(

a) A person who wishes to apply for an insurance affordability program shall be allowed to file an application on his or her own behalf or on behalf of his or her family. Subject to the requirements of

Section 14014.5, an individual also may be accompanied, assisted, and represented in the application and renewal process by an individual or organization of his or her own choice. If the individual, for any reason, is unable to apply or renew on his or her own behalf, any of the following persons may assist in the application process or during a renewal of eligibility:

(1) The individual’s guardian, conservator, a person authorized to make health care decisions on behalf of the individual pursuant to an advance health care directive, or executor or administrator of the individual’s estate.

(2) A public agency representative.

(3) The individual’s legal counsel, relative, friend, or other spokesperson of his or her choice. (

b) A person who wishes to challenge a decision concerning his or her eligibility for or receipt of benefits from an insurance affordability program has the right to represent himself or herself or use legal counsel, a relative, a friend, or other spokesperson of his or her choice subject to the requirements of

Section 14014.5. (

c) To the extent otherwise required by

Chapter 3.5 (commencing with

Section 11340) of Part of Division of Title of the Government Code, the department shall adopt emergency regulations implementing this

section no later than July 1, 2015. The department may thereafter readopt the emergency regulations pursuant to that chapter. The adoption and readoption, by the department, of regulations implementing this

section shall be deemed to be an emergency and necessary to avoid serious harm to the public peace, health, safety, or general welfare for purposes of Sections 11346.1 and 11349.6 of the Government Code, and the department is hereby exempted from the requirement that it describe facts showing the need for immediate action and from review by the Office of Administrative Law. (

d) This

section shall be implemented on October 1, 2013, or when all necessary federal approvals have been obtained, whichever is later, and only if and to the extent that federal financial participation is available.