(1) Disciplinary action by the board against a licensee, registrant or permit holder, or license, registration or permit shall require the following:

(a) A sworn affidavit filed with the board charging a licensee or permit holder with an act which is grounds for disciplinary action as provided in Section 73-21-97; and

(b) An order of the Investigations Review Committee of the board which shall cause the executive director of the board to fix a time and place for a hearing by the board. The executive director shall cause a written notice specifying the offense or offenses for which the licensee or permit holder is charged and notice of the time and place of the hearing to be served upon the licensee or permit holder at least thirty (30) days prior to the hearing date. Such notice may be served by mailing a copy thereof by certified mail, postage prepaid, to the last-known residence or business address of the licensee or permit holder.

(2) The board shall designate two (2) of its members to serve on a rotating no longer than three-consecutive-month basis with the executive director and legal counsel for the board as an Investigations Review Committee, and the board’s investigators shall provide status reports solely to the Investigations Review Committee during monthly meetings of the board. Such reports shall be made on all on-going investigations, and shall apply to any routine inspections which may give rise to the filing of a complaint. In the event any complaint on a licensee comes before the board for possible disciplinary action, the members of the board serving on the Investigations Review Committee which reviewed the investigation of such complaint shall recuse themselves and not participate in the disciplinary proceeding.

(3) The board acting by and through its Investigation Review Committee may, if deemed necessary, issue a letter of reprimand to any licensee, registrant or permit holder in lieu of formal action by the board.

(4) The board, acting by and through its executive director, is hereby authorized and empowered to issue subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses and the production of books and papers at such hearing. Process issued by the board shall extend to all parts of the state and shall be served by any person designated by the board for such service.

(5) The accused shall have the right to appear either personally or by counsel, or both, to produce witnesses or evidence in his behalf, to cross-examine witnesses, and to have subpoenas issued by the board.

(6) At the hearing, the board shall administer oaths as may be necessary for the proper conduct of the hearing. All hearings shall be conducted by the board, which shall not be bound by strict rules of procedure or by the laws of evidence in the conduct of its proceedings, but the determination shall be based upon sufficient evidence to sustain it.

(7) Where, in any proceeding before the board, any witness fails or refuses to attend upon a subpoena issued by the board, refuses to testify, or refuses to produce any books and papers the production of which is called for by a subpoena, the attendance of such witness, the giving of his testimony or the production of the books and papers shall be enforced by any court of competent jurisdiction of this state in the manner provided for the enforcement of attendance and testimony of witnesses in civil cases in the courts of this state.

(8) The board shall, within thirty (30) days after conclusion of the hearing, reduce its decision to writing and forward an attested true copy thereof to the last-known residence or business address of such licensee or permit holder by way of United States first-class, certified mail, postage prepaid.