(a) The agency shall grant an opportunity for a public hearing before adoption of any proposed rule as required by Government Code, §2001.029(b), or other applicable statute.
(b) The hearing may be held by the agency head(s) or by the administrative law judge or by any other person designated by the agency head(s). In the exercise of discretion, the agency head(s) may impose reasonable time limits on presentation of evidence and argument, determine the order of the presentations, and conduct the hearing in a manner suitable to the particular proceeding. Public hearings on proposed rules are neither contested cases nor full legal adversary proceedings. Ex parte prohibitions do not apply.

Source Note: The provisions of this §9.84 adopted to be effective November 28, 1995, 20 TexReg 9407; amended to be effective March 12, 1998, 23 TexReg 2285