SB4020 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB104 19713 AAS 33163 b

104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2025 and 2026
SB4020

Introduced 2/6/2026, by Sen. Bill Cunningham

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

See Index

Creates the District Energy and Thermal Energy Storage Parity Act. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission, in consultation with Environmental Protection Agency, shall establish an optional certification process for Qualified District Energy Infrastructure. Requires the Environmental Protection Agency to establish a grant program to support certain projects. Provides that, within 180 days after the effective date of the Act, the Commission shall initiate a docketed proceeding to develop standardized thermal service agreement templates, suitable for developer financing and underwriting, and minimum requirements for customer rate stabilization options. Provides that a developer shall obtain a District Energy Feasibility Assessment from a qualified preparer for certain projects. Sets forth requirements for the content of the District Energy Feasibility Assessment. Amends the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Requires the Department to develop and make available to units of local government a municipal alignment toolkit to facilitate the development and expansion of district energy systems. Requires the Department to establish and administer a district energy expansion program to support the development expansion, modernization, and decarbonization of district energy systems in the State. Amends the Illinois Finance Authority Act. Provides that the Authority may provide loans, credit enhancements, interest rate buydowns, loan loss reserves, or other financial assistance for the development, construction, expansion, or operation of the Qualified Energy Infrastructure and Dispatchable Thermal Energy Storage. Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. Creates the Thermal Energy Storage Credit procurement program. Sets forth requirements for the program. Amends the Illinois Procurement Code. Sets forth provisions concerning district energy evaluation in State procurements. Amends the Use Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. Makes changes in provisions concerning exemptions. Amends the Property Tax Code. Defines "commercial energy storage system". Amends the Public Utilities Act. Sets forth provisions concerning district energy enabling measures and heat recovery incentives. Makes other changes.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning regulation.

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

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the District Energy and Thermal Energy Storage Parity Act.

Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds that:

(1) Building-sector heating and cooling modernization is necessary to achieve Illinois' climate and air quality objectives and to maintain economic competitiveness.

(2) District energy systems aggregate diverse thermal loads and can be decarbonized over time, enabling neighborhood-scale emissions reductions and improved resiliency.

(3) Thermal energy storage shifts electric demand associated with heating and cooling and can provide measurable grid value via peak reduction, load shifting, ramp mitigation, congestion relief, and avoided capacity costs.

(4) Illinois communities have participated in the National Building Performance Standards Coalition, reflecting the growing need for building performance and decarbonization policy pathways.

(5) District energy development supports a skilled workforce and creates pathways for the transition of skilled labor with experience in conventional energy systems to union jobs building and operating modern thermal infrastructure.

(6) Illinois has established programmatic structures that can be extended to district energy and dispatchable thermal energy storage to accelerate private investment while protecting customers.

Section 6. Purpose. The purpose of this Act is to:

(1) enable district energy entities to expand service territory and provide predictable, financeable decarbonization pathways for buildings and certain industrial sectors;

(2) require district energy due diligence for major development, redevelopment, and State-led procurements to normalize least-cost, least-risk thermal infrastructure decisions; and

(3) establish parity for dispatchable thermal energy storage within Illinois's energy storage procurement process, recognizing thermal storage as a non-wires alternative and grid-supporting resource.

Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:

"Certification" means a written determination issued by the Commission or a designated State agency pursuant to this Act and that requires that a project, facility, or item of property meets the eligibility requirements of this Act, including confirmation that: (i) the project constitutes Qualified District Energy Infrastructure or Dispatchable Thermal Energy Storage; (ii) the property for which benefits are sought constitutes eligible property; (iii) required measurement, verification, and reporting capabilities will be installed and maintained as applicable; and (iv) the applicant has satisfied any required labor, disclosure, and compliance conditions. "Certification" includes any provisional, final, amended, or renewed certification as provided by rule.

"Commission" means the Illinois Commerce Commission.

"Developer" includes an entity that proposes new construction, redevelopment, large renovation, or adaptive re-use.

"Dispatchable thermal energy storage" means thermal energy storage technology, including ice thermal storage, chilled water storage, hot water storage, steam storage, phase-change materials, or other systems that can be controlled to measurably reduce coincident electric peak demand or shift electric load for heating or cooling and that can be verified using interval data and auditable telemetry.

"District energy company" means any private person, company, association, partnership, joint venture, or corporation that owns and operates a district energy system in the State. "District energy company" does not include any gas company, electrical company, or public utility district that owns, controls, operates, or manages a district energy network.

"District energy system" means a system that produces hot water, steam, or chilled water at one or more central plants and distributes thermal energy through distribution piping to serve multiple buildings, campuses, or facilities, including associated energy transfer stations, metering, controls, thermal storage, and heat recovery equipment.

"Eligible property" means machinery, equipment, materials, and components, including associated control, communications, metering, and data acquisition systems, that are purchased for incorporation into, or used primarily and directly in the construction, installation, or operation of Qualified District Energy Infrastructure or Dispatchable Thermal Energy Storage, including central plant equipment, distribution piping and appurtenances, energy transfer stations and interconnection equipment, heat recovery equipment, thermal storage tanks or vessels and associated heat exchangers, pumps, valves, insulation, instrumentation, and supervisory control and data acquisition systems. "Eligible property" does not include general-purpose building interior HVAC equipment that is not required for, or primarily dedicated to, district energy interconnection or dispatchable thermal storage operation and does not include property used primarily for administrative, office, or non-energy purposes.

"Energy transfer station" means the equipment and controls located at an off-taker facility that connects the off-taker's internal systems to a district energy system.

"Qualified district energy infrastructure" includes district energy plants, distribution mains, lateral connections, piping, energy transfer stations, heat recovery systems, controls or Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition, and dispatchable thermal energy storage that meet program eligibility requirements under this Act.

"Qualified District Energy Feasibility Assessor" or "QDEFA" means a district energy operator, a licensed engineering firm, or a full-wrap engineering, procurement, and construction firm authorized to practice in this State and approved pursuant to Commission rules to prepare District Energy Feasibility Assessments, including requirements for an Illinois-licensed professional engineer in responsible charge, demonstrated district energy experience, minimum technical competency categories, professional liability insurance, and conflict-of-interest disclosure.

"Virtual power plant" or "VPP" means an aggregation of distributed energy resources, flexible electric loads, or demand-side resources, coordinated through monitoring, communications, and control systems to provide one or more grid services, such as peak demand reduction, load shifting, capacity, energy, ancillary services, or congestion relief, either through participation in a utility program or through participation in wholesale or retail markets, including through an aggregator of retail customers where authorized pursuant to Section 16-107.9 of the Public Utilities Act.

Section 15. District energy fast-track permitting and siting.

(a) The Commission, in consultation with Environmental Protection Agency, shall establish an optional certification process for Qualified District Energy Infrastructure.

(b) A certified project shall be eligible for standardized environmental review and a coordinated State agency review, with expedited review timelines for permit and authorizations, when applicable and within the State's jurisdiction.

(c) Nothing in this Section preempts local land use authority; however, State agencies shall prioritize certified projects in State permitting queues.

Section 20. Connection cost support.

(a) The Environmental Protection Agency shall establish a grant program to support:

(1) energy transfer stations and building-side interties;

(2) heat recovery enabling equipment, such as heat exchangers, thermal storage, processing equipment, and controls;

(3) dispatchable thermal energy storage that is integrated with connection or new plant construction; and

(4) electric interconnection costs for electrification-enabling equipment, such as heat pumps, where applicable.

(b) Priority for the grants shall be given to projects demonstrating:

(1) verified peak demand reduction or load shifting capability using dispatchable thermal energy storage;

(2) heat recovery or sharing that reduces net combustible fuel consumption, improves coefficient of performance (COP), or reduces electric peak requirements; and

(3) mitigation of CO₂ emissions, either through physical decarbonization, emissions-free energy certificates (EFECs), renewable energy credits (RECs), or enrollment as a virtual power plant.

Section 25. Standardized thermal service contracts and rate stabilization; exemptions.

(a) Within 180 days after the effective date of this Act, the Commission shall initiate a docketed proceeding to develop standardized thermal service agreement templates, suitable for developer financing and underwriting, and minimum requirements for customer rate stabilization options that include indexed pricing, collar mechanisms, and pass-through limitations.

(b) For projects participating in State incentives under this Act, the Commission may approve project-specific tariffs, riders, rebates, and incentives and may establish minimum required rate structure elements that are applicable statewide.

(c) The Commission may approve a rate structure only if projected end-user costs are less than projected counterfactual costs, absent participation, as determined using Commission-approved methods.

(d) District energy companies operating prior to January 1, 2026 are exempt from Commission regulation.

