Bill Text: CA AB2537 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: State agencies: adjudications: presiding officers.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2010-08-12 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB2537 Detail]

Download: California-2009-AB2537-Introduced.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 2537	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Silva

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2010

   An act to amend Section 11425.40 of the Government Code, relating
to state agencies.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2537, as introduced, Silva. State agencies: adjudications:
presiding officers.
   Existing law, the Administrative Procedure Act, provides for the
conduct of administrative adjudication proceedings of state agencies.
Existing law provides for the disqualification of a presiding
officer for bias, prejudice, or interest in the proceeding. Existing
law authorizes an agency that conducts an adjudicative proceeding to
provide by regulation for peremptory challenge of the presiding
officer.
   This bill would require that an agency that conducts an
adjudicative proceeding provide by regulation for peremptory
challenge of the presiding officer in cases where the presiding
officer is an administrative law judge.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 11425.40 of the Government Code is amended to
read:
   11425.40.  (a) The presiding officer is subject to
disqualification for bias, prejudice, or interest in the proceeding.
   (b) It is not alone or in itself grounds for disqualification,
without further evidence of bias, prejudice, or interest, that the
presiding officer:
   (1) Is or is not a member of a racial, ethnic, religious, sexual,
or similar group and the proceeding involves the rights of that
group.
   (2) Has experience, technical competence, or specialized knowledge
of, or has in any capacity expressed a view on, a legal, factual, or
policy issue presented in the proceeding.
   (3) Has as a lawyer or public official participated in the
drafting of laws or regulations or in the effort to pass or defeat
laws or regulations, the meaning, effect, or application of which is
in issue in the proceeding.
   (c) The provisions of this section governing disqualification of
the presiding officer also govern disqualification of the agency head
or other person or body to which the power to hear or decide in the
proceeding is delegated.
   (d) An agency that conducts an adjudicative proceeding  shall
provide by regulation for peremptory challenge of a presiding officer
who is an administrative law judge. An agency that conducts an
adjudicative proceeding  may provide by regulation for
peremptory challenge of  the   a  presiding
officer  who is not an administrative law judge  .