1. Scope:
Public hearings will be held for the purpose of providing the
public with an opportunity to make oral presentations on proposed new policies
and amendments to existing policies that substantially impact services to
clients.
2. Public Hearing
Proceedings Timeline:
OVR/OVRB will conduct a public hearing proceeding within
thirty (30) days after the first notice of public hearing is run in select
regional and statewide newspapers on proposed policy or amendment to existing
policies that substantially impact services to clients.
3. Requested Format:
Each request to comment must be printed or typewritten, or
must be in legible handwriting. Each request to comment must be submitted on
standard business letter-size paper (8-1/2 inches by 11 inches). Requests to
comment may be in the form of a letter addressed to the MDRS Executive Director
and signed by the requestor(s).
4. Notification of Public Hearing
Proceedings:
The date, time and place of all public hearing proceedings
will be announced via notice in certain regional and statewide newspapers,
public service announcements via Mississippi Public Radio, notice on the agency
website, and press releases to numerous consumer organizations who represent or
serve people with disabilities. The public hearing proceeding will be scheduled
within thirty (30) days after the first notice of public hearing is run in
certain regional and statewide newspapers.
5. Presiding Officer:
The Executive Director, or his/her designee, who is familiar
with the substance of the proposed policy, shall preside at the public hearing
proceeding on a proposed policy.
6. Public Presentations and Participation:
(a) At a public hearing proceeding on a
proposed policy, persons may make oral statements and make documentary and
physical submissions, which may include data, views, comments, or arguments
concerning the proposed policy.
(b)
Persons wishing to make oral presentations at such a proceeding shall notify
OVR/OVRB at least one business day prior to the proceeding and indicate the
general subject of their presentations. The presiding officer, at his or her
discretion, may allow individuals to participate that have not previously
contacted the agency.
(c) At the
proceeding, those who participate shall indicate their names and addresses,
identify any persons or organizations they may represent, and provide any other
information relating to their participation deemed appropriate by the presiding
officer.
(d) The presiding officer
may place time limitations on individual oral presentations when necessary to
assure the orderly and expeditious conduct of the public hearing proceeding. To
encourage joint oral presentations and to avoid repetition, additional time may
be provided for persons whose presentations represent the views of other
individuals as well as their own views.
(e) Persons making oral presentations are
encouraged to avoid restating matters that have already been submitted in
writing.
(f) There shall be no
interruption of a participant who has been given the floor by the presiding
officer, except that the presiding officer, may in his or her discretion,
interrupt or end the participant's time where the orderly conduct of the
proceeding so requires.
7. Conduct of Oral Proceeding:
(a) Presiding officer: The presiding officer
shall have authority to conduct the proceeding at his or her discretion for the
orderly conduct of the proceeding.
The presiding officer shall:
* call proceeding to order;
* give a brief synopsis of the proposed policy, a statement
of the statutory authority for the proposed policy;
* call on those individuals who have contacted the agency
about speaking on or against the proposed policy;
* allow for rebuttal statements following all participant's
comments; and
* adjourn the proceeding.
(b) Questions: The presiding officer where
time permits and to facilitate the exchange of information, may open the floor
to questions or general discussion. The presiding officer may question
participants and permit the questioning of participants by other participants
about any matter relating to that policy-making proceeding, including any prior
written submissions made by those participants in that proceeding; but no
participant shall be required to answer any question.
(c) Documentary Submissions: Submissions
presented by participants in a public hearing proceeding shall be submitted to
the presiding officer. Such submissions become the property of the agency and
are subject to the agency's public records request procedure.
(d) Recording: The agency may record oral
proceedings by electronic means.
