(1) Within thirty (30) days of any recommendation of any decision by the cabinet, an aggrieved party may appeal. The Office of Administrative Hearings within the Department of Law shall appoint one (1) or more trained hearing officers to hear and decide the appeal.
(2) Any party who is dissatisfied with the decision of the hearing officer may appeal to the appeal board. The board may on its own motion affirm, modify or set aside any decision of a hearing officer on the basis of evidence previously submitted or may direct the taking of additional evidence or may permit any party to initiate further appeals before it. The board shall notify promptly the parties of its findings and decisions.
(3) The manner in which appeals are presented and hearings and appeals conducted shall be in accordance with regulations prescribed by the secretary for determining the rights of parties, such hearings to be conducted in a summary manner. A complete record shall be kept of all proceedings in connection with any appeal. All testimony at any hearing upon an appeal shall be recorded either stenographically, electronically, or mechanically. No hearing officer or member of the board shall participate in any hearing in which he or she is an interested party.