Office of Administrative Hearings - Current Law
RCW 34.12
The Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) resolves administrative disputes between members of the public and most state agencies. Issues that come before OAH include requests for unemployment insurance or public assistance benefits, child and vulnerable adult abuse concerns, child support liability, business and professional licensing (ranging from electrical contractors to nursing homes and daycare facilities), special education, whistleblower cases for local governments, and other disputes in which due process of law requires a hearing. The participants present evidence and testimony at the hearing. An administrative law judge issues a written order containing findings of fact and conclusions of law on all contested issues. The agency’s services are funded by payments made by the affected client agency.
Agency Mission
We independently resolve administrative disputes through accessible, fair, prompt processes and issue sound decisions.
| Request | 70,223,000 |
|---|---|
| Net change from current biennium | (3,230,000) Decrease |
| Percent change from current biennium | (4.4%) Decrease |
Operating Budget: Summary
Appropriated Funds
| 2021-23 Appropriations | Appropriated Funds | Expenditures | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Estimated Balance | 2019-21 Actual | 2021-23 Estimated | 2023-25 Proposed | |
| 12,000 | Administrative Hearings Revolving - Private/Local | 12,000 | 12,000 | ||
| Industrial Insurance Premium Refund - Nonappropriated | 6,253 | ||||
| (50,000) | Local Gov Administrative Hearings - Nonappropriated | 78,516 | 50,000 | 50,000 | |
| General Fund - State | |||||
| 73,391,000 | Administrative Hearings Revolving - State | 41,393,348 | 73,391,000 | 70,161,000 | |
| 73,403,000 | (50,000) | Total Appropriated Funds | 41,478,116 | 73,453,000 | 70,223,000 |
Non-Appropriated Funds
Operating Budget: Program Summary
| Program Title | Actual | Estimated | Proposed | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actual | Estimated | Estimated | Proposed | Proposed | |
| Annual Total | 19,066,865 | 31,898,010 | 11,100,939 | 36,974,000 | 33,249,000 |
Operating Budget: Change from Preceding Biennium
| Actual | Estimated | Proposed | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amount | Percent | Amount | Percent | Amount | Percent |
| 1,320,166 | 3.3% | 1,520,833 | 3.7% | 27,224,051 | 63.3% |
Employment Summary
| Actual | Estimated | Proposed | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 Actual | 2021-22 Estimated | 2022-23 Estimated | 2023-24 Proposed | 2024-25 Proposed | |
| FTE Staff Years | 209.7 | 257.8 | 243.5 | 232.3 | 220.3 |
