Ariz. Admin. Code § R13-11-109 - Ex Parte Communications

A. In any good cause exception or central registry exception case, except to the extent required for disposition of ex parte matters as authorized by law:

1. An interested person outside the Board shall not make or knowingly cause to be made to any Board member, hearing officer, or other employee or consultant who may reasonably be expected to be involved in the decisional process of the proceeding, an ex parte communication relevant to the merits of the proceeding; and

2. A Board member, hearing officer, or other employee or consultant who is or may be reasonably expected to be involved in the decisional process of the proceeding, shall not make or knowingly cause to be made to any interested person outside the Board an ex parte communication relevant to the merits of the determination.

B. A Board member, hearing officer, or other employee or consultant who is or may be reasonably expected to be involved in the decisional process of the proceeding, who receives, makes, or knowingly causes to be made a communication prohibited under subsection (A), shall place on the record of the proceeding and serve on all parties to the proceeding:

1. All prohibited written communications;

2. Memoranda stating the substance of all prohibited oral communications; and

3. All written responses, and memoranda stating the substance of all oral responses, to the communications described in subsections (B)(1) and (B)(2).

C. If the Board receives a communication made or knowingly caused to be made by a party in violation of this Section, the Board or its hearing officer may require the party to show cause why the party's claim or interest in the proceeding should not be dismissed, denied, disregarded, or otherwise adversely affected because of the violation.

D. The provisions of this Section apply beginning when an application for a good cause exception or central registry exception is filed.

E. For the purposes of this Section:

1. "Person outside the Board" means any person other than a Board member, employee or consultant of the Board, or attorney representing the Board in its adjudicatory role.

2. "Ex parte communication" means an oral or written communication not on the administrative record and not the subject of reasonable prior notice to all parties.

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R13-11-109

Section renumbered from R13-11-104 and amended by exempt rulemaking at 9 A.A.R. 4449, effective September 26, 2003 (Supp. 03-3). Former R13-11-109 renumbered to R13-11-111 ; new R13-11-109 made by exempt rulemaking at 12 A.A.R. 4898, effective December 6, 2006 (Supp. 06-4). Amended by exempt rulemaking at 18 A.A.R. 2146, effective August 8, 2012 (Supp. 12-3). Amended by exempt rulemaking at 18 A.A.R. 2564, effective September 25, 2012 (Supp. 12-3). Amended by final exempt rulemaking at 26 A.A.R. 2091, effective 9/30/2020.