Agency of Human Services to study fair-hearing process; report due Dec. 15, 2025

The Agency of Human Services (AHS) told a legislative committee it will prepare a review of fair-hearing procedures handled by the Human Services Board and deliver recommendations to the committee by Dec. 15, 2025.

"After I was here last week, we've met with some departments and individuals about this," Ashley Johns, Agency of Human Services staff, told the committee. She said the agency found the human-services fair-hearing process is broad and varied across departments and that AHS wants time to analyze unintended consequences of proposed statutory changes so federal and state funding and program rules are not jeopardized.

Johns said AHS would work with stakeholders who testified to the committee, identify current processes across departments and divisions, and offer recommendations to improve beneficiary experience, increase administrative efficiency and protect federal and state…