Section 13952.5 Of Article 2. Applications For Compensation From California Government Code >> Division 3. >> Title 2. >> Part 4. >> Chapter 5. >> Article 2.
13952.5
. (a) An emergency award shall be available to a person
eligible for compensation pursuant to this chapter if the board
determines that such an award is necessary to avoid or mitigate
substantial hardship that may result from delaying compensation until
complete and final consideration of an application.
(b) The board shall establish the method for requesting an
emergency award, which may include, but need not be limited to,
requiring submission of the regular application as provided for in
Section 13952.
(c) (1) The board may grant an emergency award based solely on the
application of the victim or derivative victim. The board may refuse
to grant an emergency award where it has reason to believe that the
applicant will not be eligible for compensation under this chapter.
(2) By mutual agreement between the staff of the board and the
applicant or the applicant's representative, the staff of the board
may take additional 10-day periods to verify the emergency award
claim and make payment.
(3) The board may delegate authority to designated staff persons
and designated agencies, including, but not limited to, district
attorneys, probation departments, victim centers, and other victim
service providers approved by the board and under contract with the
board, who shall use guidelines established by the board, to grant
and disburse emergency awards.
(d) Disbursements of funds for emergency awards shall be made
within 30 calendar days of application.
(e) (1) If an application for an emergency award is denied, the
board shall notify the applicant in writing of the reasons for the
denial.
(2) An applicant for an emergency award shall not be entitled to a
hearing before the board to contest a denial of an emergency award.
However, denial of an emergency award shall not prevent further
consideration of the application for a regular award and shall not
affect the applicant's right to a hearing pursuant to Section 13959
if staff recommends denial of a regular award.
(f) (1) If upon final disposition of the regular application, it
is found that the applicant is not eligible for compensation from the
board, the applicant shall reimburse the board for the emergency
award pursuant to an agreed-upon repayment schedule.
(2) If upon a final disposition of the application, the board
grants compensation to the applicant, the amount of the emergency
award shall be deducted from the final award of compensation. If the
amount of the compensation is less than the amount of the emergency
award, the excess amount shall be treated as an overpayment pursuant
to Section 13965.
(3) "Final disposition," for the purposes of this section, shall
mean the final decision of the board with respect to the victim's or
derivative victim's application, before any action for judicial
review is instituted.
(g) The amount of an emergency award shall be dependent upon the
immediate needs of the victim or derivative victim subject to rates
and limitations established by the board.