1. (a) The Indiana board may adopt rules under IC 4-22-2 , including emergency rules under IC 4-22-2-37.1 , to establish procedures for the conduct of proceedings before the Indiana board under this article, including procedures for:

   1. (1) prehearing conferences;
   2. (2) hearings;
   3. (3) allowing the Indiana board, upon agreement of all parties to the proceeding, to determine that a petition does not require a hearing because it presents substantially the same issue that was decided in a prior Indiana board determination;
   4. (4) voluntary arbitration;
   5. (5) voluntary mediation;
   6. (6) submission of an agreed record;
   7. (7) upon agreement of all parties to the proceedings, joinder of petitions concerning the same or similar issues; and
   8. (8) small claims.

2. (b) Rules under subsection (a)(8):

   1. (1) may include rules that:

      1. (A) prohibit discovery;
      2. (B) restrict the length of a hearing; and
      3. (C) establish when a hearing is not required; and

   2. (2) must include rules that:

      1. (A) permit a party to a proceeding subject to the Indiana board's procedures for small claims to elect that those procedures do not apply to the proceeding; and
      2. (B) permit an agreement among all parties to a proceeding not subject to the Indiana board's procedures for small claims that those procedures apply to the proceeding.

As added by P.L.245-2003, SEC.25.