{"id":4267,"date":"2012-07-22T19:28:59","date_gmt":"2012-07-23T02:28:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/?p=4267"},"modified":"2012-07-22T19:28:59","modified_gmt":"2012-07-23T02:28:59","slug":"rulemaking-on-oah-process-procedure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/?p=4267","title":{"rendered":"Rulemaking on OAH process &#038; procedure"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/legalectric.org\/f\/2012\/07\/oahofficestassen-building.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-7900\" title=\"oahofficestassen-building\" src=\"https:\/\/legalectric.org\/f\/2012\/07\/oahofficestassen-building.jpg\" alt=\"oahofficestassen-building\" width=\"246\" height=\"320\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><a href=\"https:\/\/legalectric.org\/f\/2012\/07\/oah-rulemaking-request-for-comments.pdf\">OAH Rulemaking Request for Comments<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote><p><a href=\"https:\/\/legalectric.org\/f\/2012\/07\/oah-rulemaking-draft-changes.pdf\">OAH Rulemaking Draft Changes<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Well, folks, here we go, just got notice TODAY from Judge Lipman of  the rulemaking at Office Administrative Hearings. Send Comments to:<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/mn.gov\/oah\/images\/oah-rulemaking-request-for-comments.pdf\"><em> <\/em><strong>Honorable Eric L. Lipman, Assistant Chief ALJ<br \/>\n<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/mn.gov\/oah\/images\/oah-rulemaking-request-for-comments.pdf\">P.O. Box 64620<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/mn.gov\/oah\/images\/oah-rulemaking-request-for-comments.pdf\">St. Paul, Minnesota \u00c2\u00a0 55164-0620, <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/mn.gov\/oah\/images\/oah-rulemaking-request-for-comments.pdf\">Electronic Mail:  eric.lipman@state.mn.us<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s the &#8220;purpose&#8221; according to OAH (listed in numbers, not letters):<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><em>The purpose of these draft revisions to Parts 1400 and 1405 is to:<\/em><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><em>streamline hearing procedures across different types of administrative proceedings;<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>leverage the broader familiarity with contested case procedures   to improve predictability in the hearing process for other types of   cases;<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>better reflect contemporary hearing practice and the   technological changes occurring since September of 2001 (when the last   revision of OAH&#8217;s procedural rules was completed); and<br \/>\n<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>improve predictability in the hearing process by more closely   aligning OAH&#8217;s procedures with the General Rules of Practice of the   District Courts.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><em> <\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>I have a vested interest in this because I&#8217;d filed a Rulemaking Petition ages ago:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p><a href=\"https:\/\/legalectric.org\/f\/2011\/03\/overland-petition4rulemaking-oah.pdf\">Overland &#8211; Petition for Rulemaking &#8211; OAH<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>That was March, 2011, IT TOOK A YEAR AND A HALF!<\/p>\n<p>Here are a few things I hope you&#8217;ll look at &#8212; the parts cited with a page number are from the <a href=\"https:\/\/legalectric.org\/f\/2012\/07\/oah-rulemaking-draft-changes.pdf\">OAH Rulemaking Draft Changes<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Draft Changes, p. 2, definitions of Participant and Person &#8211; narrowing definition of person:<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>As proposed, on p. 4:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>20\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Subp. 6a. Participant. &#8220;Participant&#8221; means a nonparty who:<br \/>\n21<br \/>\n22\u00c2\u00a0 A. files comments or makes a formal appearance in a<br \/>\n23\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 proceeding authorized by the Minnesota Public Utilities<br \/>\n24\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Commission, other than those commission proceedings that<br \/>\n25\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 are conducted to receive general public comments; or,<br \/>\n26<br \/>\n27\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 B. with the approval of judge, offers testimony or<br \/>\n28\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 evidence pursuant to part 1400.7150 or 1400.8605.<\/p>\n<p>37\u00c2\u00a0 Subp. 8. Person. &#8220;Person&#8221; means any individual, business,<br \/>\n38\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 nonprofit association or society, or governmental entity.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>As found in the PUC&#8217;s Rules, Minn. R. 7829.0100, Subp. 13 and 15:<\/p>\n<div id=\"rule.7829.0100.13\" class=\"subp\">\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"headnote\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.revisor.mn.gov\/rules\/?id=7829.0100\"><em><strong>Subp. 13.\u00c2\u00a0 Participant.<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"first\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.revisor.mn.gov\/rules\/?id=7829.0100\"><em>&#8220;Participant&#8221;  means a person who files  comments or appears in a proceeding, other  than public hearings held in  contested cases and other commission  proceedings conducted to receive  general public comments, to present  views without becoming a party.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<div id=\"rule.7829.0100.15\" class=\"subp\">\n<p class=\"headnote\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.revisor.mn.gov\/rules\/?id=7829.0100\"><em><strong>Subp. 15. Person.<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"first\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.revisor.mn.gov\/rules\/?id=7829.0100\">&#8220;Person&#8221;  means a natural person,  corporation, municipal corporation, public  corporation, utility,  governmental entity, government agency,  association, partnership,  receiver, joint venture, trustee at common  law or statutory trust  guardian, <\/a>or executor.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<p>Another in a trend of limiting participation by the public,  QUESTIONING WITNESSES IS OUT &#8211; SAY WHAT????\u00c2\u00a0 See Draft Changes, p. 14-15  (see also p. 59-60):<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>45\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 Subp. 5. Participation by public. The judge may, in the<br \/>\n46\u00c2\u00a0 absence of a petition to intervene, nevertheless hear the<\/p>\n<p>1\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 testimony and receive exhibits from any person at the<br \/>\n2\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 hearing,<span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\"> or allow a person to note that person&#8217;s appearance,<br \/>\n3 \u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 or allow a person to question witnesses, but no person shall<br \/>\n4 \u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 become, or be deemed to have become, a party by reason<br \/>\n5 \u00c2\u00a0 \u00c2\u00a0 of such participation.