(A) The department of aging shall adopt rules in accordance with section 111.15 of the Revised Code governing appeals brought under section 173.523 or 173.545 of the Revised Code. The rules shall require notice and the opportunity for a hearing. The rules may allow an appeal hearing to be conducted by telephone and permit the department to record hearings conducted by telephone. Chapter 119. of the Revised Code applies to a hearing under section 173.523 or 173.545 of the Revised Code only to the extent provided in rules the department adopts under this section.

(B) An appeal shall be commenced by submission of a written request for a hearing to the director of aging within the time specified in the rules adopted under this section. The hearing may be recorded, but neither the recording nor a transcript of the recording is part of the official record of the proceeding. The director shall notify the individual bringing the appeal of the director's decision and of the procedure for appealing the decision.

(C) The director's decision may be appealed to a court of common pleas pursuant to section 119.12 of the Revised Code. The appeal shall be governed by that section except as follows:

(1) The appeal shall be in the court of common pleas of the county in which the individual who brings the appeal resides or, if the individual does not reside in this state, to the Franklin county court of common pleas.

(2) The notice of appeal must be mailed to the department and filed with the court not later than thirty days after the department mails notice of the director's decision. For good cause shown, the court may extend the time for mailing and filing the notice of appeal, but the time cannot exceed six months from the date the department mails the notice of the director's decision.

(3) If an individual applies to the court for designation as an indigent and the court grants the application, the individual shall not be required to furnish the costs of the appeal.

(4) The department is required to file a transcript of the testimony of the state hearing with the court only if the court orders that the transcript be filed. The court shall make such an order only if it finds that the department and the individual bringing the appeal are unable to stipulate to the facts of the case and that the transcript is essential to a determination of the appeal. The department shall file the transcript not later than thirty days after such an order is issued.

Added by 130th General Assembly File No. 25, HB 59, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2013.