(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.

(Added by Stats. 2002, Ch. 1141, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2003.)