(a) Two or more claimants with a common complaint, or their authorized representatives, or a regional center or state-operated facility may request the consolidation of appeals involving a common question of law or fact. The hearing officer may grant the request for consolidation if the hearing officer finds that consolidation would not result in prejudice or undue inconvenience to any party, undue delay, or a violation of any claimant’s right to confidentiality unless the claimant agrees to have otherwise confidential information revealed to other claimants. Requests for consolidation shall be forwarded to the hearing officer and postmarked within five days of the receipt of the notice sent pursuant to Section 4711. The hearing officer shall notify the parties and authorized representatives, if any, of a request for consolidation and shall afford an opportunity for any written objections to be submitted.

(b) In all consolidated hearings, each individual claimant shall have all the rights specified in Section 4701. A separate written decision shall be issued to each claimant and respective authorized representatives.

(c) This section shall become operative on March 1, 2023.

(Repealed (in Sec. 58) and added by Stats. 2022, Ch. 49, Sec. 59. (SB 188) Effective June 30, 2022. Operative March 1, 2023, by its own provisions.)