[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 44, Volume 1]
[Revised as of October 1, 2002]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 44CFR7.13]

[Page 70-71]
 
              TITLE 44--EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AND ASSISTANCE
 
             CHAPTER I--FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
 
PART 7--NONDISCRIMINATION IN FEDERALLY-ASSISTED PROGRAMS (FEMA REG. 5)--Table of Contents
 
         Subpart A--Nondiscrimination in FEMA Programs--General
 
Sec. 7.13  Hearings.

    (a) Opportunity for hearing. Whenever an opportunity for a hearing 
is required by section 12(c), reasonable notice shall be given by 
registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, to the affected 
applicant or recipient. This notice shall advise the applicant or 
recipient of the action proposed to be taken, the specific provision 
under which the proposed action against it is to be taken, and the 
matters of fact or law asserted as the basis for this action, and either 
(1) fix a date not less than 20 days after the date of such notice 
within which the applicant or recipient may request of the responsible 
agency official that the matter be scheduled for hearing or (2) advise 
the applicant or recipient that the matter in question has been set down 
for hearing at a stated place and time. The time and place so fixed 
shall be reasonable and shall be subject to change for cause. The 
complainant, if any, shall be advised of the time and place of the 
hearing. An applicant or recipient may waive a hearing and submit 
written information and argument for the record. The failure of an 
applicant or recipient to request a hearing under this subsection or to 
appear at a hearing for which a date has been set shall be deemed to be 
a waiver of the right to a hearing under section 602 of the Act and 
section 12(c) of this regulation and consent to the making of a decision 
on the basis of such information as is available.
    (b) Time and place of hearing. Hearings shall be held at the 
National Headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency in 
Washington, DC, at a time fixed by the responsible agency official 
unless he determines that the convenience of the applicant or recipient 
or of the agency requires that another place be selected. Hearings shall 
be held before the responsible agency official or, at his discretion, 
before a hearing examiner designated in accordance with section 11 of 
the Administrative Procedure Act.

[[Page 71]]

    (c) Right to counsel. In all proceedings under this section, the 
applicant or recipient and the agency shall have the right to be 
represented by counsel.
    (d) Procedures, evidence, and record. (1) The hearing, decision, and 
any administrative review thereof shall be conducted in conformity with 
sections 5-8 of the Administrative Procedure Act, and in accordance with 
such rules of procedure as are proper (and not inconsistent with this 
section) relating to the conduct of the hearing, giving of notices 
subsequent to those provided for in paragraph (a) of this section, 
taking of testimony, exhibits, arguments and briefs, requests for 
findings, and other related matters. Both the agency and the applicant 
or recipient shall be entitled to introduce all relevant evidence on the 
issues as stated in the notice for hearing or as determined by the 
officer conducting the hearing at the outset of or during the hearing.
    (2) Technical rules of evidence shall not apply to hearings 
conducted pursuant to this regulation, but rules or principles designed 
to assure production of the most credible evidence available and to 
subject testimony to test by cross-examination shall be applied where 
reasonably necessary by the officer conducting the hearing. The hearing 
officer may exclude irrelevant, immaterial, or unduly repetitious 
evidence. All documents and other evidence offered or taken for the 
record shall be open to examination by the parties and opportunity shall 
be given to refute facts and arguments advanced on either side of the 
issues. A transcript shall be made of the oral evidence except to the 
extent the substance thereof is stipulated for the record. All decisions 
shall be based upon the hearing record and written findings shall be 
made.
    (e) Consolidated or joint hearings. In cases in which the same or 
related facts are asserted to constitute noncompliance with this 
regulation with respect to two or more programs to which this regulation 
applies, or noncompliance with this regulation and the regulations of 
one or more other Federal departments or agencies issued under title VI 
of the Act, the Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency may, 
by agreement with such other departments or agencies where applicable, 
provide for the conduct of consolidated or joint hearings, and for the 
application to such hearings of rules of procedures not inconsistent 
with this regulation. Final decisions in such cases, insofar as this 
regulation is concerned, shall be made in accordance with section 14.