Rule-making authority of director.

The director shall adopt and promulgate such reasonable rules and regulations as are deemed necessary to carry out the provisions of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Act. Unless otherwise provided by statute, no regulation affecting any person or agency outside the office shall be adopted, amended or repealed without a public hearing on the proposed action before the director or a hearing officer designated by him. The public hearing shall be held in Santa Fe unless the public notice of hearing indicates otherwise. Notice of the subject matter of the regulation, the action proposed to be taken, the time and place of the hearing, the manner in which interested persons may present their views and the method by which copies of the proposed regulation may be obtained shall be published once at least thirty days prior to the hearing date in a newspaper of general circulation and mailed at least thirty days prior to the hearing date to all persons who have made a written request for advance notice of hearing. All rules and regulations shall be filed in accordance with the State Rules Act [Chapter 14, Article 4 NMSA 1978].