Section 333.16237 - Imposition of penalty by disciplinary subcommittee; review of recommended findings of fact and conclusions of law; assignment of independent special assistant attorney general; additional testimony or evidence; sanction; completion of action; appeal(1) In imposing a penalty under section 16232(3), a disciplinary subcommittee shall review the recommended findings of fact and conclusions of law of the hearings examiner.(2) The department of attorney general may assign an independent special assistant attorney general who is under contract to the department of attorney general and is not a member of the state classified civil service to advise the disciplinary subcommittees on matters of law and provide other legal assistance as necessary. A special assistant attorney general assigned to the disciplinary subcommittees under this subsection shall not be the same individual who represented the department before a hearings examiner under section 16231a(4).(3) In reviewing the recommended findings of fact and conclusions of law of the hearings examiner and the record of the hearing, a disciplinary subcommittee may request the hearings examiner to take additional testimony or evidence on a specific issue or may revise the recommended findings of fact and conclusions of law as determined necessary by the disciplinary subcommittee, or both. A disciplinary subcommittee shall not conduct its own investigation or take its own additional testimony or evidence under this subsection.(4) If a disciplinary subcommittee finds that a preponderance of the evidence supports the recommended findings of fact and conclusions of law of the hearings examiner indicating that grounds exist for disciplinary action, the disciplinary subcommittee shall impose an appropriate sanction under any combination of this article, article 7, or article 8. If the disciplinary subcommittee finds that a preponderance of the evidence does not support the findings of fact and conclusions of law of the hearings examiner indicating that grounds exist for disciplinary action, the disciplinary subcommittee shall dismiss the complaint. A disciplinary subcommittee shall report final action taken by it in writing to the appropriate board or task force.(5) The compliance conference, the hearing before the hearings examiner, and final disciplinary subcommittee action shall be completed within 1 year after the department initiates an investigation under section 16231(2) or (3). The department shall note in its annual report any exceptions to the 1-year requirement.(6) A final decision of a disciplinary subcommittee rendered after the effective date of the amendatory act that added this section but before January 1, 1995 may be appealed only in the manner provided in sections 103 to 106 of the administrative procedures act of 1969, 1969 PA 306, MCL 24.301 to 24.306. A final decision of a disciplinary subcommittee rendered on or after January 1, 1995 may be appealed only to the court of appeals. An appeal filed under this subsection is by right.Amended by 2013, Act 268,s 48, eff. 12/30/2013.Add. 1993, Act 87, Eff. 4/1/1994.