Section 30. Coordination with existing energy providers; vendor eligibility. Notwithstanding any provision of law, a district energy company or a full-wrap engineering, procurement, or construction firm with demonstrated expertise in district energy systems may respond to solicitations subject to Section 20-60 of the Illinois Procurement Code, either directly or as part of a development team.

Section 35. Municipal technical assistance program.

(a) The Department may provide technical assistance to units of local government that elect to engage with a municipal alignment toolkit under Section 605-106 of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois.

(b) Technical assistance under this Section may include:

(1) review of proposed district energy franchise or right-of-way provisions;

(2) guidance on integrating district energy projects into local sustainability, climate, or economic development plans; and

(3) facilitation of coordination between local government units, district energy companies, utilities, and State agencies.

(c) The Department may prioritize technical assistance for projects that demonstrate potential emission reductions, electric peak demand reduction, or service to critical infrastructure or environmental justice communities.

Section 40. Home rule. Nothing in this Act or Section 605-1015 of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois limits, restricts, or preempts the authority of a home rule unit to regulate land use, public rights-of-way, franchising, or municipal permitting.

Section 45. District Energy Feasibility Assessment requirement.

(a) A developer shall obtain a District Energy Feasibility Assessment from a qualified preparer for any of the following:

(1) a new single-building permit for greater than or equal to 100,000 square feet;

(2) a new multi-building campus permit for great than or equal to 500,000 square feet; or

(3) a major renovation or adaptive re-use of commercial, hospitality, entertainment, health care, or residential space of greater than or equal to 100,000 square feet or greater than or equal to 50 dwelling units or any use requiring more than 200 tons of cooling.

(b) The District Energy Feasibility Assessment shall include:

(1) for single use buildings, including new construction or renovation, an engineering estimate of capital expenses and 25-year operating costs for connection to an existing district energy system, where available;

(2) for multiple building campuses, including new construction or renovation, an engineering estimate of capital expenses and 25-year operating costs for either (i) connection to an existing district energy system, where available, or (ii) construction of a new district energy system, where feasible;

(3) a comparison against the proposed HVAC approach using Commission-approved cost-effectiveness methods; and

(4) an identification of dispatchable thermal energy storage applications, heat recovery opportunities and associated peak reduction impacts, and heat-sharing opportunities and associated greenhouse gas emissions reductions, where applicable.

(c) A District Energy Feasibility Assessment required under this Section shall be prepared by either (i) a district energy company or (ii) a Qualified District Energy Feasibility Assessor (QDEFA).

(1) A QDEFA shall designate a professional engineer licensed in this State in responsible charge of the Assessment, who shall sign and seal the Assessment and attest that it was prepared in accordance with Commission-approved standards and professional engineering practices.

(2) The qualification standards shall require a QDEFA to demonstrate district energy expertise sufficient to produce a technically sound and financeable Assessment, including demonstrated capability in central plant and distribution system concepts, multi-building interconnections and energy transfer stations, thermal metering and controls, a lifecycle cost estimation, and an identification of thermal energy storage and heat recovery opportunities.

(3) The qualification standards shall include minimum professional liability insurance requirements appropriate to the scale of projects subject to this Section.

(4) A QDEFA shall disclose any material financial interest, vendor affiliation, or other conflict of interest that could reasonably be expected to influence the Assessment's conclusions and shall comply with any Commission-approved requirements for independence, transparency, and auditability of assumptions.

(5) A QDEFA that prepares a District Energy Feasibility Assessment under this Section may subsequently submit a proposal to provide design, engineering, procurement, construction, commissioning, or other implementation services for the same project if all material conflicts are disclosed and an independent peer review is obtained, if required by the permitting authority.

(6) The Commission, in consultation with the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and other relevant State agencies, may adopt rules establishing qualification standards, minimum competency requirements, and a voluntary prequalification list for Qualified District Energy Feasibility Assessors.

Section 50. Qualified providers. For purposes of this Act, a District Energy Feasibility Assessment may be prepared by:

(1) a district energy company; or

(2) a Qualified District Energy Feasibility Assessor.

A district energy company or a full-wrap engineering, procurement, and construction firm with demonstrated expertise in district energy systems may participate in a solicitation subject to Section 20-65 of the Illinois Procurement Code, either directly or as a member of the development team.

Section 55. Energy storage parity across State programs. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any State agency administering a program, procurement, or incentive applicable to energy storage systems shall treat dispatchable thermal energy storage as eligible, on comparable terms, to the extent that the dispatchable thermal energy storage meets applicable measurement verification and performance requirements.

Section 60. Construction. Nothing in this Act:

(1) requires an electric utility or gas utility to treat dispatchable thermal energy storage as a generation resource;

(2) alters retail choice, interconnection cost responsibility, or cost allocation principles; or

(3) limits the Commission's authority to establish reasonable performance, measurement, and verification requirements.

Section 65. Financing parity for dispatchable thermal energy storage. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, dispatchable thermal energy storage that meets applicable measurement, verification, and performance requirements shall be treated as an eligible grid-supporting asset for the purposes of any State-administered low-cost debt program, credit enhancement, loan guarantee, or other financing assistance applicable to energy storage systems or grid support infrastructure.

Section 70. Labor standards. As a condition of receiving financial assistance under this Act, a project shall comply with applicable State labor standards. A project applicant is required to:

(1) pay prevailing wages in accordance with the Prevailing Wage Act;

(2) certify that the applicant is a party to a fully executed project labor agreement;

(3) certify that the applicant is a party to a fully executed labor peace agreement; and

(4) comply with all applicable apprenticeship, safety, and workforce reporting requirements.

Section 75. Reporting and transparency.

(a) During the development or construction phase of a project receiving assistance under this Act, a recipient shall submit reports on a quarterly basis, unless otherwise permitted by the Commission, as applicable:

(1) project milestones and construction status;

(2) capital expenditures and cost categories; and

(3) workforce utilization and labor compliance.

(b) During the operational or delivery phase of a project receiving assistance under this Act, a recipient shall submit reports on an annual basis, unless otherwise required by the Commission, including, as applicable:

(1) verified performance metrics, including greenhouse gas reductions, coincident electric peak demand reductions, coincident electric peak demand reduction, and electric load shifting, where applicable;

(2) measurement and verification results;

(3) operational status and availability; and

(4) other information necessary to administer the program.

Section 80. Rulemaking. The Commission, the Illinois Power Agency, the Illinois Finance Authority, and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall adopt rules or establish procurement guidelines or program requirements, as applicable, to implement and administer provisions of this Act.

Section 85. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by adding Sections 6-1011, 605-106, and 605-1006 and as follows:

(20 ILCS 605/6-1011 new)

Sec. 6-1011. District energy expansion program.

(a) The Department shall establish and administer a district energy expansion program to support the development expansion, modernization, and decarbonization of district energy systems in the State.

(b) Subject to appropriation, the program may provide:

(1) competitive construction grants for district energy plant construction or capacity expansion, distribution system expansion, plant efficiency improvements, and plant decarbonization upgrades; and

(2) performance-based incentives under this Section may be awarded based on one or more of the following verified metrics:

(A) greenhouse gas emission reductions;

(B) reductions in electric peak demand or verified electric load shifting;

(C) deployment of dispatchable thermal energy storage;

(D) verified heat recovery or heat sharing between buildings; and

(E) customer reliability and resilience improvements.

(c) The Department may establish application requirements, evaluation criteria, incentive structures, and performance verification by rule.

(d) The Department may provide for priority scoring for projects that:

(1) benefit environmental justice communities, as defined in Section 801-10 of the Illinois Finance Authority Act;

(2) serve critical infrastructure, including hospitals, public safety facilities, transit facilities and public housing;

(3) demonstrate compliance with Minority Business Enterprise and Women's Business Enterprise participation goals; or

(4) create or maintain high quality jobs in historically underserved communities, as defined in the Environmental Protection Agency's Priority Climate Action Plan.

(20 ILCS 605/605-106 new)

Sec. 605-106. District energy municipal alignment and technical assistance.

(a) The Department shall develop and make available to units of local government a municipal alignment toolkit to facilitate the development and expansion of district energy systems.

(b) The toolkit may include model provisions, guidance, and best practices related to:

(1) municipal franchise agreements applicable to district energy systems;

(2) use of public rights-of-way for district energy distribution infrastructure;

(3) standardized permitting, inspection, restoration, and as-built documentation requirements; and

(4) coordination of district energy projects with municipal capital improvement planning

(20 ILCS 605/605-1006 new)

Sec. 605-1006. District energy anchor load identification.

