Section 14. Notwithstanding section 21D of chapter 40, a person who desires to contest a violation of any ordinance or by-law of a municipality alleged in a notice to appear, pursuant to violations issued by a municipality in accordance with said section 21D of said chapter 40, shall request in writing a hearing before a municipal hearing officer. The notice to appear shall be in the format specified in said section 21D of said chapter 40, except that the third copy of the notice shall be submitted to the municipal hearing officer unless the ticket was produced by an automated ticketing device.
If the alleged violator requests a hearing before the municipal hearing officer in a timely manner, the municipal hearing officer shall schedule a hearing not later than 45 days after receiving the hearing request. The municipal hearing officer shall duly notify the alleged violator of the date, time and location of the hearing. Hearings shall be held on at least 2 evenings each month. When a hearing notice is sent, the alleged violator shall be given an opportunity to request a rescheduled hearing date. The municipal hearing officer so designated shall not be an employee or officer of the department associated with the issuance of the notice of violation.
The municipal hearing officer shall receive annual training in the conduct of administrative hearings. The hearing and disposition shall be informal and shall follow the rules set forth in chapter 30A. Rules for judicial proceedings shall not apply. In conducting the hearing, the municipal hearing officer shall determine whether the violation occurred and whether it was committed by the person notified to appear.