653—25.24 (17A) Decisions.
	 25.24(1) Final decisions. When a quorum of the board presides over the reception of the evidence at the hearing, its decision is a final decision. A majority of the members of the board shall constitute a quorum. A final decision of the board is an open record. Final decisions shall be served on the parties in accordance with subrule 25.11(2).
	 25.24(2) Proposed panel decisions.
	  a.   	 Panel of specialists. When a panel of three specialists presides over the hearing, the panel shall issue a proposed panel decision which shall include findings of fact but shall not include conclusions of law. A proposed decision of a panel of specialists, together with a transcript of the proceedings and the exhibits presented, shall be reviewed by the board within 30 days of the date the proposed decision was issued.
	  b.   	 Panel of board members. When a panel of three or more board members presides over the hearing, the panel shall issue a proposed panel decision which shall include proposed findings of fact, conclusions of law, and order. A proposed panel decision shall be reviewed by the board within 30 days of the date the proposed panel decision was issued. A proposed panel decision becomes a final decision without further proceedings unless appealed in accordance with paragraph 25.24(2)“c.”
	  c.   	 Appeal of proposed panel decisions. A proposed panel decision pursuant to paragraph 25.24(2)“a” or “b” may be appealed to the full board by either party by serving on the executive director, either in person or by certified mail, a notice of appeal within 30 days after service of the proposed decision on the appealing party.
	 (1) 	 Following receipt of a notice of appeal, the board shall enter an order establishing a schedule for submission of briefs and oral argument. The parties shall serve their briefs on the board and shall furnish an additional copy to each party by first-class mail.
	 (2) 	 Oral argument shall be heard by the board unless waived by both parties. The time granted each party for oral argument shall be established by the board.
	 (3) 	 The record on appeal shall be the entire record made before the hearing panel or administrative law judge.
	  d.   	 Confidentiality. At no time prior to the release of the final decision by the board shall a proposed decision be made public or distributed to any person other than the parties.
	  e.   	 Requests to present additional evidence. A party may request the taking of additional evidence after the issuance of a proposed decision only by establishing that:
	 (1) 	 The evidence is material; and
	 (2) 	 The evidence arose after the completion of the original hearing; or
	 (3) 	 Good cause exists for failure to present the evidence at the original hearing; and
	 (4) 	 The party has not waived the right to present additional evidence.
A written request to present additional evidence must be filed with the notice of appeal or by a nonappealing party within 14 days of service of the notice of appeal. The board may remand a case to the hearing panel for further hearing or may itself preside at the taking of additional evidence.