Sec.22a-6b-10. Settlement conferences

(a) Within 30 days after receipt of a respondent's request for hearing on a penalty notice, the commissioner may schedule a settlement conference; such settlement conference shall be conducted by a referee. The purpose of such settlement conference shall be to attempt to resolve such penalty notice without the need for a hearing.

(b) If the respondent to a penalty notice fails without good cause to appear at a scheduled settlement conference, the assigned hearing officer shall schedule a hearing on such penalty notice.

(c) Promptly upon completion of a settlement conference at which the respondent appears, but in any event no later than seven days thereafter, the assigned hearing officer shall, with respect to any penalty notice covered or scheduled to be covered at such conference, either issue a notice of hearing date on the penalty notice, or if the referee recommends to the assigned hearing officer that resolution of the dispute without a hearing is likely, the hearing officer may issue a notice of the date by which a consent order signed by the respondent to resolve such notice shall be submitted to the hearing officer by the parties. If the parties fail to submit such consent order by the established date, the hearing officer shall promptly issue a notice of hearing date on the penalty notice.

(Adopted effective May 29, 2007)