245A.08 Hearings.
Subdivision 1. Receipt of appeal; conduct of hearing. Upon receiving a timely appeal or petition pursuant to section 245A.05 or 245A.07, the commissioner shall issue a notice of and order for hearing to the appellant under chapter 14.
Subd. 2. Conduct of hearings. At any hearing provided for by section 245A.05 or 245A.07, the appellant may be represented by counsel and has the right to call, examine, and cross-examine witnesses. The administrative law judge may require the presence of witnesses and evidence by subpoena on behalf of any party.
Subd. 3. Burden of proof. (a) At a hearing regarding suspension, immediate suspension, or revocation of a license for family day care or foster care, the commissioner may demonstrate reasonable cause for action taken by submitting statements, reports, or affidavits to substantiate the allegations that the license holder failed to comply fully with applicable law or rule. If the commissioner demonstrates that reasonable cause existed, the burden of proof in hearings involving suspension, immediate suspension, or revocation of a family day care or foster care license shifts to the license holder to demonstrate by a preponderance of the evidence that the license holder was in full compliance with those laws or rules that the commissioner alleges the license holder violated, at the time that the commissioner alleges the violations of law or rules occurred.
(b) At a hearing on denial of an application, the applicant bears the burden of proof to demonstrate by a preponderance of the evidence that the appellant has complied fully with sections 245A.01 to 245A.15 and other applicable law or rule and that the application should be approved and a license granted.
(c) At all other hearings under this section, the commissioner bears the burden of proof to demonstrate, by a preponderance of the evidence, that the violations of law or rule alleged by the commissioner occurred.
Subd. 4. Recommendation of administrative law judge. The administrative law judge shall recommend whether or not the commissioner's order should be affirmed. The recommendations must be consistent with this chapter and the rules of the commissioner. The recommendations must be in writing and accompanied by findings of fact and conclusions and must be mailed to the parties by certified mail to their last known addresses as shown on the license or application.
Subd. 5. Notice of the commissioner's final order. After considering the findings of fact, conclusions, and recommendations of the administrative law judge, the commissioner shall issue a final order. The commissioner shall consider, but shall not be bound by, the recommendations of the administrative law judge. The appellant must be notified of the commissioner's final order as required by chapter 14. The notice must also contain information about the appellant's rights under chapter 14. The institution of proceedings for judicial review of the commissioner's final order shall not stay the enforcement of the final order except as provided in section 14.65. A license holder and each controlling individual of a license holder whose license has been revoked because of noncompliance with applicable law or rule must not be granted a license for five years following the revocation. An applicant whose application was denied must not be granted a license for two years following a denial, unless the applicant's subsequent application contains new information which constitutes a substantial change in the conditions that caused the previous denial.
HIST: 1987 c 333 s 8; 1989 c 282 art 2 s 81; 1990 c 568 art 2 s 46; 1997 c 248 s 28,29; 1999 c 245 art 4 s 10; 2000 c 327 s 6
Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes