(1) Adjudicatory hearings shall be conducted by either a quorum of the Commissioners or one or more Commissioners, as required by the appropriate law or regulation.

(2) The Chair, or the Chair’s designee, shall act as the Hearing Officer.

(3) The Chair, or the Chair’s designee, shall apply the procedures in WSSC 2.35.050(e).

(4) The Commissioners shall issue their final decision generally within 60 days following the conclusion of the hearing.

(1) If the Commissioners delegate their authority to conduct a hearing to a Hearing Officer, but retain the authority to render the final decision, the Commissioners shall apply the provisions of the State Government Article, § 10-216, Annotated Code of Maryland.

(2) To contest the proposed decision and order, a party shall file written exceptions within 30 days of the proposed order.

(3) If written exceptions are filed with the Commissioners, the Chair, or the Chair’s designee, shall notify all parties of the date, time and place for the exceptions hearing and shall ensure that the hearing is held generally within 45 days of receipt of the exceptions.

(4) The Commissioners shall issue their decision within 45 days following conclusion of the exceptions hearing.

(5) If no written exceptions are filed, the Commissioners shall, within 60 days of the date of the proposed decision and order, render their final decision and order in writing, including separate statements of findings of fact and conclusions of law, and shall mail it to all parties. As part of the final decision and order, the Commissioners shall inform the parties that a party who is aggrieved by the final decision is entitled to judicial review by the circuit court for the county where any party resides or has a principal place of business. A party obtains judicial review by filing a petition for judicial review with such court within 30 days from the date the final decision and order is mailed. (REG-LGS-GC-2014-002 § VII)