(a) The Department shall identify and maintain a list of State-owned or State-controlled facilities suitable for use as anchor loads for district energy systems, including, but not limited to, campuses, hospitals, universities, correctional facilities, industrial parks, transportation hubs, and multi-building State complexes with an aggregate gross floor area exceeding 300,000 square feet.

(b) In identifying facilities under this Section, the Department shall consider:

(1) thermal load density and load diversity;

(2) proximity to existing or planned district energy infrastructure;

(3) opportunities for emissions reduction, peak demand reduction, and resilience; and

(4) coordination with units of local government and economic development initiatives.

(c) The Department may coordinate with other State agencies, public universities, and authorities to evaluate the feasibility of using identified facilities as anchor tenants for district energy systems.

(d) The Department shall prepare a report of its findings pursuant to this Section for the General Assembly by no later than January 1, 2028.

Section 90. The Illinois Finance Authority Act is amended by changing Section 801-40 as follows:

(20 ILCS 3501/801-40)

Sec. 801-40. In addition to the powers otherwise authorized by law and in addition to the foregoing general corporate powers, the Authority shall also have the following additional specific powers to be exercised in furtherance of the purposes of this Act.

(a) The Authority shall have power (i) to accept grants, loans or appropriations from the federal government or the State, or any agency or instrumentality thereof, or, in the case of clean energy projects, any not-for-profit philanthropic or other charitable organization, public or private, to be used for the operating expenses of the Authority, or for any purposes of the Authority, including the making of direct loans of such funds with respect to projects, and (ii) to enter into any agreement with the federal government or the State, or any agency or instrumentality thereof, in relationship to such grants, loans or appropriations.

(b) The Authority shall have power to procure and enter into contracts for any type of insurance and indemnity agreements covering loss or damage to property from any cause, including loss of use and occupancy, or covering any other insurable risk.

(c) The Authority shall have the continuing power to issue bonds for its corporate purposes. Bonds may be issued by the Authority in one or more series and may provide for the payment of any interest deemed necessary on such bonds, of the costs of issuance of such bonds, of any premium on any insurance, or of the cost of any guarantees, letters of credit or other similar documents, may provide for the funding of the reserves deemed necessary in connection with such bonds, and may provide for the refunding or advance refunding of any bonds or for accounts deemed necessary in connection with any purpose of the Authority. The bonds may bear interest payable at any time or times and at any rate or rates, notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, and such rate or rates may be established by an index or formula which may be implemented or established by persons appointed or retained therefor by the Authority, or may bear no interest or may bear interest payable at maturity or upon redemption prior to maturity, may bear such date or dates, may be payable at such time or times and at such place or places, may mature at any time or times not later than 40 years from the date of issuance, may be sold at public or private sale at such time or times and at such price or prices, may be secured by such pledges, reserves, guarantees, letters of credit, insurance contracts or other similar credit support or liquidity instruments, may be executed in such manner, may be subject to redemption prior to maturity, may provide for the registration of the bonds, and may be subject to such other terms and conditions all as may be provided by the resolution or indenture authorizing the issuance of such bonds. The holder or holders of any bonds issued by the Authority may bring suits at law or proceedings in equity to compel the performance and observance by any person or by the Authority or any of its agents or employees of any contract or covenant made with the holders of such bonds and to compel such person or the Authority and any of its agents or employees to perform any duties required to be performed for the benefit of the holders of any such bonds by the provision of the resolution authorizing their issuance, and to enjoin such person or the Authority and any of its agents or employees from taking any action in conflict with any such contract or covenant. Notwithstanding the form and tenor of any such bonds and in the absence of any express recital on the face thereof that it is non-negotiable, all such bonds shall be negotiable instruments. Pending the preparation and execution of any such bonds, temporary bonds may be issued as provided by the resolution. The bonds shall be sold by the Authority in such manner as it shall determine. The bonds may be secured as provided in the authorizing resolution by the receipts, revenues, income and other available funds of the Authority and by any amounts derived by the Authority from the loan agreement or lease agreement with respect to the project or projects; and bonds may be issued as general obligations of the Authority payable from such revenues, funds and obligations of the Authority as the bond resolution shall provide, or may be issued as limited obligations with a claim for payment solely from such revenues, funds and obligations as the bond resolution shall provide. The Authority may grant a specific pledge or assignment of and lien on or security interest in such rights, revenues, income, or amounts and may grant a specific pledge or assignment of and lien on or security interest in any reserves, funds or accounts established in the resolution authorizing the issuance of bonds. Any such pledge, assignment, lien or security interest for the benefit of the holders of the Authority's bonds shall be valid and binding from the time the bonds are issued without any physical delivery or further act, and shall be valid and binding as against and prior to the claims of all other parties having claims against the Authority or any other person irrespective of whether the other parties have notice of the pledge, assignment, lien or security interest. As evidence of such pledge, assignment, lien and security interest, the Authority may execute and deliver a mortgage, trust agreement, indenture or security agreement or an assignment thereof. A remedy for any breach or default of the terms of any such agreement by the Authority may be by mandamus proceedings in any court of competent jurisdiction to compel the performance and compliance therewith, but the agreement may prescribe by whom or on whose behalf such action may be instituted. It is expressly understood that the Authority may, but need not, acquire title to any project with respect to which it exercises its authority.

(d) With respect to the powers granted by this Act, the Authority may adopt rules and regulations prescribing the procedures by which persons may apply for assistance under this Act. Nothing herein shall be deemed to preclude the Authority, prior to the filing of any formal application, from conducting preliminary discussions and investigations with respect to the subject matter of any prospective application.

(e) The Authority shall have power to acquire by purchase, lease, gift or otherwise any property or rights therein from any person useful for its purposes, whether improved for the purposes of any prospective project, or unimproved. The Authority may also accept any donation of funds for its purposes from any such source. The Authority shall have no independent power of condemnation but may acquire any property or rights therein obtained upon condemnation by any other authority, governmental entity or unit of local government with such power.

(f) The Authority shall have power to develop, construct and improve either under its own direction, or through collaboration with any approved applicant, or to acquire through purchase or otherwise, any project, using for such purpose the proceeds derived from the sale of its bonds or from governmental loans or grants, and to hold title in the name of the Authority to such projects.

(g) The Authority shall have power to lease pursuant to a lease agreement any project so developed and constructed or acquired to the approved tenant on such terms and conditions as may be appropriate to further the purposes of this Act and to maintain the credit of the Authority. Any such lease may provide for either the Authority or the approved tenant to assume initially, in whole or in part, the costs of maintenance, repair and improvements during the leasehold period. In no case, however, shall the total rentals from any project during any initial leasehold period or the total loan repayments to be made pursuant to any loan agreement, be less than an amount necessary to return over such lease or loan period (1) all costs incurred in connection with the development, construction, acquisition or improvement of the project and for repair, maintenance and improvements thereto during the period of the lease or loan; provided, however, that the rentals or loan repayments need not include costs met through the use of funds other than those obtained by the Authority through the issuance of its bonds or governmental loans; (2) a reasonable percentage additive to be agreed upon by the Authority and the borrower or tenant to cover a properly allocable portion of the Authority's general expenses, including, but not limited to, administrative expenses, salaries and general insurance, and (3) an amount sufficient to pay when due all principal of, interest and premium, if any on, any bonds issued by the Authority with respect to the project. The portion of total rentals payable under clause (3) of this subsection (g) shall be deposited in such special accounts, including all sinking funds, acquisition or construction funds, debt service and other funds as provided by any resolution, mortgage or trust agreement of the Authority pursuant to which any bond is issued.

(h) The Authority has the power, upon the termination of any leasehold period of any project, to sell or lease for a further term or terms such project on such terms and conditions as the Authority shall deem reasonable and consistent with the purposes of the Act. The net proceeds from all such sales and the revenues or income from such leases shall be used to satisfy any indebtedness of the Authority with respect to such project and any balance may be used to pay any expenses of the Authority or be used for the further development, construction, acquisition or improvement of projects. In the event any project is vacated by a tenant prior to the termination of the initial leasehold period, the Authority shall sell or lease the facilities of the project on the most advantageous terms available. The net proceeds of any such disposition shall be treated in the same manner as the proceeds from sales or the revenues or income from leases subsequent to the termination of any initial leasehold period.

(i) The Authority shall have the power to make loans, or to purchase loan participations in loans made, to persons to finance a project, to enter into loan agreements or agreements with participating lenders with respect thereto, and to accept guarantees from persons of its loans or the resultant evidences of obligations of the Authority.

(j) The Authority may fix, determine, charge and collect any premiums, fees, charges, costs and expenses, including, without limitation, any application fees, commitment fees, program fees, financing charges or publication fees from any person in connection with its activities under this Act.