<\/span> Persons offering testimony or exhibits<br \/>\n6 \u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0 may be questioned by parties to the proceeding.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Where then PUC&#8217;s rules provide for much more &#8212; check out current  Minn. R. 1405.0800, which they want to just ELIMINATE!\u00c2\u00a0 It starts here:<\/p>\n<div id=\"rule.7829.0900\" class=\"part\">\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"headnote\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.revisor.mn.gov\/rules\/?id=7829.0900\"><strong>7829.0900 PARTICIPANT.<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"first\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.revisor.mn.gov\/rules\/?id=7829.0900\">A  person may file comments in a proceeding  before the commission without  requesting or obtaining party status. A  participant may also be  granted an opportunity for oral presentations.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"first\">Here&#8217;s one of the really limiting changes that is NOT OK:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"first\">20 1405.0800 PUBLIC PARTICIPATION.<br \/>\n21<br \/>\n22 At all public hearings conducted in proceedings pursuant to<br \/>\n23 an order of the Commission parts 1405.0200 to 1405.2800,<br \/>\n24 all persons will be allowed and encouraged to participate<br \/>\n25 without the necessity of intervening as parties. Such<br \/>\n26 participation shall include, but not be limited to:<br \/>\n27<br \/>\n28 A. offering testimony or other material at the public<br \/>\n29 hearing;<br \/>\n30<br \/>\n31 B. questioning any agency official or agent of an<br \/>\n32 applicant who participates in the public hearing; or,<br \/>\n33<br \/>\n34 C. offering testimony or other material within the<br \/>\n35 designated comment period.<br \/>\n36<br \/>\n37 <span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\">A Offering direct testimony with or without benefit of oath or<br \/>\n<\/span>38<span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\"> affirmation and without the necessity of prefiling as required<br \/>\n<\/span>39<span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\"> by part 1405.1900.<br \/>\n<\/span>40<span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\"><br \/>\n<\/span>41 <span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\">B. O offering direct testimony or other material in written<br \/>\n<\/span>42 <span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\">form at the public hearing or within the designated comment<br \/>\n<\/span>43 <span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\">period following the hearing. However, testimony which is<br \/>\n<\/span>44 <span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\">offered without benefit of oath or affirmation, or written<br \/>\n<\/span>45 <span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\">testimony which is not subject to cross-examination, shall be<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"first\">1\u00c2\u00a0 <span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\">given such weight as the administrative law judge deems<br \/>\n<\/span>2<span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\"> appropriate.<br \/>\n<\/span>3<span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\"><br \/>\n<\/span>4 <span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\">C. Questioning all persons testifying. Any person who<br \/>\n<\/span>5 <span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\">wishes to cross-examine a witness but who does not want to<br \/>\n<\/span>6 <span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\">ask questions orally, may submit questions in writing to the<br \/>\n<\/span>7 <span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\">administrative law judge, who will then ask the questions of<br \/>\n<\/span>8 <span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\">the witness. Questions may be submitted before or during<br \/>\n<\/span>9 <span style=\"text-decoration: line-through;\">the hearings.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"first\">Comments are due by 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 31, 2012.\u00c2\u00a0 Guess they&#8217;re in no hurry here!<\/p>\n<p class=\"first\">From the notice:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"first\"><a href=\"http:\/\/mn.gov\/oah\/images\/oah-rulemaking-request-for-comments.pdf\"><em>Written  comments, questions, requests to receive a draft of the rules, and  requests for more information on these possible rules should be directed  to: Honorable Eric L. Lipman, Assistant Chief Administrative Law Judge,  P.O. Box 64620, St. Paul, Minnesota, 55164-0620, Telephone: (651)  361-7900, Facsimile: (651) 361-7936, Electronic Mail:  eric.lipman@state.mn.us; TTD users may call the OAH at (651) 361-7878.<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"first\">Another odd thing from the notice, as this is a PRE-Rulemaking Comment Period:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p class=\"first\"><a href=\"http:\/\/mn.gov\/oah\/images\/oah-rulemaking-request-for-comments.pdf\"><em>NOTE: Comments received in response to this notice will not necessarily be<br \/>\nincluded in the formal rulemaking record if and when a proceeding to adopt rules is<br \/>\nstarted. The agency is required to submit for review only those written  comments received in response to the rules after they are formally  proposed. If you submitted comments during the development of the rules,  and you want to ensure that those same comments are part of the later  review, you should resubmit the comments after the rules are formally  proposed.<\/em><\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>OAH Rulemaking Request for Comments OAH Rulemaking Draft Changes Well, folks, here we go, just got notice TODAY from Judge Lipman of the rulemaking at Office Administrative Hearings. Send Comments to: Honorable Eric L. Lipman, Assistant Chief ALJ P.O. Box <span class=\"excerpt-dots\">&hellip;<\/span> <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/?p=4267\"><span class=\"more-msg\">Continue reading &rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[733,440,216],"class_list":["post-4267","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-eric-lipman","tag-oah","tag-office-of-administrative-hearings"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4267","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4267"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4267\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4268,"href":"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4267\/revisions\/4268"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4267"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4267"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nocapx2020.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4267"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}