HB4514ham001 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. Nabeela Syed

Filed: 3/18/2026

10400HB4514ham001 LRB104 17067 AAS 34914 a

AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 4514

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 4514 by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

"Section 5. The Public Utilities Act is amended by adding Section 9-226.5 as follows:

(220 ILCS 5/9-226.5 new)

Sec. 9-226.5. General rate increase requests; public hearings.

(a) For any general rate increase requested by a gas, electric, water, or sewer public utility company under the provisions of this Act, and upon request from any ratepayer affected by the requested general rate increase or any group with members affected by the requested general rate increase, the Commission shall hold at least one in-person public hearing during which members of the public can provide input on the requested general rate increase.

(b) Any ratepayer affected by a requested general rate increase or group with members affected by a requested general rate increase may testify at the public hearing and may file statements regarding the subject matter of the public hearing with the person or persons conducting the public hearing. The Commission shall give each member of the public a reasonable amount of time to testify and be heard by the Commission at the public hearing. Any person requesting to speak at the public hearing shall be heard prior to the end of the public hearing.

(c) A public hearing under this Section shall be held in the service territory of the gas, electric, water, or sewer public utility company that requested the general rate increase at a time and location to be determined by the Commission. In determining the location of the public hearing, the Commission shall comply with the following requirements:

(1) The public hearing shall be located in a city that is within the service territory of the gas, electric, water, or sewer public utility company and that has a high population density for that service territory.

(2) The Commission shall consider the ability of members of the public to attend the public hearing and the ease of access, including the availability of public transit, to the area where the public hearing will be held.

(d) The Commission shall provide reasonable notice to ratepayers affected by a requested general rate increase and any groups with members affected by a requested general rate increase regarding a public hearing under this Section. For the purposes of this subsection (d), "reasonable notice" means notice that is provided at least 30 calendar days before a public hearing and that is given to the public and to each customer of the applicable gas, electric, water, or sewer public utility company.

(e) The gas, electric, water, or sewer public utility company shall provide notice of a ratepayer's right to request a public hearing, including a description of the ratepayer's right, to all customers potentially affected by a requested general rate increase in the first bill that is sent to each applicable customer after the filing of the requested general rate increase. The notice shall include clear instructions on how to request a public hearing, including, but not limited to, the Commission's phone number, the Commission's mailing address, and a link to the website where an electronic request may be submitted, along with the applicable docket number of the filing. The Commission shall also provide a designated space where the public may submit a request for a public hearing on each docket's webpage.".