Admissibility of evidence.

1. In conducting any investigation, inquiry or hearing, the Board and the presiding officer are not bound by the technical rules of evidence, and no informality in any proceeding or in the manner of taking testimony will invalidate any order or decision of the Board or the presiding officer. The rules of evidence of courts of the State will be generally followed but may be relaxed at the discretion of the Board or the presiding officer when deviation from the technical rules of evidence will aid in ascertaining the facts. 2. An objection to the admissibility of evidence may be made by any party of record and the objection will be ruled on by the presiding officer. When an objection is made to the admission or exclusion of evidence, the grounds upon which the relief is sought must be stated briefly. The presiding officer, either with or without objection, may exclude inadmissible, incompetent, repetitious or irrelevant evidence. 3. Any evidence offered at the hearing must be material and relevant to the issues of the hearing. 4. An offer of proof for the record must consist of a statement of the substance of the evidence to which an objection has been sustained.