hearing request, with expedited 3-business-day decisions for emergency housing cases, and limits continuances to no more than three.