Virginia Law

A. The commissioner, after review of the findings of fact and recommended decision of the hearing officer, shall make a case decision and issue an order in the case within 30 days from the date that the commissioner receives the hearing officer's recommendation (§§ 2.2-4020 and 2.2-4021 of the Code of Virginia). The commissioner shall provide notification to the aggrieved party of the decision within 30 days of receipt of the hearing officer's recommendation. If the commissioner does not render a decision within 30 days, the aggrieved party to the case decision may provide a written notice to the commissioner that a decision is due. If no decision is made within 30 days from the commissioner's receipt of the notice, the decision is deemed to be in favor of the aggrieved party. Service of the notice of the commissioner's decision is achieved by mailing the notice of the case decision to the licensee, unless service is made by other means and acknowledged in writing by the licensee. If service is accomplished by mail, three days shall be added to the 30-day period. If the licensee wishes to appeal the decision, he shall have 30 days after service of the notice of case decision to make such request.

B. The signed original case decision shall remain in the custody of the agency as a public record, subject to the agency's records retention policy. The signed originals or facsimiles thereof, together with the full record or file of the case, shall be made available for public inspection or copying except as the agency may, in its discretion under § 2.2-4023 of the Code of Virginia, decide to withhold part or all of the records.

C. The provisions for appealing the commissioner's order in accordance with the Administrative Process Act are found at §§ 2.2-4025 through 2.2-4030 of the Code of Virginia.

D. When issuance or renewal of a license as an adult care facility has been refused by the commissioner, the applicant shall not thereafter for a period of one year apply again for such license. When issuance or renewal of a license for a child welfare agency has been refused by the commissioner, the applicant shall not thereafter for a period of six months apply again for such license.

EXCEPTION: An adult care facility or a child welfare agency may apply again for such license before the end of the applicable specified period if the commissioner in his sole discretion believes that there has been such a change in the conditions on account of which he refused the prior application as to justify considering the new application.