(1) The commission will not allow either direct or indirect expenditures for political or legislative activities for rate-making purposes.

(2) For purposes of this rule, political or legislative activities include, but are not limited to:

(a) Encouraging support or opposition to ballot measures, legislation, candidates for a public office, or current public office holders;

(b) Soliciting support for or contributing to political action committees;

(c) Gathering data for mailing lists that are generated for the purposes of encouraging support for or opposition to ballot measures, legislation, candidates for public office, or current office holders, or encouraging support for or contributions to political action committees;

(d) Soliciting contributions or recruiting volunteers to assist in the activities set forth in (a) through (c) of this subsection.

(3) Political or legislative activities do not include activities directly related to appearances before regulatory or local governmental bodies necessary for the utility's operations.