All actions and proceedings under this title, and all actions and proceedings commenced or prosecuted by order of the commission, or to which the commission may be a party or in which any question arises under this title, or under or concerning any order or action of the commission, shall be preferred over all other civil causes except election causes in all courts of the state, and shall be heard and determined in preference to all other civil business pending therein excepting election causes, irrespective of position on the calendar, and any such action or proceeding may, upon motion of counsel for the state, be heard in a different county from that in which it was begun if such course will expedite a final decision.