Section 1568.065.

(a)  Proceedings for the suspension, revocation, or denial of a license under this chapter shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, and the department shall have all those powers granted by the provisions. In the event of conflict between this chapter and those provisions of the Government Code, this chapter shall prevail.

(b)  In all proceedings conducted in accordance with this section, the standard of proof to be applied shall be by the preponderance of the evidence.

(c)  If the license is not temporarily suspended pursuant to Section 1568.082, the hearing shall be held within 90 calendar days after receipt of the notice of defense, unless a continuance of the hearing is granted by the department or the administrative law judge. When the matter has been set for hearing, only the administrative law judge may grant a continuance of the hearing. The administrative law judge may, but need not, grant a continuance of the hearing, only upon finding the existence of any of the following:

(1)  The death or incapacitating illness of a party, a representative or attorney of a party, a witness to an essential fact, or of the parent, child, or member of the household of that person, when it is not feasible to substitute another representative, attorney, or witness because of the proximity of the hearing date.

(2)  Lack of notice of hearing as provided in Section 11509 of the Government Code.

(3)  A material change in the status of the case where a change in the parties or pleadings requires postponement, or an executed settlement or stipulated findings of fact obviate the need for hearing. A partial amendment of the pleadings shall not be good cause for continuance to the extent that the unamended portion of the pleadings is ready to be heard.

(4)  A stipulation for continuance signed by all parties or their authorized representatives, including, but not limited to, a representative, which is communicated with the request for continuance to the administrative law judge no later than 25 business days before the hearing.

(5)  The substitution of the representative or attorney of a party upon showing that the substitution is required.

(6)  The unavailability of a party, representative, or attorney of a party, or witness to an essential fact due to a conflicting and required appearance in a judicial matter if when the hearing date was set, the person did not know and could neither anticipate nor at any time avoid the conflict, and the conflict with request for continuance is immediately communicated to the administrative law judge.

(7)  The unavailability of a party, a representative or attorney of a party, or a material witness due to an unavoidable emergency.

(8)  Failure by a party to comply with a timely discovery request if the continuance request is made by the party who requested the discovery.

(d)  In addition to the witness fees and mileage provided by Section 11450.40 of the Government Code, the department may pay actual, necessary, and reasonable expenses in an amount not to exceed the per diem allowance payable to a nonrepresented state employee on travel status. The department may pay witness expenses pursuant to this section in advance of the hearing.

(e)  (1)  The withdrawal of an application for a license or a special permit after it has been filed with the department shall not deprive the department of its authority to institute or continue a proceeding against the applicant for the denial of the license or a special permit upon any ground provided by law or to enter an order denying the license or special permit upon any ground provided by law.

(2)  The suspension, expiration, or forfeiture by operation of law of a license issued by the department, or its suspension, forfeiture, or cancellation by order of the department or by order of a court of law, or its surrender, shall not deprive the department of its authority to institute or continue a disciplinary proceeding against the licensee upon any ground provided by law or to enter an order suspending or revoking the license or otherwise taking disciplinary action against the licensee on any ground provided by law.

(f)  (1)  If an application for a license indicates, or the department determines during the application review process, that the applicant previously was issued a license under this chapter or under Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 1200), Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 1250), Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 1500), Chapter 3.3 (commencing with Section 1569), Chapter 3.4 (commencing with Section 1596.70), Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 1596.90), or Chapter 3.6 (commencing with Section 1597.30) and the prior license was revoked within the preceding two years, the department shall cease any further review of the application until two years shall have elapsed from the date of the revocation.

(2)  If an application for a license or special permit indicates, or the department determines during the application review process, that the applicant previously was issued a certificate of approval by a foster family agency that was revoked by the department pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1534 within the preceding two years, the department shall cease any further review of the application until two years have elapsed from the date of the revocation.

(3)  If an application for a license or special permit indicates, or the department determines during the application review process, that the applicant was excluded from a facility licensed by the department pursuant to Section 1558, 1568.092, 1569.58, or 1596.8897, the department shall cease any further review of the application unless the excluded individual has been reinstated pursuant to Section 11522 of the Government Code by the department.

(4)  If an application for a license indicates, or the department determines during the application review process, that the applicant had previously applied for a license under any of the chapters listed in paragraph (1) and the application was denied within the last year, the department shall cease further review of the application as follows:

(A)  In cases where the applicant petitioned for a hearing, the department shall cease further review of the application until one year has elapsed from the effective date of the decision and order of the department upholding a denial.

(B)  In cases where the department informed the applicant of his or her right to petition for a hearing and the applicant did not petition for a hearing, the department shall cease further review of the application until one year has elapsed from the date of the notification of the denial and the right to petition for a hearing.

(C)  The department may continue to review the application if it has determined that the reasons for the denial of the application were due to circumstances and conditions which either have been corrected or are no longer in existence.

(5)  If an application for a license or special permit indicates, or the department determines during the application review process, that the applicant had previously applied for a certificate of approval with a foster family agency and the department ordered the foster family agency to deny the application pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 1534, the department shall cease further review of the application as follows:

(A)  In cases where the applicant petitioned for a hearing, the department shall cease further review of the application until one year has elapsed from the effective date of the decision and order of the department upholding a denial.

(B)  In cases where the department informed the applicant of his or her right to petition for a hearing and the applicant did not petition for a hearing, the department shall cease further review of the application until one year has elapsed from the date of the notification of the denial and the right to petition for a hearing.

(C)  The department may continue to review the application if it has determined that the reasons for the denial of the application were due to circumstances and conditions that either have been corrected or are no longer in existence.

(6)  The cessation of review shall not constitute a denial of the application for purposes of Section 1568.062 or any other law.

(Amended by Stats. 1997, Ch. 617, Sec. 7. Effective January 1, 1998.)