(a) If the person requests a hearing, the department shall transfer the case to the State Office of Administrative Hearings and an administrative law judge of that office shall hold the hearing.
(a-1) The department shall give written notice of the hearing to the person.
(b) The administrative law judge shall make findings of fact and conclusions of law and shall promptly issue to the department a proposal for decision as to the occurrence of the violation and a recommendation as to the amount of the proposed penalty, if a penalty is determined to be warranted.
(c) Based on the findings of fact and conclusions of law and the recommendations of the administrative law judge, the department by order may find that a violation has occurred and may assess a penalty or may find that no violation has occurred.