This section applies to schoolbus, school pupil activity bus, youth bus, general public paratransit vehicle certificates, and a certificate for a vehicle used for the transportation of developmentally disabled persons.

(a) Any driver or applicant who has received a notice of refusal, suspension, or revocation, may, within 15 days after the mailing date, submit to the department a written request for a hearing. Failure to demand a hearing within 15 days is a waiver of the right to a hearing.

(1) Upon receipt by the department of the hearing request, the department may stay the action until a hearing is conducted and the final decision has been rendered by the Certificate Action Review Board pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (d). The department shall not stay an action when there is reasonable cause to believe the stay would pose a significant risk to the safety of pupils being transported in a schoolbus, school pupil activity bus, youth bus, or persons being transported in a general public paratransit vehicle.

(2) An applicant or driver is not entitled to a hearing whenever the action by the department is made mandatory by this article or any other applicable law or regulation except where the cause for refusal is based on failure to meet medical standards or excessive and habitual use of or addiction to alcoholic beverages, narcotics, or dangerous drugs.

(b) The department shall appoint a hearing officer to conduct the hearing in accordance with Section 14112. After the hearing, the hearing officer shall prepare and submit findings and recommendations to the department.

(c) The department shall mail, as specified in Section 22, a copy of the hearing officer’s findings and recommendations to the driver or applicant and to the driver or applicant’s hearing representative, either of whom may file a statement of exception to the findings and recommendations within 24 days after the mailing date.

(d) (1) The Certificate Action Review Board consists of the following three members: a chairperson appointed by the director of the department, a member appointed by the Commissioner of the California Highway Patrol, and a member appointed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

(2) After a hearing, the board shall review the findings and recommendations of the hearing officer, and any statement of exception, and make a decision concerning disposition of the action taken by the department, which decision shall be final. At this stage, no evidence shall be heard that was not presented at the hearing, unless the person wishing to present the new evidence establishes, to the satisfaction of the board, that it could not have been obtained with due diligence prior to the hearing.

(Amended by Stats. 2005, Ch. 66, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 2006.)