(k) In addition to the funds established as provided herein, the Authority shall have the power to create and establish such reserve funds and accounts as may be necessary or desirable to accomplish its purposes under this Act and to deposit its available monies into the funds and accounts.

(l) At the request of the governing body of any unit of local government, the Authority is authorized to market such local government's revenue bond offerings by preparing bond issues for sale, advertising for sealed bids, receiving bids at its offices, making the award to the bidder that offers the most favorable terms or arranging for negotiated placements or underwritings of such securities. The Authority may, at its discretion, offer for concurrent sale the revenue bonds of several local governments. Sales by the Authority of revenue bonds under this Section shall in no way imply State guarantee of such debt issue. The Authority may require such financial information from participating local governments as it deems necessary in order to carry out the purposes of this subsection (1).

(m) The Authority may make grants to any county to which Division 5-37 of the Counties Code is applicable to assist in the financing of capital development, construction and renovation of new or existing facilities for hospitals and health care facilities under that Act. Such grants may only be made from funds appropriated for such purposes from the Build Illinois Bond Fund.

(n) The Authority may establish an urban development action grant program for the purpose of assisting municipalities in Illinois which are experiencing severe economic distress to help stimulate economic development activities needed to aid in economic recovery. The Authority shall determine the types of activities and projects for which the urban development action grants may be used, provided that such projects and activities are broadly defined to include all reasonable projects and activities the primary objectives of which are the development of viable urban communities, including decent housing and a suitable living environment, and expansion of economic opportunity, principally for persons of low and moderate incomes. The Authority shall enter into grant agreements from monies appropriated for such purposes from the Build Illinois Bond Fund. The Authority shall monitor the use of the grants, and shall provide for audits of the funds as well as recovery by the Authority of any funds determined to have been spent in violation of this subsection (n) or any rule or regulation promulgated hereunder. The Authority shall provide technical assistance with regard to the effective use of the urban development action grants. The Authority shall file an annual report to the General Assembly concerning the progress of the grant program.

(o) The Authority may establish a Housing Partnership Program whereby the Authority provides zero-interest loans to municipalities for the purpose of assisting in the financing of projects for the rehabilitation of affordable multi-family housing for low and moderate income residents. The Authority may provide such loans only upon a municipality's providing evidence that it has obtained private funding for the rehabilitation project. The Authority shall provide 3 State dollars for every 7 dollars obtained by the municipality from sources other than the State of Illinois. The loans shall be made from monies appropriated for such purpose from the Build Illinois Bond Fund. The total amount of loans available under the Housing Partnership Program shall not exceed $30,000,000. State loan monies under this subsection shall be used only for the acquisition and rehabilitation of existing buildings containing 4 or more dwelling units. The terms of any loan made by the municipality under this subsection shall require repayment of the loan to the municipality upon any sale or other transfer of the project. In addition, the Authority may use any moneys appropriated for such purpose from the Build Illinois Bond Fund, including funds loaned under this subsection and repaid as principal or interest, and investment income on such funds, to make the loans authorized by subsection (z), without regard to any restrictions or limitations provided in this subsection.

(p) The Authority may award grants to universities and research institutions, research consortiums and other not-for-profit entities for the purposes of: remodeling or otherwise physically altering existing laboratory or research facilities, expansion or physical additions to existing laboratory or research facilities, construction of new laboratory or research facilities or acquisition of modern equipment to support laboratory or research operations provided that such grants (i) be used solely in support of project and equipment acquisitions which enhance technology transfer, and (ii) not constitute more than 60 percent of the total project or acquisition cost.

(q) Grants may be awarded by the Authority to units of local government for the purpose of developing the appropriate infrastructure or defraying other costs to the local government in support of laboratory or research facilities provided that such grants may not exceed 40% of the cost to the unit of local government.

(r) In addition to the powers granted to the Authority under subsection (i), and in all cases supplemental to it, the Authority may establish a direct loan program to make loans to, or may purchase participations in loans made by participating lenders to, individuals, partnerships, corporations, or other business entities for the purpose of financing an industrial project, as defined in Section 801-10 of this Act. For the purposes of such program and not by way of limitation on any other program of the Authority, including, without limitation, programs established under subsection (i), the Authority shall have the power to issue bonds, notes, or other evidences of indebtedness including commercial paper for purposes of providing a fund of capital from which it may make such loans. The Authority shall have the power to use any appropriations from the State made especially for the Authority's direct loan program, or moneys at any time held by the Authority under this Act outside the State treasury in the custody of either the Treasurer of the Authority or a trustee or depository appointed by the Authority, for additional capital to make such loans or purchase such loan participations, or for the purposes of reserve funds or pledged funds which secure the Authority's obligations of repayment of any bond, note or other form of indebtedness established for the purpose of providing capital for which it intends to make such loans or purchase such loan participations. For the purpose of obtaining such capital, the Authority may also enter into agreements with financial institutions, participating lenders, and other persons for the purpose of administering a loan participation program, selling loans or developing a secondary market for such loans or loan participations. Loans made under the direct loan program specifically established under this subsection (r), including loans under such program made by participating lenders in which the Authority purchases a participation, may be in an amount not to exceed $600,000 and shall be made for a portion of an industrial project which does not exceed 50% of the total project. No loan may be made by the Authority unless approved by the affirmative vote of at least 8 members of the board. The Authority shall establish procedures and publish rules which shall provide for the submission, review, and analysis of each direct loan and loan participation application and which shall preserve the ability of each board member and the Executive Director, as applicable, to reach an individual business judgment regarding the propriety of each direct loan or loan participation. The collective discretion of the board to approve or disapprove each loan shall be unencumbered. The Authority may establish and collect such fees and charges, determine and enforce such terms and conditions, and charge such interest rates as it determines to be necessary and appropriate to the successful administration of the direct loan program, including purchasing loan participations. The Authority may require such interests in collateral and such guarantees as it determines are necessary to protect the Authority's interest in the repayment of the principal and interest of each loan and loan participation made under the direct loan program. The restrictions established under this subsection (r) shall not be applicable to any loan or loan participation made under subsection (i) or to any loan or loan participation made under any other Section of this Act.

(s) The Authority may guarantee private loans to third parties up to a specified dollar amount in order to promote economic development in this State.

(t) The Authority may adopt rules and regulations as may be necessary or advisable to implement the powers conferred by this Act.

(u) The Authority shall have the power to issue bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness, which may be used to make loans to units of local government which are authorized to enter into loan agreements and other documents and to issue bonds, notes and other evidences of indebtedness for the purpose of financing the protection of storm sewer outfalls, the construction of adequate storm sewer outfalls, and the provision for flood protection of sanitary sewage treatment plans, in counties that have established a stormwater management planning committee in accordance with Section 5-1062 of the Counties Code. Any such loan shall be made by the Authority pursuant to the provisions of Section 820-5 to 820-60 of this Act. The unit of local government shall pay back to the Authority the principal amount of the loan, plus annual interest as determined by the Authority. The Authority shall have the power, subject to appropriations by the General Assembly, to subsidize or buy down a portion of the interest on such loans, up to 4% per annum.

(v) The Authority may accept security interests as provided in Sections 11-3 and 11-3.3 of the Illinois Public Aid Code.

(w) Moral Obligation. In the event that the Authority determines that monies of the Authority will not be sufficient for the payment of the principal of and interest on its bonds during the next State fiscal year, the Chairperson, as soon as practicable, shall certify to the Governor the amount required by the Authority to enable it to pay such principal of and interest on the bonds. The Governor shall submit the amount so certified to the General Assembly as soon as practicable, but no later than the end of the current State fiscal year. This subsection shall apply only to any bonds or notes as to which the Authority shall have determined, in the resolution authorizing the issuance of the bonds or notes, that this subsection shall apply. Whenever the Authority makes such a determination, that fact shall be plainly stated on the face of the bonds or notes and that fact shall also be reported to the Governor. In the event of a withdrawal of moneys from a reserve fund established with respect to any issue or issues of bonds of the Authority to pay principal or interest on those bonds, the Chairperson of the Authority, as soon as practicable, shall certify to the Governor the amount required to restore the reserve fund to the level required in the resolution or indenture securing those bonds. The Governor shall submit the amount so certified to the General Assembly as soon as practicable, but no later than the end of the current State fiscal year. The Authority shall obtain written approval from the Governor for any bonds and notes to be issued under this Section. In addition to any other bonds authorized to be issued under Sections 825-60, 825-65(e), 830-25 and 845-5, the principal amount of Authority bonds outstanding issued under this Section 801-40(w) or under 20 ILCS 3850/1-80 or 30 ILCS 360/2-6(c), which have been assumed by the Authority, shall not exceed $150,000,000. This subsection (w) shall in no way be applied to any bonds issued by the Authority on behalf of the Illinois Power Agency under Section 825-90 of this Act.

