(a) General. After receipt of notice of alleged violations of laws or rules administered or enforced by the commission and its staff, the holder of the certificate, applicant, or regulated entity may request a conference with the commission's staff for the purpose of showing compliance with all requirements of law, or to discuss informal disposition of any complaint or contested case.     
      (b) Representation. The certificate holder, applicant or regulated entity may be represented by counsel or by a representative of his or her choice. The commission shall be represented by one or more members of its staff and by commission legal counsel.     
      (c) Informal Proceedings. The conference shall be informal, and will not follow procedures for contested cases. The commission's representative(s) may prohibit or limit attendance by other persons; may prohibit or limit access to the commission's investigative file by the licensee, the licensee's representative, and the complainant, if present; and may record part or all of the staff conference. At the discretion of the commission's representative(s), the licensee, the licensee's representative, and the commission staff may question witnesses; make relevant statements; and present affidavits, reports, letters, statements of persons not in attendance, and such other evidence as may be appropriate.     
      (d) Settlement Conference. At the discretion of the commission's representative(s), the preliminary staff conference may be concluded and a settlement conference initiated to discuss staff recommendations for informal resolution of the issues. Such recommendations may include any disciplinary actions authorized by law, including administrative penalties, restitution, remedial actions, or such reasonable restrictions that may be in the public interest. These recommendations may be modified by the commission's representative(s) based on new information, a change of circumstances, or to expedite resolution in the interest of protecting the public. The commission's representative(s) may also recommend that the investigation be closed or referred for further investigation.     
      (e) Proposed Consent Order. The licensee may accept or reject the settlement recommendations of the commission staff. If the licensee accepts the recommendations, the licensee shall execute a settlement agreement in the form of a proposed consent order as soon thereafter as practicable. If the licensee rejects the proposed agreement, the matter may be scheduled for a hearing as described in Subchapter F of this chapter.     
      (f) Approval of Consent Order. Following acceptance and execution of the settlement agreement recommended by staff, said proposed agreement shall be submitted to the Agency Chief for approval. If the order is approved, it shall be signed by the Agency Chief. If the proposed order is not approved, the licensee shall be so informed and the matter shall be referred to the commission staff for appropriate action to include dismissal, closure, further negotiation, further investigation, or a formal hearing.     
      (g) Preliminary Notice. A revocation, suspension, annulment, denial, or withdrawal of a certificate or license is not effective unless, before the institution of contested case proceedings, the holder of the certificate receives preliminary notice of the facts or conduct alleged to warrant the intended action and an opportunity to show compliance with all requirements of law.     
      (h) Request for Formal Hearing. Except as otherwise provided by law, if an applicant's original application or request for a certificate is denied, he or she shall have 30 days from the date of denial to make a written request for a formal hearing, and if so requested, the formal hearing will be granted and the provisions of the APA and this chapter with regard to contested cases shall apply.     
     Source Note:        The provisions of this §401.41 adopted to be effective March 8, 2001, 26 TexReg 2040; amended to be effective December 18, 2012, 37 TexReg 9778; amended to be effective February 26, 2015, 40 TexReg 826; amended to be effective January 11, 2023, 48 TexReg 51