Section 811.10.17. Presiding officer.

Disciplinary hearings shall be conducted by the board pursuant to Iowa Code section 272C.6. The chairperson of the board shall designate the presiding officer in accordance with the provisions of Iowa Code section 17A.11.

       10.17(1) For nondisciplinary proceedings, any party who wishes to request that the presiding officer assigned to render a proposed decision be an administrative law judge employed by the department of inspections and appeals must file a written request within 20 days after service of a notice of hearing.

       10.17(2) The executive secretary may deny the request upon a finding that one or more of the following apply:

        a.           Neither the agency nor any officer of the agency under whose authority the contested case is to take place is a named party to the proceeding or a real party in interest to that proceeding.

        b.           There is a compelling need to expedite issuance of a final decision in order to protect the public health, safety, or welfare.

        c.           The case involves significant policy issues of first impression that are inextricably intertwined with the factual issues presented.

        d.           The demeanor of the witness is likely to be dispositive in resolving the disputed factual issues.

        e.           Funds are unavailable to pay the costs of an administrative law judge and an interagency appeal.

        f.            The request was not timely filed.

        g.           The request is not consistent with a specified statute.

        h.           The request would not conform to the disciplinary hearing provision of Iowa Code section 272C.6.

       10.17(3) The agency (or its designee) shall issue a written ruling specifying the grounds for its decision within 20 days after a request for an administrative law judge is filed.

       10.17(4) All rulings by an administrative law judge are subject to appeal to the agency. A party must seek any available intra-agency appeal in order to exhaust adequate administrative remedies.

       10.17(5) Unless otherwise provided by law, the board, when reviewing a proposed decision upon intra-agency appeal, shall have the powers of and shall comply with the provisions of this chapter which apply to presiding officers.