(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary and except as provided in (f) and (g) of this section, a person may obtain judicial relief in an administrative matter from the superior court before the state agency handling the administrative proceeding on the matter issues a final administrative decision if

(1) the person is a party to the administrative proceeding;

(2) the person has satisfied the procedural requirements of the administrative proceeding up to the time that the person petitions for judicial relief under (b) of this section;

(3) the state agency has unreasonably delayed the progress of the administrative proceeding; and

(4) further delay in reaching a final administrative decision will cause the person immediate and irreparable damage.

(b) A person may seek judicial relief under (a) of this section by filing a petition in the superior court. A person may not file the petition until 30 days after the person has filed with the state agency handling the administrative proceeding a written notice that the person intends to file the petition.

(c) In a proceeding begun under (b) of this section, if the superior court determines that the person is eligible for judicial relief under (a) of this section, the superior court may

(1) enjoin the administrative proceeding and determine the administrative matter in the superior court;

(2) order that the administrative matter be handled by another form of dispute resolution; or

(3) establish a deadline for the state agency to issue a final administrative decision.

(d) After a person files a petition under (b) of this section, the state agency shall continue with the administrative proceeding unless the superior court

(1) enjoins the administrative proceeding under (c)(1) of this section; or

(2) issues an order under (c)(2) of this section.

(e) If the superior court decides that a person is not eligible for judicial relief under (a) of this section, a party to the administrative proceeding may exercise any right of appeal allowed under law for the final administrative decision as if the person had not filed a petition under (b) of this section.

(f) A person may not obtain judicial relief under this section in a personnel proceeding by a state agency. In this subsection, “personnel proceeding” includes a proceeding under AS 39.25 (State Personnel Act) and a proceeding in a grievance arbitration procedure under a collective bargaining agreement.

(g) This section does not apply to an administrative proceeding of a state agency if another statute of this state establishes a deadline for the state agency to make a final decision in the administrative proceeding.

(h) In this section,

(1) “administrative matter” means the subject matter of an administrative proceeding;

(2) “administrative proceeding” means

(A) a proceeding subject to AS 44.62.330 - 44.62.630; and

(B) a proceeding that is not subject to AS 44.62.330 - 44.62.630, that is authorized by statute for the adjudication of a state agency matter by the state agency handling the matter or by a person appointed by the state agency, and that involves a matter that directly affects the personal, professional, or business interests of a specific person who is named in the adjudication;

(3) “damage” means damage to the personal, professional, or business interests of a person;

(4) “party” means a specific person whose personal, professional, or business interests are the subject of an administrative proceeding and who is named in the administrative proceeding;

(5) “person” does not include a state agency or other governmental agency;

(6) “state agency” means a department, an institution, a board, a commission, a division, an authority, and any other administrative unit of the executive branch of state government, except a public corporation; the term includes the University of Alaska.