AN ACT relating to hearing officers.

Amend KRS 311.591 to require the executive director of the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure to request a hearing officer for administrative hearings relating to discipline of physicians or doctors of osteopathic medicine; require the hearing officer to be randomly selected by the Attorney General or his or her designee from a pool of qualified hearing officers; require the hearing officer to have at least five years of experience in the practice of law; require the hearing officer to be familiar with the law relating to licensure, qualifications, and credentials of physicians or doctors of osteopathic medicine and other qualifications as determined by the board; allow the Attorney General or his or her designee to contract with private attorneys if there are no qualified hearing officers in the pool who meet the qualifications; require the hearing officer to issue recommendations to the board; require the board to consider hearing officer recommendations and issue a final order relating to the discipline of a physician or doctor of osteopathic medicine; eliminate all references to the hearing panel; prohibit a hearing officer from revoking any licenses or placing any licensees on probation; amend KRS 161.790 to ensure that hearing officers in teacher tribunals are randomly selected; amend KRS 311.550, 311.565, 311.572 and 311.594 to conform.