Minnesota Administrative Rules

7810.6600 DEFINITIONS.

Subpart 1.

Scope.

For the purpose of parts 7810.6600 to 7810.6800, the following definitions shall apply.

Subp. 2.

Lobbying expenditure.

"Lobbying expenditure" means a purchase, payment, distribution, loan, advance, deposit, or gift of money or anything of value made for the purpose of influencing legislation or administrative action or supporting the election of any candidate to office. Lobbying expenditures also include the pro rata portion of salaries of lobbyists which represents the portion of their duties related to lobbying.

Subp. 3.

Lobbyist.

"Lobbyist" means any individual or association engaged for pay or other consideration or authorized by a telephone utility to spend money who, during a calendar year, spends more than five hours in any month or more than $250, not including travel expenses and membership dues, in any year, for the purpose of attempting to influence legislative or administrative action by communicating or urging others to communicate with public officials. No person engaged in formal rate cases before a regulatory body is by reason of such engagement a lobbyist.

Subp. 4.

Public official.

"Public official" means any:

A.

member of the legislature;

B.

person holding constitutional office in the executive branch and the chief administrative deputy;

C.

member of a state board or commission which has rulemaking authority, as "rule" is defined by Minnesota Statutes, section 14.02, subdivision 4;

D.

person employed by the legislature as secretary of the senate, legislative auditor, chief clerk of the house, revisor of statutes, or researcher or attorney in the office of legislative research;

E.

person employed by the executive branch in any positions specified in Minnesota Statutes, section 15A.081; and

F.

member of the Metropolitan Council, Metropolitan Transit Commission, Metropolitan Sewer Board, or Metropolitan Airports Commission.

Subp. 5.

Utility nonoperating expense.

"Utility nonoperating expense" means expenditures associated with activities other than those resulting from the regular activity of supplying service to the consumer.

Subp. 6.

Utility operating expense.

"Utility operating expense" means expenditures associated with the direct or regular activity of supplying service to the consumer.

Statutory Authority:

MS s 237.10

History:

17 SR 1279

Published Electronically:

August 29, 2008