Article 13. Emergency Decision of California Government Code >> Division 3. >> Title 2. >> Part 1. >> Chapter 4.5. >> Article 13.

Subject to the limitations in this article, an agency may conduct an adjudicative proceeding under the emergency decision procedure provided in this article.

(a) An agency may issue an emergency decision for temporary, interim relief under this article if the agency has adopted a regulation that provides that the agency may use the procedure provided in this article.
  (b) The regulation shall elaborate the application of the provisions of this article to an emergency decision by the agency, including all of the following:
  (1) Define the specific circumstances in which an emergency decision may be issued under this article.
  (2) State the nature of the temporary, interim relief that the agency may order.
  (3) Prescribe the procedures that will be available before and after issuance of an emergency decision under this article. The procedures may be more protective of the person to which the agency action is directed than those provided in this article.
  (c) This article does not apply to an emergency decision, including a cease and desist order or an interim or temporary suspension order, issued pursuant to other express statutory authority.

(a) An agency may only issue an emergency decision under this article in a situation involving an immediate danger to the public health, safety, or welfare that requires immediate agency action.
  (b) An agency may only take action under this article that is necessary to prevent or avoid the immediate danger to the public health, safety, or welfare that justifies issuance of an emergency decision.
  (c) An emergency decision issued under this article is limited to temporary, interim relief. The temporary, interim relief is subject to judicial review under Section 11460.80, and the underlying issue giving rise to the temporary, interim relief is subject to an adjudicative proceeding pursuant to Section 11460.60.

(a) Before issuing an emergency decision under this article, the agency shall, if practicable, give the person to which the agency action is directed notice and an opportunity to be heard.
  (b) Notice and hearing under this section may be oral or written, including notice and hearing by telephone, facsimile transmission, or other electronic means, as the circumstances permit. The hearing may be conducted in the same manner as an informal hearing.

(a) The agency shall issue an emergency decision, including a brief explanation of the factual and legal basis and reasons for the emergency decision, to justify the determination of an immediate danger and the agency's emergency decision to take the specific action.
  (b) The agency shall give notice to the extent practicable to the person to which the agency action is directed. The emergency decision is effective when issued or as provided in the decision.

(a) After issuing an emergency decision under this article for temporary, interim relief, the agency shall conduct an adjudicative proceeding under a formal, informal, or other applicable hearing procedure to resolve the underlying issues giving rise to the temporary, interim relief.
  (b) The agency shall commence an adjudicative proceeding under another procedure within 10 days after issuing an emergency decision under this article, notwithstanding the pendency of proceedings for judicial review of the emergency decision.

The agency record consists of any documents concerning the matter that were considered or prepared by the agency. The agency shall maintain these documents as its official record.

(a) On issuance of an emergency decision under this article, the person to which the agency action is directed may obtain judicial review of the decision in the manner provided in this section without exhaustion of administrative remedies.
  (b) Judicial review under this section shall be pursuant to Section 1094.5 of the Code of Civil Procedure, subject to the following provisions:
  (1) The hearing shall be on the earliest day that the business of the court will admit of, but not later than 15 days after service of the petition on the agency.
  (2) Where it is claimed that the findings are not supported by the evidence, abuse of discretion is established if the court determines that the findings are not supported by substantial evidence in the light of the whole record.
  (3) A party, on written request to another party, before the proceedings for review and within 10 days after issuance of the emergency decision, is entitled to appropriate discovery.
  (4) The relief that may be ordered on judicial review is limited to a stay of the emergency decision.