The presiding officer may take official notice of any facts that could be judicially noticed in the courts of Idaho, of generally recognized technical or scientific data or facts within the agency's specialized knowledge and records of the agency. The presiding officer may ask agency staff to prepare reports or memoranda to be used in deciding a contested case, and all such reports and memoranda shall be officially noticed by the presiding officer. The presiding officer shall notify the parties of specific facts or material noticed and the source of the material noticed, including any agency staff memoranda and data. This notice should be provided either before or during the hearing, and must be provided before the issuance of any order that is based in whole or in part on facts or material officially noticed. Parties must be given an opportunity to contest and rebut the facts or material officially noticed. When the presiding officer proposes to take official notice of agency staff memoranda or agency staff reports, responsible staff employees or agents shall be made available for cross-examination if any party timely requests their availability.
Idaho Admin. Code r. 37.01.01.602