Section 125.320  Initiation of Hearing

a)         Hearings conducted pursuant to Subpart C shall be initiated once the Board has determined that a complaint alleging a violation of the Act has been filed upon justifiable grounds and further determines that such is necessary under the provision of Section 125.262(a) of this Part.

b)         Hearings may also be initiated by the Board when, in the exercise of its discretion, it determines there are reasonable grounds to believe that a violation of any other election law may have occurred.

c)         The Board may determine that any adjudicative hearing shall be held before the Board.  In the absence of such determination an adjudicative hearing shall be conducted by a Hearing Examiner.

d)         Any hearing before the Board shall be conducted in the same manner as provided for the calling and conduct of hearings by a Hearing Examiner, except that after the conclusion of such hearing the Board shall issue its final order without the necessity of written comment by the General Counsel.

(Source:  Amended at 24 Ill. Reg. 14203, effective September 11, 2000)