Administrative procedure: guidelines; de novo review during administrative law hearings; allow. Amends secs. 79 & 106 of 1969 PA 306 (MCL 24.279 & 24.306).

This bill modifies Michigan's Administrative Procedures Act to require that administrative hearings be conducted with a fresh, independent review of the facts rather than relying solely on an agency's initial decision. It mandates that courts conduct a new, independent examination of evidence when reviewing agency decisions, instead of deferring to the agency's original judgment. Additionally, the legislation clarifies the process for challenging a hearing officer's impartiality and ensures that any disqualification does not unnecessarily delay the case unless it would cause significant harm to a party. These changes directly affect state agencies, hearing officers, and individuals involved in administrative contested cases by altering how decisions are made and reviewed.