(a) Any hearing or investigation by a regional board relating to investigating the quality of waters of the state, prescribing waste discharge requirements, issuing cease and desist orders, requiring the cleanup or abatement of waste, or imposing administrative civil liabilities or penalties may be conducted by a panel of three or more members of the regional board, but any final action in the matter shall be taken by the regional board. Due notice of any hearing shall be given to all affected persons. After a hearing, the panel shall report its proposed decision and order to the regional board and shall supply a copy to all parties who appeared at the hearing and requested a copy.

(b) No party who appears before the panel is precluded from appearing before the regional board at any subsequent hearing relating to the matter. Members of the panel are not disqualified from sitting as members of the regional board in deciding the matter.

(c) The regional board, after making an independent review of the record and taking additional evidence as may be necessary, may adopt, with or without revision, or reject, the proposed decision and order of the panel.

(d) For each meeting agenda notice that a regional board provides pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 11125 of the Government Code, a regional board shall make the agenda notice available in both English and Spanish and may make the agenda notice available in any other language.

(Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 551, Sec. 3. (SB 965) Effective January 1, 2013.)