COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF REGULATORY AGENCIES
Public Utilities Commission
4 Code of Colorado Regulations (CCR) 723-1
PART 1
RULES OF PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE
BASIS, PURPOSE, AND STATUTORY AUTHORITY.
The basis and purpose of these rules is to advise the public, regulated entities, attorneys, and any other person of the Commission's rules of practice and procedure.  These rules of practice and procedure are promulgated in order to properly administer and enforce the provisions of Title 40 of the Colorado Revised Statutes and in order to regulate proceedings before the Commission.  
The statutory authority for these rules is found in §§ 40-2-108, 40-6-101(1), 40-6-108(2), 40-6-109(5), 40‑6-109.5, 40-6-114(1), and 40-6-122(4), C.R.S.

*	*	*
[indicates unaffected, omitted material]

STANDARDS OF CONDUCT
*	*	*

1105.	Prohibited Communications – Generally.
(a)	Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this rule, ex parte communications concerning any disputed substantive or procedural issue, or facts or allegations at issue, are strictly prohibited.  Commission staff members that are not specifically assigned as trial advocacy or advisory staff shall not act as conduits of communication in a manner that would violate this rule if the communication had occurred directly.
(b)	Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of this rule, prohibited communications do not include:
(I)	Procedural, scheduling, or status inquiries, or requests for information that have no bearing on the merits, substance, or outcome of the proceeding;
(II)	Protests or comments made by any customer of a utility, concerning any proposed tariff, price list, or time schedule;
(III)	Communications made in educational programs or conferences, or in meetings of an association of regulatory agencies, except for substantive issues involving pending matters;
(IV)	Communications relating to legislation, appropriations, budget, or oversight matters, except for substantive issues involving pending matters; or
(V)	Communications relating to a pending non-adjudicatory proceeding.

*	*	*