(a) This section shall apply only to dismissal or suspension proceedings initiated pursuant to Section 44934.1. (b) Once the governing board of the school district has initiated dismissal or suspension proceedings pursuant to Section 44934.1, the process described in this section shall be the exclusive means of pursuing a dismissal or suspension for the acts or events constituting the charge of egregious misconduct, and these specific acts or events shall not be used to support any additional or subsequent notice of suspension or dismissal pursuant to Section 44934. Once the governing board of the school district has initiated dismissal or suspension proceedings pursuant to Section 44934.1, the process described in this section shall be the exclusive means of pursuing a dismissal or suspension against the certificated employee until a written decision has been reached by the administrative law judge pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (e), the charges have been dismissed, or the dismissal or suspension proceeding has been settled or otherwise resolved. If a suspension initiated against an employee pursuant to Section 44934.1 is upheld, and a dismissal was not pursued on the same charges, the entry of judgment of the suspension under Section 44934.1 may be considered as evidence to support a subsequent notice of dismissal based on other charges. If a suspension initiated against an employee pursuant to Section 44934.1 is upheld, but the employee prevailed on the dismissal proceeding based on the same charges, the entry of judgment of the suspension under Section 44934.1 shall not be considered as evidence to support a subsequent notice of dismissal based on other charges. (c) The hearing provided for in this section shall be initiated and conducted, and a decision made, in accordance with Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 11500) of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, by an administrative law judge. The administrative law judge conducting the hearing shall have all the powers granted to an agency pursuant to that chapter. (d) (1) (A) In a dismissal or suspension proceeding initiated pursuant to Section 44934.1, if a hearing is requested by the employee, the hearing shall be commenced within 60 days from the date of the employeeâs demand for a hearing. The hearing date shall be established after consultation with the employee and the governing board, or their representatives, except that, if the parties are not able to reach agreement on a date, the Office of Administrative Hearings shall unilaterally set a date in compliance with this section. The Office of Administrative Hearings shall prioritize the scheduling of dismissal or suspension proceedings initiated pursuant to Section 44934.1 over other proceedings related to certificated school employees. (B) The right of discovery of the parties shall not be limited to those matters set forth in Section 11507.6 of the Government Code but shall include the rights and duties of any party in a civil action brought in a superior court under Title 4 (commencing with Section 2016.010) of Part 4 of the Code of Civil Procedure. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, and except for the taking of oral depositions, no discovery shall occur later than 30 calendar days after the employee is served with a copy of the accusation pursuant to Section 11505 of the Government Code. In all cases, discovery shall be completed prior to seven calendar days before the date upon which the hearing commences. If any continuance is granted pursuant to Section 11524 of the Government Code, the time limitation for commencement of the hearing as provided in this subdivision shall be extended for a period of time equal to the continuance. The continuance or continuances granted pursuant to Section 11524 of the Government Code, if any, shall not extend by more than a total of 30 days the deadline set forth in paragraph (1) of subdivision (d). The extension shall not include that
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