A.(1) The Department of Children and Family Services and the office of the secretary of the Louisiana Department of Health, through their respective appeal sections, shall provide for a system of hearings and are responsible for fulfillment of all hearing provisions as prescribed under Title I, IV-A, X, XIV, XVI, XIX, or XX of the Social Security Act and under the Food Stamp Act, Public Law 91-671. Under these provisions, an opportunity for a hearing shall be granted at the state level to any applicant or recipient who makes a timely request for a hearing because his claim for assistance, services, or nutrition assistance benefits is denied or is not acted upon with reasonable promptness and to any recipient who is aggrieved by an agency action resulting in suspension, reduction, discontinuance, or termination of benefits.

            (2) Under these provisions, an opportunity for a hearing shall also be granted at the state level by the Department of Children and Family Services to any child placing agency or day care center, who is aggrieved by any agency action resulting in the denial, suspension, or revocation of a license.

            (3) Under these provisions, an opportunity for a hearing shall also be granted at the state level by the Louisiana Department of Health to any provider of services under the provisions of Titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act who is aggrieved by an agency action resulting in the denial, suspension, or revocation of a license or the refusal to enter into, suspension of, or termination of a service agreement.

            (4) All final decisions in cases of appeal are rendered by the office of the secretary at the state level and such decisions exhaust the claimant’s administrative remedy.

            B. The agency or its subordinate presiding officer conducting a proceeding authorized hereunder shall conduct such a proceeding and shall have such authority to administer oaths and affirmations, issue subpoenas, and to otherwise regulate the conduct of the proceeding as provided by law, or in the absence of such a law, as specified and authorized by La. Rev. Stat. 49:975 et seq. The deposit or payment of witness fees ordinarily required of a party who desires to subpoena a witness shall not be required if the party desiring the issuance of the subpoena is an indigent person. A person shall be presumed to be indigent if he is certified for or is a recipient of any entitlement program, the eligibility for which is based on need, income, resources, or any combination of these criteria.

            C. Within thirty days after mailing of notice of the final decision by the agency, or, if a rehearing is requested, within thirty days after the decision thereon, an applicant or recipient may obtain judicial review thereof by filing a petition for review of the decision in the Nineteenth Judicial District Court or the district court of the domicile of the applicant or recipient. When the petition is filed in an improper venue, the court of improper venue shall transfer the case to the district court of the domicile of the applicant or recipient or to the Nineteenth Judicial District Court.

            D. Except as provided by Subsections B and C of this Section, all adjudicatory and review proceedings under this Section shall be governed by the Administrative Procedure Act.

            Amended by Acts 1974, No. 582, §1; Acts 1977, No. 657, §1; Acts 1978, No. 786, §6, eff. July 17, 1978; Acts 1979, No. 690, §1; Acts 1986, No. 78, §1; Acts 1993, No. 539, §1,eff. June 10, 1993; Acts 1999, No. 560, §1, eff. June 30, 1999; Acts 2018, No. 206, §5.