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This report focuses on the
Board’s ability to render timely decisions on agency disciplinary actions and
"whistleblower" complaints. Currently, hearing officers average 111 days to
forward their reports to the Board following the last day of hearing testimony. This
results in part from hearing officers’ reliance on verbatim transcripts, which the
Board produces in all cases. Additionally, the Board exceeded the statutory time frame for
rendering its decisions in almost half of the 69 cases it considered in fiscal year
1997-98. Board compliance with statute that requires 20-day notification of parties
contributed to these decision delays. To improve the timeliness of hearing officer reports
and Board decisions, the Board should cease providing transcripts to hearing officers and
provide transcripts only at the request of parties to the hearings. Further, the
Legislature should consider increasing the statutory time the Board has to issue its
decision from 30 to 45 days, and shortening the Board’s meeting notice period to 10
days.
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