Illinois Statutes Chapter 225. Professions,Occupations and Business Operations § 450/20.1. Investigations; notice; hearing

(a) The Department may investigate the actions of an applicant, person, or entity holding or claiming to hold a license.

(b) The Department shall, before revoking, suspending, placing on probation, reprimanding, or taking any other disciplinary or non-disciplinary action under Section 20.01 of this Act, at least 30 days before the date set for the hearing, (i) notify the accused in writing of the charges made and the time and place for the hearing on the charges, (ii) direct the accused to file a written answer to the charges with the Department under oath within 20 days after the service of the notice is made, and (iii) inform the accused that, if the Department fails to receive an answer, default shall be taken against the accused or the accused's license or registration may be suspended, revoked, placed on probationary status, or other disciplinary action taken with regard to the licensee, including limiting the scope, nature, or extent of the accused's practice, as the Department may consider proper.

(c) With respect to determinations by a Peer Review Administrator duly appointed by the Department under subsection (f) of Section 16 of this Act that a licensee has failed to satisfactorily complete a peer review as required under subsection (e) of Section 16, the Department may consider the Peer Review Administrator's findings of fact as prima facie evidence, and upon request by a licensee for a hearing the Department shall review the record presented and hear arguments by the licensee or the licensee's counsel but need not conduct a trial or hearing de novo or accept additional evidence.

(d) At the time and place fixed in the notice, the Department shall proceed to hear the charges and the parties or the parties' counsel shall be accorded ample opportunity to present any pertinent statements, testimony, evidence, and arguments. The Department may continue the hearing from time to time.

(e) In case the person, after receiving the notice, fails to file an answer, the license or registration may, in the discretion of the Department, be suspended, revoked, placed on probationary status, or the Department may take whatever disciplinary action considered proper, including limiting the scope, nature, or extent of the person's practice or the imposition of a fine, without a hearing, if the act or acts charged constitute sufficient grounds for that action under this Act. The written notice may be served by registered or certified mail to the licensee or registrant's address of record or, if in the course of the administrative proceeding the party has previously designated a specific email address at which to accept electronic service for that specific proceeding, by sending a copy by email to an email address on record.