19 NYCRR 206.14

The commission shall offer the opportunity for a hearing before taking any final action negatively affecting any person's individual privileges or property granted by a license, permit or other authorization duly issued by the commission or a contract approved by and filed with the commission. In all such hearings, licensees and other witnesses shall testify under oath or affirmation, which may be administered by any commissioner or authorized representative of the commission actually present. The commission shall be the sole judge of the relevancy and competency of testimony and other evidence, the credibility of witnesses, and the sufficiency of evidence, and shall issue the final determination of the matter. Hearings may be conducted and presided over by the commission, representatives of the commission, or by administrative law judges within the Department of State’s Office of Administrative Hearings, in the discretion of the commission. In such cases where hearings are conducted by commission representatives or administrative law judges, the representative or administrative law judge conducting the hearing shall submit findings of fact and recommendations to the commission, which shall not be binding on the commission, for consideration and confirmation, modification, remand for additional proceedings, or rejection.