13B.030 Powers of agency head -- Hearing officers. (1) An agency head may exercise all powers conferred on an agency relating to the conduct of administrative hearings, and he may delegate conferred powers to a hearing officer or a member of a collegial body that serves as an agency head, or he may delegate conferred powers to a hearing officer to conduct an administrative hearing before a hearing panel, reserving the authority to render a recommended order to that panel. An agency head may not, however, delegate the power to issue a final order unless specifically authorized by statute, or unless disqualified in accordance with KRS 13B.040(2). (2) (a) In securing hearing officers as necessary to conduct administrative hearings under the jurisdiction of the agency, an agency may: 1. Employ hearing officers; 2. Contract with another agency for hearing officers; or 3. Contract with private attorneys through personal service contract. (b) An agency may secure hearing officers pursuant to subsection (2)(a)3. of this section only if the Attorney General has first determined that the Attorney General's Office cannot provide the needed hearing officers to the agency. If the Attorney General determines that the Attorney General's Office can provide the needed hearing officers to the agency, the agency shall use the hearing officers provided by the Attorney General's Office. The expenses incurred by the Attorney General's Office in providing the hearing officers to the agency shall be paid to the Attorney General's Office by the agency in the following manner: 1. 2. The amount to be paid by the agency to the Attorney General's Office shall be established by vouchers submitted by the Attorney General's Office to the agency which shall be promptly paid by the agency, at the beginning of, at the end of, or at any time during the provision of the hearing officers by the Attorney General's Office. The expenses to be paid to the Attorney General's Office shall be calculated according to the amount of time spent by the salaried hearing officers of the Attorney General's Office in providing the services. The charge for time spent shall not exceed twenty-five percent (25%) more than the amount allowed for a sole practitioner under personal service contract. The Attorney General may require payment in advance of the provision of the requested services based on his calculation of the amount of time that will be spent by the salaried hearing officers of the Attorney General's Office in providing the services. The agency shall be reimbursed for any overpayment at the conclusion of the provision of services by the Attorney General's Office. (3) A hearing officer shall possess and meet qualifications as the Personnel Cabinet and the employing agency, with the advice of the division, may find necessary to assure competency in the conduct of an administrative hearing. The qualifications in this subsection shall not, however, apply to a member of a board, commission, or other collegial body who may serve as a hearing officer in his capacity as a member of the collegial body. (4) All hearing officers, including members of collegial bodies who serve as hearing officers, shall receive training necessary to prepare them to conduct a competent administrative hearing. The training shall pertain to the conduct of administrative hearings generally and to the applications of the provisions of this chapter, specifically. The division shall establish by administrative regulation minimum standards concerning the length of training, course content, and instructor qualifications. Required training shall not exceed eighteen (18) classroom hours for initial training and six (6) classroom hours per year for continuing training. Actual training may be conducted by an agency or any other organization, if the training program offered has been approved by the division as meeting minimum standards. Effective: July 15, 1998 History: Amended 1998 Ky. Acts ch. 154, sec. 4, effective July 15, 1998. -- Amended 1996 Ky. Acts ch. 318, sec. 3, effective July 15, 1996. -- Created 1994 Ky. Acts ch. 382, sec. 3, effective July 15, 1996.