(x) The Authority may enter into agreements or contracts with any person necessary or appropriate to place the payment obligations of the Authority under any of its bonds in whole or in part on any interest rate basis, cash flow basis, or other basis desired by the Authority, including without limitation agreements or contracts commonly known as "interest rate swap agreements", "forward payment conversion agreements", and "futures", or agreements or contracts to exchange cash flows or a series of payments, or agreements or contracts, including without limitation agreements or contracts commonly known as "options", "puts", or "calls", to hedge payment, rate spread, or similar exposure; provided that any such agreement or contract shall not constitute an obligation for borrowed money and shall not be taken into account under Section 845-5 of this Act or any other debt limit of the Authority or the State of Illinois.

(y) The Authority shall publish summaries of projects and actions approved by the members of the Authority on its website. These summaries shall include, but not be limited to, information regarding the:

(1) project;

(2) Board's action or actions;

(3) purpose of the project;

(4) Authority's program and contribution;

(5) volume cap;

(6) jobs retained;

(7) projected new jobs;

(8) construction jobs created;

(9) estimated sources and uses of funds;

(10) financing summary;

(11) project summary;

(12) business summary;

(13) ownership or economic disclosure statement;

(14) professional and financial information;

(15) service area; and

(16) legislative district.

The disclosure of information pursuant to this subsection shall comply with the Freedom of Information Act.

(z) Consistent with the findings and declaration of policy set forth in item (j) of Section 801-5 of this Act, the Authority shall have the power to make loans to the Police Officers' Pension Investment Fund authorized by Section 22B-120 of the Illinois Pension Code and to make loans to the Firefighters' Pension Investment Fund authorized by Section 22C-120 of the Illinois Pension Code. Notwithstanding anything in this Act to the contrary, loans authorized by Section 22B-120 and Section 22C-120 of the Illinois Pension Code may be made from any of the Authority's funds, including, but not limited to, funds in its Illinois Housing Partnership Program Fund, its Industrial Project Insurance Fund, or its Illinois Venture Investment Fund.

(aa) The Authority may finance or refinance (including, without limitation, through reimbursement of prior expenditures) any accounts receivable, working capital, liability, or insurance or noncapital cost or operating expense, or any combination thereof, for any unit of government, participating health institution, private institution of higher education, academic institution, cultural institution, or other person authorized to borrow funds from the Authority pursuant to this Act.

(bb) In addition to any other authority granted under this Act, the Authority may provide loans, credit enhancements, interest rate buydowns, loan loss reserves, or other financial assistance for the development, construction, expansion, or operation of the Qualified Energy Infrastructure and Dispatchable Thermal Energy Storage, as defined in the District Energy and Thermal Energy Storage Parity Act.

Financial assistance under this subsection (bb) may include support for energy transfer stations, customer interconnection costs, and related infrastructure and may be provided in an amount not to exceed 40% of total eligible project costs, subject to the underwriting standards established by the Authority.

(Source: P.A. 104-6, eff. 6-16-25.)

Section 95. The Illinois Power Agency Act is amended by changing Section 1-10 and by adding Section 1-79 as follows:

(20 ILCS 3855/1-10)

(Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 104-458)

Sec. 1-10. Definitions.

"Agency" means the Illinois Power Agency.

"Agency loan agreement" means any agreement pursuant to which the Illinois Finance Authority agrees to loan the proceeds of revenue bonds issued with respect to a project to the Agency upon terms providing for loan repayment installments at least sufficient to pay when due all principal of, interest and premium, if any, on those revenue bonds, and providing for maintenance, insurance, and other matters in respect of the project.

"Authority" means the Illinois Finance Authority.

"Brownfield site photovoltaic project" means photovoltaics that are either:

(1) interconnected to an electric utility as defined in this Section, a municipal utility as defined in this Section, a public utility as defined in Section 3-105 of the Public Utilities Act, or an electric cooperative as defined in Section 3-119 of the Public Utilities Act and located at a site that is regulated by any of the following entities under the following programs:

(A) the United States Environmental Protection Agency under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended;

(B) the United States Environmental Protection Agency under the Corrective Action Program of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended;

(C) the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency under the Illinois Site Remediation Program; or

(D) the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency under the Illinois Solid Waste Program; or

(2) located at the site of a coal mine that has permanently ceased coal production, permanently halted any re-mining operations, and is no longer accepting any coal combustion residues; has both completed all clean-up and remediation obligations under the federal Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1977 and all applicable Illinois rules and any other clean-up, remediation, or ongoing monitoring to safeguard the health and well-being of the people of the State of Illinois, as well as demonstrated compliance with all applicable federal and State environmental rules and regulations, including, but not limited, to 35 Ill. Adm. Code Part 845 and any rules for historic fill of coal combustion residuals, including any rules finalized in Subdocket A of Illinois Pollution Control Board docket R2020-019.

"Clean coal facility" means an electric generating facility that uses primarily coal as a feedstock and that captures and sequesters carbon dioxide emissions at the following levels: at least 50% of the total carbon dioxide emissions that the facility would otherwise emit if, at the time construction commences, the facility is scheduled to commence operation before 2016, at least 70% of the total carbon dioxide emissions that the facility would otherwise emit if, at the time construction commences, the facility is scheduled to commence operation during 2016 or 2017, and at least 90% of the total carbon dioxide emissions that the facility would otherwise emit if, at the time construction commences, the facility is scheduled to commence operation after 2017. The power block of the clean coal facility shall not exceed allowable emission rates for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulates and mercury for a natural gas-fired combined-cycle facility the same size as and in the same location as the clean coal facility at the time the clean coal facility obtains an approved air permit. All coal used by a clean coal facility shall have high volatile bituminous rank and greater than 1.7 pounds of sulfur per million Btu content, unless the clean coal facility does not use gasification technology and was operating as a conventional coal-fired electric generating facility on June 1, 2009 (the effective date of Public Act 95-1027).

"Clean coal SNG brownfield facility" means a facility that (1) has commenced construction by July 1, 2015 on an urban brownfield site in a municipality with at least 1,000,000 residents; (2) uses a gasification process to produce substitute natural gas; (3) uses coal as at least 50% of the total feedstock over the term of any sourcing agreement with a utility and the remainder of the feedstock may be either petroleum coke or coal, with all such coal having a high bituminous rank and greater than 1.7 pounds of sulfur per million Btu content unless the facility reasonably determines that it is necessary to use additional petroleum coke to deliver additional consumer savings, in which case the facility shall use coal for at least 35% of the total feedstock over the term of any sourcing agreement; and (4) captures and sequesters at least 85% of the total carbon dioxide emissions that the facility would otherwise emit.

"Clean coal SNG facility" means a facility that uses a gasification process to produce substitute natural gas, that sequesters at least 90% of the total carbon dioxide emissions that the facility would otherwise emit, that uses at least 90% coal as a feedstock, with all such coal having a high bituminous rank and greater than 1.7 pounds of sulfur per million Btu content, and that has a valid and effective permit to construct emission sources and air pollution control equipment and approval with respect to the federal regulations for Prevention of Significant Deterioration of Air Quality (PSD) for the plant pursuant to the federal Clean Air Act; provided, however, a clean coal SNG brownfield facility shall not be a clean coal SNG facility.

"Clean energy" means energy generation that is 90% or greater free of carbon dioxide emissions.

"Commission" means the Illinois Commerce Commission.

"Community renewable generation project" means an electric generating facility that:

(1) is powered by wind, solar thermal energy, photovoltaic cells or panels, biodiesel, crops and untreated and unadulterated organic waste biomass, and hydropower that does not involve new construction of dams;

(2) is interconnected at the distribution system level of an electric utility as defined in this Section, a municipal utility as defined in this Section that owns or operates electric distribution facilities, a public utility as defined in Section 3-105 of the Public Utilities Act, or an electric cooperative, as defined in Section 3-119 of the Public Utilities Act;

(3) credits the value of electricity generated by the facility to the subscribers of the facility; and

(4) is limited in nameplate capacity to less than or equal to 5,000 kilowatts.

