653—25.7 (17A) Presiding officer in a nondisciplinary contested case.
	 25.7(1) A “nondisciplinary contested case” includes license denial proceedings. Any party in a nondisciplinary contested case, including an appeal of a denial of licensure, who wishes to request that the presiding officer assigned to render a proposed decision be an administrative law judge employed by the department of inspections and appeals must file a written request within 20 days after service of a statement of charges which identifies or describes the presiding officer as the board.
	 25.7(2) The board may deny the request only upon a finding that one or more of the following apply:
	  a.   	 There is a compelling need to expedite issuance of a final decision in order to protect the public health, safety, or welfare.
	  b.   	 An administrative law judge with the qualifications identified in subrule 25.7(4) is unavailable to hear the case within a reasonable time.
	  c.   	 The case involves significant policy issues of first impression that are inextricably intertwined with the factual issues presented.
	  d.   	 The demeanor of the witnesses is likely to be dispositive in resolving the disputed factual issues.
	  e.   	 Funds are unavailable to pay the costs of an administrative law judge and an interagency appeal.
	  f.   	 The request was not timely filed.
	  g.   	 The request is not consistent with a specified statute.
	 25.7(3) The board shall issue a written ruling specifying the grounds for its decision within 20 days after a request for an administrative law judge is filed. If the ruling is contingent upon the availability of an administrative law judge with the qualifications identified in subrule 25.7(4), the parties shall be notified at least 10 days prior to hearing if a qualified administrative law judge will not be available.
	 25.7(4) An administrative law judge assigned to act as presiding officer in a nondisciplinary contested case shall have a juris doctorate degree.
	 25.7(5) Except as provided otherwise by another provision of law, all rulings by an administrative law judge acting as presiding officer in a nondisciplinary contested case are subject to appeal to the board. A party must seek any available intra-agency appeal in order to exhaust adequate administrative remedies. Such appeals must be filed within 10 days of the date of the issuance of the challenged ruling but no later than the time for compliance with the order or the date of hearing, whichever is first.
	 25.7(6) Unless otherwise provided by law, when reviewing a proposed decision of an administrative law judge in a nondisciplinary contested case upon intra-agency appeal, the board shall have the powers of and shall comply with the provisions of this chapter which apply to presiding officers.