(a) Transmittal from hearing officer to Secretary of partial record index. The hearing officer may, at any time, transmit to the Secretary motions, exhibits or any other original documents filed with or accepted into evidence by the hearing officer, together with a list of such documents.

(b) Preparation, certification of record index. Promptly after the close of the hearing, the hearing officer shall transmit to the Secretary an index of the originals of any motions, exhibits or any other documents filed with or accepted into evidence by the hearing officer that have not been previously transmitted to the Secretary, and the Secretary shall prepare a record index. Prior to issuance of an initial decision, or if no initial decision is to be prepared, within 30 days of the close of the hearing, the Secretary shall transmit the record index to the hearing officer and serve a copy of the record index on each party. Any person may file proposed corrections to the record index with the hearing officer within three days of service of the record index. Any opposition to the proposed corrections shall be filed within three days of service of the proposed corrections. The hearing officer shall, by order, direct whether any corrections to the record index shall be made. The Secretary shall make such corrections, if any, and issue a revised record index. If an initial decision is to be issued, the initial decision shall include a certification that the record consists of the items set forth in the record index or revised record index issued by the Secretary.

(c) Electronic exhibits. No later than five days after the Secretary serves a final record index, the parties shall submit electronically to the Secretary a copy of all exhibits that were admitted, or offered and not admitted, during the hearing, and any other exhibits that were admitted after the hearing. The parties shall submit such evidence in the form and manner to be specified by the Office of the Secretary in the materials posted on the Commission's website.

(1) Certification of Inability to Submit Exhibits Electronically. A person who reasonably cannot submit exhibits electronically must file a certification under §201.351(c)(1) that explains why the person reasonably cannot comply. The filing also must indicate the expected duration of the person's reasonable inability to comply, such as whether the certification is intended to apply to a solitary submission or all submissions made during the proceeding. The certification is immediately effective. Upon filing the certification, it will be part of the record of the proceeding, and the person shall submit originals of any exhibits that have not already been submitted to the Secretary by other means.

(2) Signature requirement. Electronic submissions that require a signature pursuant to §201.153 may be signed with an “/s/” notation, but in that event, the use of the filer's login and password to file a document shall be deemed the signature of the person making the submission for purposes of §201.153.

(3) Certification. The parties shall certify that exhibits and other documents or items submitted to the Secretary under this section are true and accurate copies of exhibits that were admitted, or offered and not admitted, during the hearing, or any other exhibits that were admitted after the hearing.

(d) Final transmittal of record items to the Secretary. After the close of the hearing, the hearing officer shall transmit to the Secretary originals of any motions, exhibits or any other documents filed with, or accepted into evidence by, the hearing officer, or any other portions of the record that have not already been transmitted to the Secretary. Prior to service of the initial decision by the Secretary, or if no initial decision is to be issued, within 60 days of the close of the hearing, the Secretary shall inform the hearing officer if any portions of the record are not in the Secretary's custody.

[60 FR 32796, June 23, 1995, as amended at 69 FR 13178, Mar. 19, 2004; 85 FR 86480, Dec. 30, 2020]