The state corporation commission is hereby authorized to designate or appoint from among its employees, examiners and referees to make investigations and conduct hearings that are required of the commission by law. The order appointing such examiners or referees shall be made in writing and shall be filed in the proceedings of the case. Such investigations and hearings shall be made and conducted as and in the manner and at the place directed by the commission. Such examiners and referees shall have power to administer oaths in the making of investigations or conducting of hearings and the commission may provide for a record to be made of any hearing or investigation. The examiners and referees shall report their findings and recommendations to the commission.

The commission may consider the evidence and record introduced before or made by the examiners and referees or if it so desires the commission may hear additional evidence and hold further hearings or make further investigations. The order or decision of the commission shall have the same force and effect as though the entire hearing and investigation had been held before the commission. After a matter has been so heard and decided, any party filing timely petition for reconsideration as provided by statute and requesting an opportunity to have such party’s petition for reconsideration heard orally by the commission, shall be afforded opportunity for oral argument before the commission at a time set by the commission within 20 days from the date of such party’s petition for reconsideration.