"Costs incurred in connection with the development and construction of a facility" means:

(1) the cost of acquisition of all real property, fixtures, and improvements in connection therewith and equipment, personal property, and other property, rights, and easements acquired that are deemed necessary for the operation and maintenance of the facility;

(2) financing costs with respect to bonds, notes, and other evidences of indebtedness of the Agency;

(3) all origination, commitment, utilization, facility, placement, underwriting, syndication, credit enhancement, and rating agency fees;

(4) engineering, design, procurement, consulting, legal, accounting, title insurance, survey, appraisal, escrow, trustee, collateral agency, interest rate hedging, interest rate swap, capitalized interest, contingency, as required by lenders, and other financing costs, and other expenses for professional services; and

(5) the costs of plans, specifications, site study and investigation, installation, surveys, other Agency costs and estimates of costs, and other expenses necessary or incidental to determining the feasibility of any project, together with such other expenses as may be necessary or incidental to the financing, insuring, acquisition, and construction of a specific project and starting up, commissioning, and placing that project in operation.

"Delivery services" has the same definition as found in Section 16-102 of the Public Utilities Act.

"Delivery year" means the consecutive 12-month period beginning June 1 of a given year and ending May 31 of the following year.

"Department" means the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

"Director" means the Director of the Illinois Power Agency.

"Dispatchable thermal energy storage" has meaning given to that term in the District Energy and Thermal Energy Storage Parity Act.

"Demand-response" means measures that decrease peak electricity demand or shift demand from peak to off-peak periods.

"Distributed renewable energy generation device" means a device that is:

(1) powered by wind, solar thermal energy, photovoltaic cells or panels, biodiesel, crops and untreated and unadulterated organic waste biomass, tree waste, and hydropower that does not involve new construction of dams, waste heat to power systems, or qualified combined heat and power systems;

(2) interconnected at the distribution system level of either an electric utility as defined in this Section, a municipal utility as defined in this Section that owns or operates electric distribution facilities, or a rural electric cooperative as defined in Section 3-119 of the Public Utilities Act;

(3) located on the customer side of the customer's electric meter and is primarily used to offset that customer's electricity load; and

(4) (blank).

"Energy efficiency" means measures that reduce the amount of electricity or natural gas consumed in order to achieve a given end use. "Energy efficiency" includes voltage optimization measures that optimize the voltage at points on the electric distribution voltage system and thereby reduce electricity consumption by electric customers' end use devices. "Energy efficiency" also includes measures that reduce the total Btus of electricity, natural gas, and other fuels needed to meet the end use or uses.

"Electric utility" has the same definition as found in Section 16-102 of the Public Utilities Act.

"Equity investment eligible community" or "eligible community" are synonymous and mean the geographic areas throughout Illinois which would most benefit from equitable investments by the State designed to combat discrimination. Specifically, the eligible communities shall be defined as the following areas:

(1) R3 Areas as established pursuant to Section 10-40 of the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, where residents have historically been excluded from economic opportunities, including opportunities in the energy sector; and

(2) environmental justice communities, as defined by the Illinois Power Agency pursuant to the Illinois Power Agency Act, where residents have historically been subject to disproportionate burdens of pollution, including pollution from the energy sector.

"Equity eligible persons" or "eligible persons" means persons who would most benefit from equitable investments by the State designed to combat discrimination, specifically:

(1) persons who graduate from or are current or former participants in the Clean Jobs Workforce Network Program, the Clean Energy Contractor Incubator Program, the Illinois Climate Works Preapprenticeship Program, Returning Residents Clean Jobs Training Program, or the Clean Energy Primes Contractor Accelerator Program, and the solar training pipeline and multi-cultural jobs program created in paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(3) of Section 16-208.12 of the Public Utilities Act;

(2) persons who are graduates of or currently enrolled in the foster care system;

(3) persons who were formerly incarcerated;

(4) persons whose primary residence is in an equity investment eligible community.

"Equity eligible contractor" means a business that is majority-owned by eligible persons, or a nonprofit or cooperative that is majority-governed by eligible persons, or is a natural person that is an eligible person offering personal services as an independent contractor.

"Facility" means an electric generating unit or a co-generating unit that produces electricity along with related equipment necessary to connect the facility to an electric transmission or distribution system.

"General contractor" means the entity or organization with main responsibility for the building of a construction project and who is the party signing the prime construction contract for the project.

"Governmental aggregator" means one or more units of local government that individually or collectively procure electricity to serve residential retail electrical loads located within its or their jurisdiction.

"High voltage direct current converter station" means the collection of equipment that converts direct current energy from a high voltage direct current transmission line into alternating current using Voltage Source Conversion technology and that is interconnected with transmission or distribution assets located in Illinois.

"High voltage direct current renewable energy credit" means a renewable energy credit associated with a renewable energy resource where the renewable energy resource has entered into a contract to transmit the energy associated with such renewable energy credit over high voltage direct current transmission facilities.

"High voltage direct current transmission facilities" means the collection of installed equipment that converts alternating current energy in one location to direct current and transmits that direct current energy to a high voltage direct current converter station using Voltage Source Conversion technology. "High voltage direct current transmission facilities" includes the high voltage direct current converter station itself and associated high voltage direct current transmission lines. Notwithstanding the preceding, after September 15, 2021 (the effective date of Public Act 102-662), an otherwise qualifying collection of equipment does not qualify as high voltage direct current transmission facilities unless its developer entered into a project labor agreement, is capable of transmitting electricity at 525kv with an Illinois converter station located and interconnected in the region of the PJM Interconnection, LLC, and the system does not operate as a public utility, as that term is defined in Section 3-105 of the Public Utilities Act.

"Hydropower" means any method of electricity generation or storage that results from the flow of water, including impoundment facilities, diversion facilities, and pumped storage facilities.

"Index price" means the real-time energy settlement price at the applicable Illinois trading hub, such as PJM-NIHUB or MISO-IL, for a given settlement period.

"Indexed renewable energy credit" means a tradable credit that represents the environmental attributes of one megawatt hour of energy produced from a renewable energy resource, the price of which shall be calculated by subtracting the strike price offered by a new utility-scale wind project or a new utility-scale photovoltaic project from the index price in a given settlement period.

"Indexed renewable energy credit counterparty" has the same meaning as "public utility" as defined in Section 3-105 of the Public Utilities Act.

"Local government" means a unit of local government as defined in Section 1 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution.

"Modernized" or "retooled" means the construction, repair, maintenance, or significant expansion of turbines and existing hydropower dams.

"Municipality" means a city, village, or incorporated town.

"Municipal utility" means a public utility owned and operated by any subdivision or municipal corporation of this State.

"Nameplate capacity" means the aggregate inverter nameplate capacity in kilowatts AC.

"Person" means any natural person, firm, partnership, corporation, either domestic or foreign, company, association, limited liability company, joint stock company, or association and includes any trustee, receiver, assignee, or personal representative thereof.

"Project" means the planning, bidding, and construction of a facility.

"Project labor agreement" means a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement that covers all terms and conditions of employment on a specific construction project and must include the following:

(1) provisions establishing the minimum hourly wage for each class of labor organization employee;

(2) provisions establishing the benefits and other compensation for each class of labor organization employee;

(3) provisions establishing that no strike or disputes will be engaged in by the labor organization employees;

(4) provisions establishing that no lockout or disputes will be engaged in by the general contractor building the project; and

(5) provisions for minorities and women, as defined under the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act, setting forth goals for apprenticeship hours to be performed by minorities and women and setting forth goals for total hours to be performed by underrepresented minorities and women.

A labor organization and the general contractor building the project shall have the authority to include other terms and conditions as they deem necessary.

"Public utility" has the same definition as found in Section 3-105 of the Public Utilities Act.

"Qualified combined heat and power systems" means systems that, either simultaneously or sequentially, produce electricity and useful thermal energy from a single fuel source. Such systems are eligible for "renewable energy credits" in an amount equal to its total energy output where a renewable fuel is consumed or in an amount equal to the net reduction in nonrenewable fuel consumed on a total energy output basis.

"Real property" means any interest in land together with all structures, fixtures, and improvements thereon, including lands under water and riparian rights, any easements, covenants, licenses, leases, rights-of-way, uses, and other interests, together with any liens, judgments, mortgages, or other claims or security interests related to real property.

"Renewable energy credit" means a tradable credit that represents the environmental attributes of one megawatt hour of energy produced from a renewable energy resource.

"Renewable energy resources" includes energy and its associated renewable energy credit or renewable energy credits from wind, solar thermal energy, photovoltaic cells and panels, biodiesel, anaerobic digestion, crops and untreated and unadulterated organic waste biomass, and hydropower that does not involve new construction of dams, waste heat to power systems, or qualified combined heat and power systems. For purposes of this Act, landfill gas produced in the State is considered a renewable energy resource. "Renewable energy resources" does not include the incineration or burning of tires, garbage, general household, institutional, and commercial waste, industrial lunchroom or office waste, landscape waste, railroad crossties, utility poles, or construction or demolition debris, other than untreated and unadulterated waste wood. "Renewable energy resources" also includes high voltage direct current renewable energy credits and the associated energy converted to alternating current by a high voltage direct current converter station to the extent that: (1) the generator of such renewable energy resource contracted with a third party to transmit the energy over the high voltage direct current transmission facilities, and (2) the third-party contracting for delivery of renewable energy resources over the high voltage direct current transmission facilities have ownership rights over the unretired associated high voltage direct current renewable energy credit.

