79-1163.

Department; conduct hearings; hearing officers; employed; qualifications; jurisdiction.

The department shall conduct hearings initiated under section 79-1162 using hearing officers and may employ, retain, or approve such qualified hearing officers as are necessary to conduct hearings provided by sections 79-1162 to 79-1167. The hearing officers shall not be persons who are employees or officers of a state or local public agency which is involved in the education or care of the child with a disability on whose behalf the hearing is being held. A person who otherwise qualifies to conduct a hearing under such sections is not an employee of the agency solely because the person is paid by the agency to serve as a hearing officer. No hearing officer shall participate in any way in any hearing or matter in which the hearing officer may have a conflict of interest. Hearing officers appointed and assigned by the department shall have exclusive original jurisdiction over cases arising under such sections, and juvenile courts shall not in any event have jurisdiction over such matters.