The department shall adopt guidelines it determines as necessary to carry out the purposes of this chapter. Chapter 3.5 (commencing with Section 11340) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code does not apply to the adoption of guidelines pursuant to this section. The department shall develop a process for public comment and review of the guidelines that involves three public hearings in three different parts of the state before the adoption of those guidelines.

(Added by Stats. 2019, Ch. 675, Sec. 1. (AB 209) Effective January 1, 2020.)