1. (a) All hearings and independent reviews shall be conducted by a presiding officer appointed by the commissioner to implement the appeals process under RSA 126-A:5, VIII.
2. (b) Presiding officers shall make final decisions on behalf of the commissioner in any administrative appeal under RSA 126-A:5, VIII, unless the commissioner orders otherwise in a particular matter.

3. (c) A presiding officer shall, as necessary:

   1. (1) Facilitate an informal resolution of an appeal;
   2. (2) Regulate and control the course of a hearing;
   3. (3) Administer oaths and affirmations;
   4. (4) Receive relevant exhibits and testimony, and exclude irrelevant, immaterial or unduly repetitious evidence;
   5. (5) Dispose of procedural requests, including adjournments or continuances, at the request of a party or on the presiding officer's own motion;
   6. (6) Question any person who testifies;
   7. (7) Cause a complete record of any hearing to be made, as specified in RSA 541-A:31, VI;
   8. (8) Take official notice as specified in RSA 541-A:33, V; and
   9. (9) Take any other action consistent with applicable statutes and rules necessary to conduct a proceeding and complete the record in a fair and timely manner.

Source. #6986, eff 4-24-99; ss by #8866-A, eff 4-13-07