54-632. Notice or order; service requirements; hearing; appeal.

(1) Any notice or order provided for in the Commercial Dog and Cat Operator Inspection Act shall be properly served when it is personally served on the applicant, licensee, or violator or on the person authorized by the applicant or licensee to receive notices and orders of the department or when it is sent by certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to the last-known address of the applicant, licensee, or violator or the person authorized to receive such notices and orders. A copy of the notice and the order shall be filed in the records of the department.

(2) A notice to comply with the act or the rules and regulations adopted and promulgated pursuant to the act shall set forth the acts or omissions with which the applicant, licensee, or violator is charged.

(3) A notice of the right to a hearing shall set forth the time and place of the hearing except as otherwise provided in subsection (4) of this section and section 54-631. A notice of the right to such hearing shall include notice that such right to a hearing may be waived pursuant to subsection (6) of this section. A notice of the licensee's right to a hearing shall include notice to the licensee that the license may be subject to sanctions as provided in section 54-631.

(4) A request for a hearing under subsection (2) of section 54-628.01 shall request that the director set forth the time and place of the hearing. The director shall consider the interests of the violator in establishing the time and place of the hearing. Within three business days after receipt by the director of the hearing request, the director shall set forth the time and place of the hearing on the stop-movement order. A notice of the violator's right to such hearing shall include notice that such right to a hearing may be waived pursuant to subsection (6) of this section.

(5) The hearings provided for in the act shall be conducted by the director at the time and place he or she designates. The director shall make a final finding based on the complete hearing record and issue an order. If the director has suspended a license pursuant to subsection (4) of section 54-631, the director shall sustain, modify, or rescind the order after the hearing. If the department has issued a stop-movement order under section 54-628.01, the director may sustain, modify, or rescind the order after the hearing. All hearings shall be in accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act.

(6) An applicant, a licensee, or a violator waives the right to a hearing if such applicant, licensee, or violator does not attend the hearing at the time and place set forth in the notice described in subsection (3) or (4) of this section, without requesting that the director, at least two days before the designated time, change the time and place for the hearing, except that before an order of the director becomes final, the director may designate a different time and place for the hearing if the applicant, licensee, or violator shows the director that the applicant, licensee, or violator had a justifiable reason for not attending the hearing and not timely requesting a change of the time and place for such hearing. If the applicant, licensee, or violator waives the right to a hearing, the director shall make a final finding based upon the available information and issue an order. If the director has suspended a license pursuant to subsection (4) of section 54-631, the director may sustain, modify, or rescind the order after the hearing. If the department has issued a stop-movement order under section 54-628.01, the director may sustain, modify, or rescind the order after the hearing.

(7) Any person aggrieved by the finding of the director has ten days after the entry of the director's order to request a new hearing if such person can show that a mistake of fact has been made which affected the director's determination. Any order of the director becomes final upon the expiration of ten days after its entry if no request for a new hearing is made.

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