Within thirty days after the notice of the determination of an unsubstantiated investigation by the Department of Social Services, the person who is the subject of the investigation may request an administrative hearing to determine whether the report was made with malice and without reasonable foundation and whether the name of the complainant should be released to the subject of the investigation. Within twenty days of receiving the request, an administrative hearing officer shall notify the complainant by mail that a request to release the complainant’s name has been made and set a time and date for a hearing. The complainant shall be afforded the opportunity to be heard prior to any determination by the hearing officer to release the name. The complainant may appear at the hearing in person or through counsel or may submit written objections to the request in lieu of appearance. Any written objections or other information that may reveal the name of the complainant shall be sealed and available only to the administrative hearing officer. The administrative hearing officer shall determine within ninety days of the final date of the hearing whether the report was made maliciously and without reasonable foundation and whether release of the complainant’s name would be likely to endanger the complainant’s life or safety. The administrative hearing officer shall issue such a finding in a written report. The report may not disclose the name of the complainant or other identifying information. If the administrative hearing officer determines that the report was made with malice and without reasonable foundation and that release of the complainant’s name is not likely to endanger the complainant’s life or safety, the officer shall order the department to release the name of the complainant thirty days after issuing such finding. If the administrative hearing officer determines that the report was not made with malice or that the report was made with reasonable foundation or that release of the complainant’s name is likely to endanger the life or safety of the complainant, the name of the complainant may not be disclosed. Decisions of the department under this section are administrative decisions subject to review under chapter 1-26. If a decision of the department under this section is appealed under chapter 1-26, the identity of the complainant shall remain confidential until a final court order requiring the release of the complainant’s name.

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Source: SL 1996, ch 178, § 3.