1. (a) The chairperson of the committee shall preside over adjudicative hearings conducted before the full committee or shall designate the vice-chairperson or another member as presiding officer for such proceedings. In the case of any adjudicative proceeding to be conducted before a subcommittee, the chairperson shall designate one member or designee to be the presiding officer, who shall be an attorney whenever possible.
2. (b) In the absence of the designated presiding officer, the members of the committee or subcommittee, as applicable, who are present shall select by majority vote a member of such committee or subcommittee to serve as presiding officer.

3. (c) In adjudicative proceedings, the presiding officer shall:

   1. (1) Facilitate informal resolution of contested issues;
   2. (2) Conduct any hearing in a fair, impartial and efficient manner;
   3. (3) Decide any disputed petitions for intervention;
   4. (4) Admit relevant evidence and exclude irrelevant, immaterial or unduly repetitious evidence;
   5. (5) Provide opportunities for the parties and committee members to question any witness;
   6. (6) Receive public statements; and
   7. (7) Cause a complete record of any hearing to be made.

4. (d) In any matter before the committee or any subcommittee, the presiding officer, or a hearing officer designated by the presiding officer, shall hear and decide procedural matters that are before the committee, including the following:

   1. (1) Procedural schedules for proceedings;
   2. (2) Discovery schedules for proceedings;
   3. (3) Discovery motions in proceedings;
   4. (4) Consolidation of parties having substantially similar interests;
   5. (5) Decisions on undisputed petitions for intervention; and
   6. (6) Identification of significant disputed issues for hearing and decision by the committee.

Source. #9183-A, eff 6-17-08; ss by #10993, eff 12-16-15