SB3664 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 18839 HLH 32284 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB3664

Introduced 2/5/2026, by Sen. Christopher Belt

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

20 ILCS 605/605-1119 new

Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Creates the Illinois Future of Energy Choice and Economic Impact Commission. Sets forth the membership of the Commission. Provides that the Commission has certain duties with respect to energy policy. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning State government.

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

Section 5. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by adding Section 605-1119 as follows:

(20 ILCS 605/605-1119 new)

Sec. 605-1119. Illinois Future of Energy Choice and Economic Impact Commission.

(a) The General Assembly is increasingly concerned with energy affordability, accessibility, resilience, and choice. In 2021, the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) set forth guidelines to advance clean energy policy and established clean energy goals in both the short term and the long term. Since the passage of that law, there have been several developments in the energy space that require a continued analysis and evaluation of emerging challenges, changing technologies, and solutions that address issues of reliability, cost, and energy choice. Some of these developments include (i) rapidly growing energy demand, (ii) demand for new investments in existing infrastructure, (iii) uncertainty in energy reliability, (iv) increased costs on both residential customers and commercial and industrial users, (v) other State actions to expand energy sources, including nuclear development, (vi) new innovative energy solutions and technologies, (vii) the existing energy industry workforce and future workforce needs, (viii) economic impact of energy policies on a local, regional, and statewide basis, and (ix) other critical considerations. To meet these demands and to address continued challenges and solutions, it is necessary to establish a commission of industry stakeholders and regulators to have regular engagements to navigate growing challenges, inform best practices, and advise policymakers on industry-informed and customer-focused solutions that embrace a comprehensive solution to energy policy that supports the State's diverse energy industry, understands the needs of employers, energy industry stakeholders, and customers, and offers necessary, reasonable policy recommendations.

(b) The Illinois Future of Energy Choice and Economic Impact Commission is hereby created.

(c) The Commission shall consist of the following members:

(1) one member of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate;

(2) one member of the Senate, appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate;

(3) one member of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

(4) one member of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives;

(5) the Director of the Illinois Power Agency or his or her designee;

(6) the Chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission or his or her designee;

(7) the Director of the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency or his or her designee;

(8) the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity or his or her designee; the person serving under this item (8) shall serve as the Chair of the Commission;

(9) 2 members representing natural gas utilities, appointed by the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity;

(10) 2 members representing electric utilities, appointed by the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity;

(11) one member representing a statewide organization representing regulated municipalities and cooperatives, appointed by the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity;

(12) 2 members representing a statewide business organization, appointed by the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity;

(13) 2 members representing a statewide labor organization, appointed by the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity;

(14) one member representing the nuclear power industry in Illinois, appointed by the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity;

(15) one member representing a trade association that represents wind and solar electric generators, renewable transmission companies, and storage companies, appointed by the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; and

(16) up to 2 additional members with expertise in energy policy, appointed by the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, from the private sector or an institution of higher education in Illinois.

(d) The members of the Commission shall serve without compensation.

(e) The Commission shall meet at least quarterly to fulfill its duties under this Act.

(f) The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall provide administrative support to the Commission.

(g) The Commission shall have the following duties:

(1) to analyze the feasibility of the State continuing to be a net exporter of energy, including identifying any limitations or possible burdens that may impact energy generation or delivery in Illinois and, if there are policies, either regulatory or statutory, in place that impact the State's ability to continue being a net exporter of energy, to identify solutions to prevent those policies from having further negative impact on the State;

(2) to analyze the impact of current energy policies on the State's economy, including identifying any negative impacts on workers in Illinois who are employed by utilities or energy sector industries that are reliant upon diverse energy sources, including natural gas, electricity, nuclear, and other sectors;

(3) to consider the viability of existing energy policies, adopted either through rule or legislation, that may be negatively impacting the State's ability to meet energy demands, support affordable energy prices, or support direct or indirect energy jobs; the Commission shall make recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly for reasonable delays or elimination of certain established energy policy timelines, retirements, or disruptions;

(4) to generate recommendations or studies that may help inform future energy policy decisions based on actual, pessimistic, and optimistic forecasts concerning impacts on Illinois energy affordability, energy choices, workforce, economic development, resource adequacy, energy efficiency, and energy demands;

(5) to study all sources related to or impacting energy costs in Illinois, looking to industry data and other sources that may provide insights into possible regulations, policies, or federal, State, or local pressures on the industry or customers;

(6) to allow for public comments to be submitted on behalf of individuals, organizations, or other stakeholders that may help inform the work of the Commission; and

(7) to identify opportunities and barriers to ensure that State agencies are endorsing an inclusive approach to energy policy that reasonably supports existing energy sources and infrastructure and explores new technologies.

(h) The Commission shall report to the Governor and the General Assembly by December 1 of each year on its activities, findings, and recommendations.

(i) This Section is repealed on December 31, 2030.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.