Office of Independent State Hearing Officers; create to hear and decide matters for persons as alternative to agency hearing officers.

HB 69 creates an independent Office of State Hearing Officers to provide an alternative to agency-appointed hearing officers for individuals or businesses with disputes before state agencies. It allows people or entities to choose an independent hearing officer from this new office instead of the agency's own officer, with the office assigning hearing officers on a rotating basis. The bill establishes a two-step appeals process: first to a panel of three independent officers, then to a court for judicial review based on specific legal grounds. This directly affects anyone facing a state agency decision who wants an impartial hearing option, without changing the underlying agency rules or outcomes.