4-5-204 - Conduct of hearings. - Tennessee Statutes

4-5-204. Conduct of hearings.

(a)  (1)  The agency shall hold a public hearing at the time and place designated in the notice of hearing, and shall afford all interested persons or their representatives an opportunity to present facts, views or arguments relative to the proposal under consideration.

     (2)  The presiding officer may limit oral presentations if the presiding officer feels that the length of the hearing otherwise would be unduly increased by reason of repetition.

     (3)  The agency shall afford each interested person opportunity to present facts, views or arguments in writing, whether or not such person had an opportunity to present them orally.

     (4)  At the beginning of each hearing, if the agency has made a proposal, the agency shall present a summary of the factual information on which its proposal is based, including any information obtained through the use of advisory committees or as a result of informal conferences or consultation.

(b)  (1)  The person authorized by the agency to conduct the hearing may administer oaths or affirmations and may continue or postpone the hearing to such time and place as it determines.

     (2)  The agency shall keep minutes or a record of the hearing in such manner as it determines to be desirable and feasible.

(c)  (1)  If the officer or a quorum of the board or commission charged by law with ultimate responsibility for rulemaking is not present at the hearing, a person who appears at the hearing shall be given an opportunity to present the person's arguments to such officer or quorum of such board or commission prior to adoption of the proposed rule if, at the hearing, the person makes a request for such opportunity in writing to the person presiding at the hearing.

     (2)  Such officer, board or commission may in its discretion require such arguments to be presented in writing.

     (3)  If a record of the hearing has been made, argument shall be limited to the record.

     (4)  Where oral argument is accorded, such officer, board or commission may impose reasonable limitations on the length and number of appearances in order to conserve time and preclude undue repetition.

(d)  The procedures prescribed by this section are supplemental to procedures prescribed by any statute relating to the specific agency or to the rule or class of rules under consideration. However, in any case of conflict between this section and another procedural administrative statute, this section shall control.

(e)  Prior to holding the public hearing as required by subsection (a), the agency may solicit comments from the public on a subject matter of possible rulemaking under active consideration within the agency, significant aspects of which remain undeveloped, by causing notice of the hearing to be published in accordance with the requirements of § 4-5-203. At such hearing notice of the time and place of the public hearing required by subsection (a) shall be announced; and the agency shall take other appropriate actions to comply with the provisions of § 4-5-203 and title 8, chapter 44, part 1. The hearing procedures set forth in this subsection (e) are in addition to, and not a substitution for, the requirements of § 4-5-203. When the agency has determined the specifics of the proposal, it must comply with the normal hearing and notice requirement of rulemaking.

[Acts 1975, ch. 370, § 8; T.C.A., §§ 4-532, 4-5-126; Acts 1982, ch. 874, § 12; 1986, ch. 738, § 6; 1991, ch. 346, § 3.]