This bill prohibits a public utility from including in operating expenses costs, whether incurred by the public utility or an affiliated interest, as defined in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 35-A, section 707, subsection 1, paragraph A, associated with educational expenditures in excess of $1,000, political contributions and charitable contributions. A public utility may include in operating expenses costs for educational expenditures in excess of $1,000 with the preapproval of the Public Utilities Commission. The bill requires a public utility to file an annual report with the commission of the political, charitable and educational expenses of the utility and its affiliated interests. If a public utility or an
affiliated interest engages in major political activities, it must also file a quarterly report with the commission. The bill requires commission rules regarding charitable contributions and educational expenditures by a public utility or an affiliated interest to be major substantive rules.