1. a. The director and Chief Administrative Law Judge of the Office of Administrative Law shall establish within the Office of Administrative Law a special education unit consisting of administrative law judges having expertise in special education law. The director and Chief Administrative Law Judge shall ensure that the administrative law judges in the special education unit include individuals with a wide range of special education law expertise, including expertise as school board attorneys and as parent and student advocates. The number of administrative law judges in the special education unit shall be proportional to the number and complexity of special education cases referred to the office and shall be of a sufficient number to render decisions within the time periods mandated under federal and State law. The director and Chief Administrative Law Judge may appoint administrative law judges to the special education unit on a temporary or case basis as need arises.

b. Upon the establishment of the special education unit, all contested cases, as defined in section 2 of P.L.1968, c.410 (C. 52:14B-2), concerning special education law referred to the Office of Administrative Law shall be assigned to and adjudicated by the administrative law judges in the special education unit.

L.2021, c.390, s.1.