HF975 Summary

• Fair Hearing Reforms: Modifies procedures for state human services fair hearings, including requiring human services judges to be licensed attorneys and establishing new timelines for decision-making on maltreatment appeals.

• Cultural and Ethnic Communities Leadership Council: Creates new advisory council to advise the Department of Human Services on reducing disparities affecting racial and ethnic groups, with 15-25 appointed members plus legislative representatives, expiring March 15, 2015.

• Internal Audit Authority: Grants the commissioner power to issue administrative subpoenas in administering the compliance system for public assistance programs and expands the compliance system to cover all programs administered by the commissioner.

• Technical and Cleanup Changes: Removes obsolete language regarding general assistance medical care programs, eliminates expired program provisions, and makes minor statutory corrections across multiple human services sections.

• Program Terminology Updates: Implements revisor's instruction to substitute "human services judge" for various referee titles throughout statutes governing fair hearings and appeals.