"Retail customer" has the same definition as found in Section 16-102 of the Public Utilities Act.

"Revenue bond" means any bond, note, or other evidence of indebtedness issued by the Authority, the principal and interest of which is payable solely from revenues or income derived from any project or activity of the Agency.

"Sequester" means permanent storage of carbon dioxide by injecting it into a saline aquifer, a depleted gas reservoir, or an oil reservoir, directly or through an enhanced oil recovery process that may involve intermediate storage, regardless of whether these activities are conducted by a clean coal facility, a clean coal SNG facility, a clean coal SNG brownfield facility, or a party with which a clean coal facility, clean coal SNG facility, or clean coal SNG brownfield facility has contracted for such purposes.

"Service area" has the same definition as found in Section 16-102 of the Public Utilities Act.

"Settlement period" means the period of time utilized by MISO and PJM and their successor organizations as the basis for settlement calculations in the real-time energy market.

"Sourcing agreement" means (i) in the case of an electric utility, an agreement between the owner of a clean coal facility and such electric utility, which agreement shall have terms and conditions meeting the requirements of paragraph (3) of subsection (d) of Section 1-75, (ii) in the case of an alternative retail electric supplier, an agreement between the owner of a clean coal facility and such alternative retail electric supplier, which agreement shall have terms and conditions meeting the requirements of Section 16-115(d)(5) of the Public Utilities Act, and (iii) in case of a gas utility, an agreement between the owner of a clean coal SNG brownfield facility and the gas utility, which agreement shall have the terms and conditions meeting the requirements of subsection (h-1) of Section 9-220 of the Public Utilities Act.

"Strike price" means a contract price for energy and renewable energy credits from a new utility-scale wind project or a new utility-scale photovoltaic project.

"Subscriber" means a person who (i) takes delivery service from an electric utility, and (ii) has a subscription of no less than 200 watts to a community renewable generation project that is located in the electric utility's service area. No subscriber's subscriptions may total more than 40% of the nameplate capacity of an individual community renewable generation project. Entities that are affiliated by virtue of a common parent shall not represent multiple subscriptions that total more than 40% of the nameplate capacity of an individual community renewable generation project.

"Subscription" means an interest in a community renewable generation project expressed in kilowatts, which is sized primarily to offset part or all of the subscriber's electricity usage.

"Substitute natural gas" or "SNG" means a gas manufactured by gasification of hydrocarbon feedstock, which is substantially interchangeable in use and distribution with conventional natural gas.

"Total resource cost test" or "TRC test" means a standard that is met if, for an investment in energy efficiency or demand-response measures, the benefit-cost ratio is greater than one. The benefit-cost ratio is the ratio of the net present value of the total benefits of the program to the net present value of the total costs as calculated over the lifetime of the measures. A total resource cost test compares the sum of avoided electric utility costs, representing the benefits that accrue to the system and the participant in the delivery of those efficiency measures and including avoided costs associated with reduced use of natural gas or other fuels, avoided costs associated with reduced water consumption, and avoided costs associated with reduced operation and maintenance costs, as well as other quantifiable societal benefits, to the sum of all incremental costs of end-use measures that are implemented due to the program (including both utility and participant contributions), plus costs to administer, deliver, and evaluate each demand-side program, to quantify the net savings obtained by substituting the demand-side program for supply resources. In calculating avoided costs of power and energy that an electric utility would otherwise have had to acquire, reasonable estimates shall be included of financial costs likely to be imposed by future regulations and legislation on emissions of greenhouse gases. In discounting future societal costs and benefits for the purpose of calculating net present values, a societal discount rate based on actual, long-term Treasury bond yields should be used. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the TRC test shall not include or take into account a calculation of market price suppression effects or demand reduction induced price effects.

"Utility-scale solar project" means an electric generating facility that:

(1) generates electricity using photovoltaic cells; and

(2) has a nameplate capacity that is greater than 5,000 kilowatts.

"Utility-scale wind project" means an electric generating facility that:

(1) generates electricity using wind; and

(2) has a nameplate capacity that is greater than 5,000 kilowatts.

"Waste Heat to Power Systems" means systems that capture and generate electricity from energy that would otherwise be lost to the atmosphere without the use of additional fuel.

"Zero emission credit" means a tradable credit that represents the environmental attributes of one megawatt hour of energy produced from a zero emission facility.

"Zero emission facility" means a facility that: (1) is fueled by nuclear power; and (2) is interconnected with PJM Interconnection, LLC or the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc., or their successors.

(Source: P.A. 102-662, eff. 9-15-21; 103-154, eff. 6-28-23; 103-380, eff. 1-1-24.)

(Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 104-458)

Sec. 1-10. Definitions.

"Agency" means the Illinois Power Agency.

"Agency loan agreement" means any agreement pursuant to which the Illinois Finance Authority agrees to loan the proceeds of revenue bonds issued with respect to a project to the Agency upon terms providing for loan repayment installments at least sufficient to pay when due all principal of, interest and premium, if any, on those revenue bonds, and providing for maintenance, insurance, and other matters in respect of the project.

"Authority" means the Illinois Finance Authority.

"Brownfield site photovoltaic project" means photovoltaics that are either:

(1) interconnected to an electric utility as defined in this Section, a municipal utility as defined in this Section, a public utility as defined in Section 3-105 of the Public Utilities Act, or an electric cooperative as defined in Section 3-119 of the Public Utilities Act and located at a site that is regulated by any of the following entities under the following programs:

(A) the United States Environmental Protection Agency under the federal Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act of 1980, as amended;

(B) the United States Environmental Protection Agency under the Corrective Action Program of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, as amended;

(C) the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency under the Illinois Site Remediation Program; or

(D) the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency under the Illinois Solid Waste Program; or

(2) located at the site of a coal mine that has permanently ceased coal production, permanently halted any re-mining operations, and is no longer accepting any coal combustion residues; has both completed all clean-up and remediation obligations under the federal Surface Mining and Reclamation Act of 1977 and all applicable Illinois rules and any other clean-up, remediation, or ongoing monitoring to safeguard the health and well-being of the people of the State of Illinois, as well as demonstrated compliance with all applicable federal and State environmental rules and regulations, including, but not limited, to 35 Ill. Adm. Code Part 845 and any rules for historic fill of coal combustion residuals, including any rules finalized in Subdocket A of Illinois Pollution Control Board docket R2020-019.

"Clean coal facility" means an electric generating facility that uses primarily coal as a feedstock and that captures and sequesters carbon dioxide emissions at the following levels: at least 50% of the total carbon dioxide emissions that the facility would otherwise emit if, at the time construction commences, the facility is scheduled to commence operation before 2016, at least 70% of the total carbon dioxide emissions that the facility would otherwise emit if, at the time construction commences, the facility is scheduled to commence operation during 2016 or 2017, and at least 90% of the total carbon dioxide emissions that the facility would otherwise emit if, at the time construction commences, the facility is scheduled to commence operation after 2017. The power block of the clean coal facility shall not exceed allowable emission rates for sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, particulates and mercury for a natural gas-fired combined-cycle facility the same size as and in the same location as the clean coal facility at the time the clean coal facility obtains an approved air permit. All coal used by a clean coal facility shall have high volatile bituminous rank and greater than 1.7 pounds of sulfur per million Btu content, unless the clean coal facility does not use gasification technology and was operating as a conventional coal-fired electric generating facility on June 1, 2009 (the effective date of Public Act 95-1027).

"Clean coal SNG brownfield facility" means a facility that (1) has commenced construction by July 1, 2015 on an urban brownfield site in a municipality with at least 1,000,000 residents; (2) uses a gasification process to produce substitute natural gas; (3) uses coal as at least 50% of the total feedstock over the term of any sourcing agreement with a utility and the remainder of the feedstock may be either petroleum coke or coal, with all such coal having a high bituminous rank and greater than 1.7 pounds of sulfur per million Btu content unless the facility reasonably determines that it is necessary to use additional petroleum coke to deliver additional consumer savings, in which case the facility shall use coal for at least 35% of the total feedstock over the term of any sourcing agreement; and (4) captures and sequesters at least 85% of the total carbon dioxide emissions that the facility would otherwise emit.

