(1) Except as provided in (2) , hearings of petitions for declaratory rulings will be conducted at Helena, Lewis and Clark County, Montana.

(2) The hearing examiner or commission may conduct the hearing of a petition for declaratory ruling in a place other than Helena, Montana, upon the request of the petitioner or a party for good cause. The hearing examiner or the commission may, on motion of a party or its own motion, conduct declaratory ruling proceedings at any place within the state of Montana to assure the conduct of a fair hearing.