Disclosure, Recusal, and Disqualification

(a) Intent . To establish procedures for the disclosure, recusal, or disqualification of a Committee member’s participation in any Committee action where a qualifying conflict of interest exists. (b) Disclosure . (1) A committee member must disclose any conflict of interest before the Committee takes action on an item in which the member has a conflict of interest. (2) Each Committee member must disclose to the Committee the member’s professional or personal relationship or other conflict of interest with a subject party. (3) Relationships that may affect an evaluation of the subject party include any contact or association that might influence a Committee member’s ability to fairly and reasonably evaluate a subject party without bias or prejudice, including but not limited to: (A) a familial relationship with to a subject party within the third degree of relationship; (B) any business or personal relationship between the Committee member and a subject party; and (C) any personal litigation directly or indirectly involving a subject party and the Committee member, the Committee member’s family, or the Committee member’s business. (c) Recusal . (1) As used in this rule, recusal is a voluntary act of self-disqualification from an action item by a Committee member. (2) After making a disclosure under paragraph (b), a Committee member may recuse if the Committee member believes the relationship with the subject party or other parties will affect the member’s evaluation of the subject party. (3) A Committee member need not recuse if the member believes the member can be fair and unbiased. (4) The Committee chair may order a Committee member be disqualified for either a disclosed or undisclosed apparent conflict of interest. (d) Disqualification procedures . (1) A subject party may move to disqualify a Committee member if such member: (A) makes a disclosure and does not voluntarily recuse, and that member’s impartiality might reasonably be questioned; or (B) does not make a disclosure, but known circumstances suggest the Committee member’s impartiality might reasonably be questioned. (2) A motion to disqualify a Committee member must be submitted to the Committee staff member for review by the chair or vice chair before the applicable Committee meeting.