(A) A full and complete record shall be kept of all contested cases and regulation hearings before an Administrative Law Judge. All testimony shall be reported and need not be transcribed unless a transcript is requested by any party. The party requesting a transcript shall be responsible for the costs involved. Proceedings before Administrative Law Judges are open to the public unless confidentiality is allowed or required by law. The presiding Administrative Law Judge shall render the decision in a written order. The decisions or orders of these Administrative Law Judges are not required to be published but are available for public inspection unless the confidentiality thereof is allowed or required by law.
(B) An administrative law judge of the division shall preside over all hearings of contested cases as defined in Section 1-23-310 involving the departments of the executive branch of government in which a single hearing officer is authorized or permitted by law or regulation to hear and decide such cases, except those arising under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, those matters which are otherwise provided for in Title 56, or those other cases or hearings which are prescribed for or mandated by federal law or regulation, unless otherwise by law specifically assigned to the jurisdiction of the Administrative Law Judge Division.
(C) Departments shall notify the Administrative Law Judge Division of all pending contested cases. Upon notification, the chief judge shall assign an administrative law judge to each contested case.
(D) An administrative law judge of the division also shall preside over all hearings of appeals from final decisions of contested cases before professional and occupational licensing boards or commissions within the Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation pursuant to Section 1-23-380.
(E) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, cases initiated before May 1, 1994, to which an administrative law judge would be assigned shall be heard and decided by a special hearing officer appointed by the governing authority of the appropriate department. A special hearing officer shall have the same duties and authority as an administrative law judge under the provisions of this article. Cases initiated on or after May 1, 1994, shall be heard and decided by an administrative law judge pursuant to the provisions of this article.