California Law Administrative Regulations

• Regulations are adopted by administrative agencies.warning sign 1 image by Jim Parkin from Fotolia.com
  
  Administrative regulations, whether in California or other states, are a system of laws enacted by administrative state agencies. The agencies act at a direct level with the areas of law they govern. The authority to act sometimes comes from a state constitution. However, agencies may be created or dismantled by acts of the state assembly as they are needed or outdated. As the state assembly creates law, it considers whether administrative enforcement is necessary and then delegates rule making and enforcement to the particular agency.
  
  

California Agencies

• California has literally dozens and dozens of state agencies. They are as broad as the Department of Education and as specific as Alternative Energy and Advanced Transportation Financing Authority. California even has an Office of Administrative Law that aids the various agencies. The rules of the many agencies are contained in the California Code of Regulations, which is arranged numerically by subject matter. For example, food and agriculture regulations are found in Title 3 while regulations about motor vehicles are found in Title 13. The public is informed of possible rule amendments or new rules through California Regulatory Notice Register, published by the Office of Administrative Law.
  
  

Administrative Procedures Act

• Like many states and the United States government, California has enacted an Administrative Procedures Act, which governs how agencies adopt new rules, enforce rules and resolve disputes. It also created the California Code of Regulations, the California Code of Regulations Supplement and the California Regulatory Notice Register. The California Administrative Procedures Act can be found in the California Government Code at sections 11340 and subsequent sections. There are also regulations interpreting the California Administrative Procedures Act. The regulations are available in Title 1 of the California Code of Regulations at section 1.
  
  

Dispute Resolution

• When business and citizens have disputes with administrative agencies or are being charged with violation of a regulation, they must first seek resolution at the administrative level. The concept is known as exhaustion. Neither agencies nor citizens can bring a case in court until they have exhausted all administrative processes. Exactly what procedural process is afforded by an agency depends on the law involved and the agency. However, most California administrative disputes are heard by an administrative law judge. The California Office of Administrative Hearings coordinates hearings for the various agencies and administrative law judges are usually assigned to a particular subject matter.