622.030.  Administrative law judges, powers and duties — hearing procedure — technical evidence not required — docket fee paid to whom, deposited in highway fund. — 1.  The administrative law judges shall assume all the duties concerning transportation activities heretofore imposed upon the commissioners of the public service commission in their quasi-judicial capacity and function.  All ministerial duties shall be performed by the division, and the administrative law judges shall not be responsible for those activities.  The administrative law judges shall hear and decide all matters concerning transportation activities which the public service commission or public service commissioners would have been required to hear and decide in a quasi-judicial capacity.

  2.  Each administrative law judge may exercise all powers granted to the division without the concurrence of any other administrative law judge, except with respect to the rulemaking powers, in which all administrative law judges must concur.  The method of assignment of petitions, appeals or other cases may be determined by rule or other agreement between the administrative law judges.  Except as provided in section 622.035, all hearings before the administrative law judges shall be governed by rules adopted by them.  In all investigations, inquiries or hearings before the division or the administrative law judges, neither the administrative law judges nor the division shall be bound by technical rules of evidence.  No formality in any proceeding nor in the manner of taking testimony before the division or an administrative law judge shall invalidate any order, decision, rule or regulation made, approved or confirmed by the division or administrative law judge.

  3.  The division may charge a reasonable docket fee as may be set by rule to be paid upon the filing of any petition, application, complaint, or other request for relief or authority by any party other than the division staff.  All such docket fees shall be paid to the state director of revenue at the time of the filing of any such petition, application, complaint or other request for relief or authority, and the same shall be deposited by the state director of revenue in the highway fund of the state of Missouri.