Section 4-1-48 - Ex parte communications(a) No party or other person representing or on behalf of a party shall communicate privately on the merits of a case to any member of the board, the department staff, or the hearing officer designated to hear and decide a matter.(b) The following types of ex parte communications are permitted:(1) Requests for information as to the status of a proceeding; and(2) Those which all parties to the contested case have agreed upon or which the board or hearing officer has formally ruled may be made on an ex parte basis.(c) Statements may be made to any news media to inform the public of the status or progress of the contested case or the testimony presented or the evidence produced.[Eff SEP 20 1986] (Auth: HRS § 91-2) (Imp: HRS §§ 91-2, 91-9)