621.045.  Commission to conduct hearings, make determinations — boards included — settlement agreements — default decision, when. — 1.  The administrative hearing commission shall conduct hearings and make findings of fact and conclusions of law in those cases when, under the law, a license issued by any of the following agencies may be revoked or suspended or when the licensee may be placed on probation or when an agency refuses to permit an applicant to be examined upon his or her qualifications or refuses to issue or renew a license of an applicant who has passed an examination for licensure or who possesses the qualifications for licensure without examination:

Missouri State Board of Accountancy

Missouri State Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Professional Land Surveyors and Landscape Architects

Board of Barber Examiners

Board of Cosmetology

Board of Chiropody and Podiatry

Board of Chiropractic Examiners

Missouri Dental Board

Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors

Board of Registration for the Healing Arts

Board of Nursing

Board of Optometry

Board of Pharmacy

Missouri Real Estate Commission

Missouri Veterinary Medical Board

Supervisor of Liquor Control

Department of Health and Senior Services

Department of Commerce and Insurance

Department of Mental Health

Board of Private Investigator Examiners.

  2.  If in the future there are created by law any new or additional administrative agencies which have the power to issue, revoke, suspend, or place on probation any license, then those agencies are under the provisions of this law.

  3.  The administrative hearing commission is authorized to conduct hearings and make findings of fact and conclusions of law in those cases brought by the Missouri state board for architects, professional engineers, professional land surveyors and landscape architects against unlicensed persons under section 327.076.

  4.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this section to the contrary, after August 28, 1995, in order to encourage settlement of disputes between any agency described in subsection 1 or 2 of this section and its licensees, any such agency shall:

  (1)  Provide the licensee with a written description of the specific conduct for which discipline is sought and a citation to the law and rules allegedly violated, together with copies of any documents which are the basis thereof and the agency's initial settlement offer, or file a contested case against the licensee;

  (2)  If no contested case has been filed against the licensee, allow the licensee at least sixty days, from the date of mailing, to consider the agency's initial settlement offer and to contact the agency to discuss the terms of such settlement offer;

  (3)  If no contested case has been filed against the licensee, advise the licensee that the licensee may, either at the time the settlement agreement is signed by all parties, or within fifteen days thereafter, submit the agreement to the administrative hearing commission for determination that the facts agreed to by the parties to the settlement constitute grounds for denying or disciplining the license of the licensee; and

  (4)  In any contact under this subsection by the agency or its counsel with a licensee who is not represented by counsel, advise the licensee that the licensee has the right to consult an attorney at the licensee's own expense.

  5.  If the licensee desires review by the administrative hearing commission under subdivision (3) of subsection 4 of this section at any time prior to the settlement becoming final, the licensee may rescind and withdraw from the settlement and any admissions of fact or law in the agreement shall be deemed withdrawn and not admissible for any purposes under the law against the licensee.  Any settlement submitted to the administrative hearing commission shall not be effective and final unless and until findings of fact and conclusions of law are entered by the administrative hearing commission that the facts agreed to by the parties to the settlement constitute grounds for denying or disciplining the license of the licensee.

  6.  When a holder of a license, registration, permit, or certificate of authority issued by the division of professional registration or a board, commission, or committee of the division of professional registration against whom an affirmative decision is sought has failed to plead or otherwise respond in the contested case and adequate notice has been given under sections 536.067 and 621.100 upon a properly pled writing filed to initiate the contested case under this chapter or chapter 536, a default decision shall be entered against the licensee without further proceedings.  The default decision shall grant such relief as requested by the division of professional registration, board, committee, commission, or office in the writing initiating the contested case as allowed by law.  Upon motion stating facts constituting a meritorious defense and for good cause shown, a default decision may be set aside.  The motion shall be made within a reasonable time, not to exceed thirty days after entry of the default decision.  "Good cause" includes a mistake or conduct that is not intentionally or recklessly designed to impede the administrative process.