4-5-321 - Administrative procedures division Manual of policies and procedures Code of conduct.

4-5-321. Administrative procedures division Manual of policies and procedures Code of conduct.

(a)  There is created in the office of the secretary of state a division to be known as the administrative procedures division. This division has the responsibility to:

     (1)  Investigate any conflicts or inequities that may develop between federal administrative procedures, and state administrative procedures and propose any amendments to this chapter to correct those inconsistencies and inequities as they develop;

     (2)  Establish and maintain in cooperation with the office of the attorney general and reporter a pool of administrative judges and hearing officers, who shall be learned in the law;

     (3)  Establish and maintain in cooperation with the office of the attorney general and reporter a pool of court reporters for agency administrative hearing proceedings before the licensing boards that are under the supervision of the departments of commerce and insurance and of health; and

     (4)  Perform any and all other functions assigned to the secretary of state under this chapter and delegated by the secretary of state to the administrative procedures division.

(b)  The secretary of state shall adopt by rule, promulgated in accordance with the rulemaking requirements of this chapter, a manual of policies and procedures, including a code of conduct, to be followed by all administrative judges and hearing officers.

[Acts 1974, ch. 725, § 21; 1975, ch. 370, § 17; 1978, ch. 938, § 16; 1979, ch. 371, § 2; T.C.A., §§ 4-527, 4-5-121(a); Acts 1982, ch. 874, § 62; 1984, ch. 728, § 12; 1986, ch. 738, § 4.]