In determining rates to be charged customers, the commission shall not include the cost of legislative lobbying on behalf of any public utility as part of any such utility's operational costs and the commission shall not include the cost of membership dues for any organization, association, institution, corporation or any other entity that engages in legislative lobbying as part of any such utility's operational costs. As used in this section, legislative lobbying shall mean and include any attempt by any person on behalf of a public utility to influence the passage or defeat of any legislation by either house of the legislature or the congress, or the approval or disapproval of any legislation by the governor; provided however, legislative lobbying shall not include any appearance by any person on behalf of a public utility before a committee of either house of the legislature or the congress where any such appearance is at the request of any such committee.
New York Legal Code