(225 ILCS 5/24) (from Ch. 111, par. 7624)

(Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 104-152)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2031)

Sec. 24. Hearing officer appointment. The Secretary shall have the authority to appoint any attorney duly licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois to serve as the hearing officer in any action for refusal to issue or renew a license, or for the taking of disciplinary action against a license. The hearing officer shall have full authority to conduct the hearing. The hearing officer shall report his or her findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommendations to the Board and the Secretary. The Board shall have 90 days from receipt of the report to review the report of the hearing officer and present its findings of fact, conclusions of law and recommendation to the Secretary. If the Board fails to present its report within the 90 day period, the Secretary may issue an order based on the report of the hearing officer. If the Secretary determines that the Board's report is contrary to the manifest weight of the evidence, he or she may issue an order in contravention of the Board's report.

(Source: P.A. 99-469, eff. 8-26-15.)

(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 104-152)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2031)

Sec. 24. Hearing officer appointment. The Secretary shall have the authority to appoint any attorney duly licensed to practice law in the State of Illinois to serve as the hearing officer in any action for refusal to issue or renew a license, or for the taking of disciplinary action against a license. The hearing officer shall have full authority to conduct the hearing. The hearing officer shall report any findings of fact, conclusions of law, and recommendations to the Secretary. In the report, the hearing officer shall make a finding of whether or not the charged licensee or applicant violated a provision of this Act or any rules adopted under this Act. Upon presenting the report to the Secretary, the Secretary may issue an order based on the report of the hearing officer. If the Secretary disagrees with the report of the hearing officer, the Secretary may issue an order in contravention of the hearing officer's report. The finding by the hearing officer shall not be admissible in evidence against the person in a criminal prosecution brought for a violation of this Act nor shall a finding by the hearing officer be a bar to a criminal prosecution brought for a violation of this Act.

(Source: P.A. 104-152, eff. 1-1-26.)