261—197.4 (17A) Department consideration.
	 197.4(1) Forwarding of petition and meeting. Within five working days after the filing of a petition, the department shall submit a copy of the petition and any accompanying brief to the administrative rules coordinator and to the administrative rules review committee. Upon request by the petitioner in the petition, the department shall schedule a brief and informal meeting between the petitioner and a member of the staff of the department to discuss the petition. The department may request the petitioner to submit additional information or argument concerning the petition. The department may also solicit comments from any person on the substance of the petition. Also, comments on the substance of the petition may be submitted to the department by any person.
	 197.4(2) Action on petition. Within 60 days after the filing of the petition, or within any longer period agreed to by the petitioner, the department shall, in writing, deny the petition, and notify petitioner of its action and the specific grounds for the denial, or grant the petition and notify petitioner that it has instituted rule-making proceedings on the subject of the petition. Petitioner shall be deemed notified of the denial or grant of the petition on the date when the department mails or delivers the required notification to petitioner.
	 197.4(3) Denial of petition for nonconformance with form. Denial of a petition because it does not substantially conform to the required form does not preclude the filing of a new petition on the same subject that seeks to eliminate the grounds for the department’s rejection of the petition.