N.M. Admin. Code § 8.370.8.17 - REMOVAL FROM THE REGISTRY

After a period of three years from the effective date of placement on the registry, an individual on the registry may petition for removal from the registry. The petition shall be sent to the custodian. The petition contents shall be reviewed for completeness within five days, and if not complete, notice shall be sent to the petitioner informing the petitioner that the petition is incomplete. The petition review time does not commence to run until the submission of a complete petition.

A. Petition contents. Any individual whose name is on the registry may petition the custodian in writing for removal of the individual's name from the registry. In addition to the name, address, telephone number, and social security number of the petitioner, the petition shall provide:

(1) the petitioner's employment history since placement on the registry, to include for each employer, the name, address and telephone number of the employer, a brief description of the petitioner's responsibilities, the dates of the employment, reasons for ending the employment, and the names and telephone numbers of any employer contacts;

(2) evidence of any rehabilitation, restitution or education since the incident of abuse, neglect or exploitation, including copies of any certificates or other evidence of successful completion of rehabilitation or other educational programs, and including evidence of relevant volunteer activities;

(3) other relevant information including changed circumstances.

B. Review of petition. The authority shall establish a process of review of the petition. Such process may include review of the petition by authority or APS employees selected for such reviews, and shall include a requirement that a recommendation be made to the secretary on the merits of the petition within 20 calendar days from receipt of the completed petition. The burden at all times rests upon the petitioner to present truthful information sufficient to show that good cause exists for removing the petitioner's name from the registry.

C. Review considerations. The review process established by the authority shall consider all relevant factors to determine if the petitioner has presented truthful information sufficient to demonstrate that good cause exists for removing the petitioner's name from the registry, including but not limited to:

(1) the nature and extent of the substantiated abuse, neglect or exploitation which resulted in the placement of the petitioner's name on the registry including records obtained from the employee abuse registry program and the custodian of the registry;

(2) the evidence showing the rehabilitation activities of the petitioner, which may be based in part on relevant volunteer activities, education and restitution;

(3) the petitioner's age at the time of the substantiated abuse, neglect or exploitation, and the length of time since the substantiated abuse, neglect or exploitation;

(4) the likelihood that the petitioner will commit future acts of abuse, neglect or exploitation; and,

(5) the existence and extent of false or misleading statements or information provided by the petitioner in connection with the petition.

D. Decision on Petition. The secretary shall issue a final written determination on the petition based upon the review of the petition within 30 days of receipt of the completed petition, and shall provide the decision to the petitioner in person or by certified mail. The secretary's final written determination shall be delivered or mailed to the petitioner within three business days of such determination. If the petition is granted, the petitioner's name shall be promptly removed from the registry.

E. Hearings. If the secretary denies the petition, the petitioner may request an administrative hearing with 10 calendar days of receipt of the decision. Upon receipt of a request for a hearing, an independent hearing officer of the authority shall conduct the hearing. If a petition is denied by the secretary and a hearing is requested and provided, the individual may not thereafter re-petition for removal from the registry. If the petition is denied following a hearing, then the petitioner may seek judicial review pursuant to the provisions of Section 39-3-1.1 NMSA 1978. If a petition is denied by the secretary, and an administrative hearing is not timely requested, then the individual on the registry may petition only one additional time for removal from the registry after a minimum of 36 months from the date of the prior petition denial.

Notes

N.M. Admin. Code § 8.370.8.17

Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXV, Issue 12, June 25, 2024, eff. 7/1/2024