(1) The director may conduct the hearing or delegate to an individual within the office or to an administrative law judge pursuant to chapter 34.12 RCW the authority to conduct the hearing and prepare a proposed decision. The WA-APCD program director, on behalf of the office, shall be the petitioner in the hearing, and the requestor shall be the respondent.

(2) The WA-APCD program director shall have the burden of proving the basis for the finding of a violation and the penalty as set forth in the notice of violation and recommended penalty.

(3) The hearing shall be conducted in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, chapter 34.05 RCW and to the extent not covered in this chapter, by the uniform procedural rules in chapter 10-08 WAC.

(4) If the director presides over the hearing, the director shall issue a final written decision that includes findings of fact, conclusions of law, and if appropriate, the penalty. The director shall cause service of the final decision on all parties.

(5) If the director's designee or an administrative law judge presides over the hearing, she or he shall issue a proposed decision that includes findings of fact, conclusions of law and if appropriate the penalty. The proposed decision shall also include instructions on how to file objections and written arguments or briefs with the director. Objections and written arguments and briefs must be filed within twenty days from the date of receipt of the proposed decision.