Qualifications and selection of hearing officer for

expedited adjudicatory proceedings. A. The hearing officer presiding over the expedited adjudicatory proceeding held pursuant to the Medicaid Provider and Managed Care Act shall: (1) be licensed and in good standing to practice law in New Mexico or another state; (2) have at least three years' cumulative experience in one or more of the following areas: the health insurance industry, the medicaid program, health care regulatory compliance, medical claims administration or health law; (3) not currently be employed by or represent, or belong to a law firm that currently represents, the department or a medicaid provider or managed care organization or third-party administrator currently doing business with the department; and (4) not be related within the third degree of consanguinity to a person currently employed by the department, currently doing business with the department or currently employed by an organization doing business with the department. B. The hearing officer shall not be: (1) a lobbyist registered under the Lobbyist Regulation Act [Chapter 2, Article 11 NMSA 1978] who currently represents, or has in the prior calendar year represented, a client in matters before the department; or (2) affiliated with, or the spouse of, a lobbyist registered under the Lobbyist Regulation Act who currently represents, or has in the prior calendar year represented, a client in matters before the department. C. The chief hearing officer of the administrative hearings office shall select the hearing officer to preside over an expedited adjudicatory proceeding held pursuant to the Medicaid Provider and Managed Care Act and the Administrative Procedures Act [12-8-1 to 12-8-25 NMSA 1978].