SB0050 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB102 04264 SPS 14282 b

102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB0050

Introduced 1/29/2021, by Sen. Rachelle Crowe

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

220 ILCS 5/3-105

from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 3-105

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Changes the definition of "public utility" to exclude commercial natural gas cooperatives. Provides that for a commercial natural gas cooperative to qualify and be recognized by the Illinois Commerce Commission, the properties that receive retail natural gas service from each commercial natural gas cooperative: (i) shall not have a public utility-owned natural gas transportation pipeline located within the properties at the time of commencement of service; (ii) shall comprise of not less than 500 acres and not more than 2,500 acres, which territory does not need to be contiguous; and (iii) shall be used exclusively for non-residential purposes. Effective July 1, 2021.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Public Utilities Act is amended by changing Section 3-105 as follows:

(220 ILCS 5/3-105) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 3-105)

Sec. 3-105. Public utility.

(a) "Public utility" means and includes, except where otherwise expressly provided in this Section, every corporation, company, limited liability company, association, joint stock company or association, firm, partnership or individual, their lessees, trustees, or receivers appointed by any court whatsoever that owns, controls, operates or manages, within this State, directly or indirectly, for public use, any plant, equipment or property used or to be used for or in connection with, or owns or controls any franchise, license, permit or right to engage in:

(1) the production, storage, transmission, sale, delivery or furnishing of heat, cold, power, electricity, water, or light, except when used solely for communications purposes;

(2) the disposal of sewerage; or

(3) the conveyance of oil or gas by pipe line.

(b) "Public utility" does not include, however:

(1) public utilities that are owned and operated by any political subdivision, public institution of higher education or municipal corporation of this State, or public utilities that are owned by such political subdivision, public institution of higher education, or municipal corporation and operated by any of its lessees or operating agents;

(2) water companies which are purely mutual concerns, having no rates or charges for services, but paying the operating expenses by assessment upon the members of such a company and no other person;

(3) electric cooperatives as defined in Section 3-119;

(4) the following natural gas cooperatives:

(A) residential and commercial natural gas cooperatives that are not-for-profit corporations established for the purpose of administering and operating, on a cooperative basis, the furnishing of natural gas to residences and commercial enterprises for the benefit of their members who are residential consumers of natural gas. For entities qualifying as residential natural gas cooperatives and recognized by the Illinois Commerce Commission as such, the State shall guarantee legally binding contracts entered into by residential natural gas cooperatives for the express purpose of acquiring natural gas supplies for their members. The Illinois Commerce Commission shall establish rules and regulations providing for such guarantees. The total liability of the State in providing all such guarantees shall not at any time exceed $1,000,000, nor shall the State provide such a guarantee to a residential natural gas cooperative for more than 3 consecutive years. For a commercial natural gas cooperative to qualify and be recognized by the Illinois Commerce Commission, the properties that receive retail natural gas service from each commercial natural gas cooperative: (i) shall not have a public utility-owned natural gas transportation pipeline located within the properties at the time of commencement of service; (ii) shall comprise of not less than 500 acres and not more than 2,500 acres, which territory does not need to be contiguous; and (iii) shall be used exclusively for non-residential purposes; and

(B) natural gas cooperatives that are not-for-profit corporations operated for the purpose of administering, on a cooperative basis, the furnishing of natural gas for the benefit of their members and that, prior to 90 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly, either had acquired or had entered into an asset purchase agreement to acquire all or substantially all of the operating assets of a public utility or natural gas cooperative with the intention of operating those assets as a natural gas cooperative;

(5) sewage disposal companies which provide sewage disposal services on a mutual basis without establishing rates or charges for services, but paying the operating expenses by assessment upon the members of the company and no others;

(6) (blank);

(7) cogeneration facilities, small power production facilities, and other qualifying facilities, as defined in the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act and regulations promulgated thereunder, except to the extent State regulatory jurisdiction and action is required or authorized by federal law, regulations, regulatory decisions or the decisions of federal or State courts of competent jurisdiction;

(8) the ownership or operation of a facility that sells compressed natural gas at retail to the public for use only as a motor vehicle fuel and the selling of compressed natural gas at retail to the public for use only as a motor vehicle fuel;

(9) alternative retail electric suppliers as defined in Article XVI; and

(10) the Illinois Power Agency.

(c) An entity that furnishes the service of charging electric vehicles does not and shall not be deemed to sell electricity and is not and shall not be deemed a public utility notwithstanding the basis on which the service is provided or billed. If, however, the entity is otherwise deemed a public utility under this Act, or is otherwise subject to regulation under this Act, then that entity is not exempt from and remains subject to the otherwise applicable provisions of this Act. The installation, maintenance, and repair of an electric vehicle charging station shall comply with the requirements of subsection (a) of Section 16-128 and Section 16-128A of this Act.

For purposes of this subsection, the term "electric vehicles" has the meaning ascribed to that term in Section 10 of the Electric Vehicle Act.

(Source: P.A. 97-1128, eff. 8-28-12.)

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1, 2021.