"Clean coal SNG facility" means a facility that uses a gasification process to produce substitute natural gas, that sequesters at least 90% of the total carbon dioxide emissions that the facility would otherwise emit, that uses at least 90% coal as a feedstock, with all such coal having a high bituminous rank and greater than 1.7 pounds of sulfur per million Btu content, and that has a valid and effective permit to construct emission sources and air pollution control equipment and approval with respect to the federal regulations for Prevention of Significant Deterioration of Air Quality (PSD) for the plant pursuant to the federal Clean Air Act; provided, however, a clean coal SNG brownfield facility shall not be a clean coal SNG facility.

"Clean energy" means energy generation that is 90% or greater free of carbon dioxide emissions.

"Commission" means the Illinois Commerce Commission.

"Community renewable generation project" means an electric generating facility that:

(1) is powered by wind, solar thermal energy, photovoltaic cells or panels, biodiesel, crops and untreated and unadulterated organic waste biomass, and hydropower that does not involve new construction of dams;

(2) is interconnected at the distribution system level of an electric utility as defined in this Section, a municipal utility as defined in this Section that owns or operates electric distribution facilities, a public utility as defined in Section 3-105 of the Public Utilities Act, or an electric cooperative, as defined in Section 3-119 of the Public Utilities Act;

(3) credits the value of electricity generated by the facility to the subscribers of the facility; and

(4) is limited in nameplate capacity to less than or equal to 10,000 kilowatts.

"Costs incurred in connection with the development and construction of a facility" means:

(1) the cost of acquisition of all real property, fixtures, and improvements in connection therewith and equipment, personal property, and other property, rights, and easements acquired that are deemed necessary for the operation and maintenance of the facility;

(2) financing costs with respect to bonds, notes, and other evidences of indebtedness of the Agency;

(3) all origination, commitment, utilization, facility, placement, underwriting, syndication, credit enhancement, and rating agency fees;

(4) engineering, design, procurement, consulting, legal, accounting, title insurance, survey, appraisal, escrow, trustee, collateral agency, interest rate hedging, interest rate swap, capitalized interest, contingency, as required by lenders, and other financing costs, and other expenses for professional services; and

(5) the costs of plans, specifications, site study and investigation, installation, surveys, other Agency costs and estimates of costs, and other expenses necessary or incidental to determining the feasibility of any project, together with such other expenses as may be necessary or incidental to the financing, insuring, acquisition, and construction of a specific project and starting up, commissioning, and placing that project in operation.

"Delivery services" has the same definition as found in Section 16-102 of the Public Utilities Act.

"Delivery year" means the consecutive 12-month period beginning June 1 of a given year and ending May 31 of the following year.

"Department" means the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

"Director" means the Director of the Illinois Power Agency.

"Dispatchable thermal energy storage" has meaning given to that term in the District Energy and Thermal Energy Storage Parity Act.

"Demand response" means measures that decrease peak electricity demand or shift demand from peak to off-peak periods.

"Distributed renewable energy generation device" means a device that is:

(1) powered by wind, solar thermal energy, photovoltaic cells or panels, biodiesel, crops and untreated and unadulterated organic waste biomass, tree waste, and hydropower that does not involve new construction of dams, waste heat to power systems, or qualified combined heat and power systems;

(2) interconnected at the distribution system level of either an electric utility as defined in this Section, a municipal utility as defined in this Section that owns or operates electric distribution facilities, or a rural electric cooperative as defined in Section 3-119 of the Public Utilities Act;

(3) located on the customer side of the customer's electric meter and is primarily used to offset that customer's electricity load; and

(4) (blank).

"Energy efficiency" means measures that reduce the amount of electricity or natural gas consumed in order to achieve a given end use. "Energy efficiency" includes voltage optimization measures that optimize the voltage at points on the electric distribution voltage system and thereby reduce electricity consumption by electric customers' end use devices. "Energy efficiency" also includes measures that reduce the total Btus of electricity, natural gas, and other fuels needed to meet the end use or uses.

"Energy storage system" has the meaning given to that term in Section 16-135 of the Public Utilities Act. "Energy storage system" does not include technologies that require combustion.

"Energy storage resources" means the operational output or capabilities of energy storage systems. "Energy storage resources" includes, but is not limited to, energy, capacity, and energy storage credits.

"Electric utility" has the same definition as found in Section 16-102 of the Public Utilities Act.

"Equity investment eligible community" or "eligible community" are synonymous and mean the geographic areas throughout Illinois which would most benefit from equitable investments by the State designed to combat discrimination. Specifically, the eligible communities shall be defined as the following areas:

(1) R3 Areas as established pursuant to Section 10-40 of the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act, where residents have historically been excluded from economic opportunities, including opportunities in the energy sector; and

(2) environmental justice communities, as defined by the Illinois Power Agency pursuant to the Illinois Power Agency Act, where residents have historically been subject to disproportionate burdens of pollution, including pollution from the energy sector.

"Equity eligible persons" or "eligible persons" means persons who would most benefit from equitable investments by the State designed to combat discrimination, specifically:

(1) persons who graduate from or are current or former participants in the Clean Jobs Workforce Network Program, the Clean Energy Contractor Incubator Program, the Illinois Climate Works Preapprenticeship Program, Returning Residents Clean Jobs Training Program, or the Clean Energy Primes Contractor Accelerator Program, and the solar training pipeline and multi-cultural jobs program created in paragraphs (1) and (3) of subsection (a) of Section 16-108.12 of the Public Utilities Act;

(2) persons who are graduates of or currently enrolled in the foster care system;

(3) persons who were formerly incarcerated;

(4) persons whose primary residence is in an equity investment eligible community.

"Equity eligible contractor" means a business that is majority-owned by eligible persons, or a nonprofit or cooperative that is majority-governed by eligible persons, or is a natural person that is an eligible person offering personal services as an independent contractor.

"Facility" means an electric generating unit or a co-generating unit that produces electricity along with related equipment necessary to connect the facility to an electric transmission or distribution system.

"General contractor" means the entity or organization with main responsibility for the building of a construction project and who is the party signing the prime construction contract for the project.

"Governmental aggregator" means one or more units of local government that individually or collectively procure electricity to serve residential retail electrical loads located within its or their jurisdiction.

"High voltage direct current converter station" means the collection of equipment that converts direct current energy from a high voltage direct current transmission line into alternating current using Voltage Source Conversion technology and that is interconnected with transmission or distribution assets located in Illinois.

"High voltage direct current renewable energy credit" means a renewable energy credit associated with a renewable energy resource where the renewable energy resource has entered into a contract to transmit the energy associated with such renewable energy credit over high voltage direct current transmission facilities.

"High voltage direct current transmission facilities" means the collection of installed equipment that converts alternating current energy in one location to direct current and transmits that direct current energy to a high voltage direct current converter station using Voltage Source Conversion technology. "High voltage direct current transmission facilities" includes the high voltage direct current converter station itself and associated high voltage direct current transmission lines. Notwithstanding the preceding, after September 15, 2021 (the effective date of Public Act 102-662), an otherwise qualifying collection of equipment does not qualify as high voltage direct current transmission facilities unless (1) its developer entered into a project labor agreement, is capable of transmitting electricity at 525kv with an Illinois converter station located and interconnected in the region of the PJM Interconnection, LLC, and the system does not operate as a public utility, as that term is defined in Section 3-105 of the Public Utilities Act, serving more than 100,000 customers as of January 1, 2021; or (2) its developer has entered into a project labor agreement prior to construction, the project is capable of transmitting electricity at 525 kilovolts or above, and the project has a converter station that is located in this State or in a state adjacent to this State and is interconnected to PJM Interconnection, LLC, the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc., or their successor.

"Hydropower" means any method of electricity generation or storage that results from the flow of water, including impoundment facilities, diversion facilities, and pumped storage facilities.

"Index price" means the real-time energy settlement price at the applicable Illinois trading hub, such as PJM-NIHUB or MISO-IL, for a given settlement period.

"Indexed renewable energy credit" means a tradable credit that represents the environmental attributes of one megawatt hour of energy produced from a renewable energy resource, the price of which shall be calculated by subtracting the strike price offered by a new utility-scale wind project or a new utility-scale photovoltaic project from the index price in a given settlement period.

"Indexed renewable energy credit counterparty" has the same meaning as "public utility" as defined in Section 3-105 of the Public Utilities Act.

"Local government" means a unit of local government as defined in Section 1 of Article VII of the Illinois Constitution.

"Modernized" or "retooled" means the construction, repair, maintenance, or significant expansion of turbines and existing hydropower dams.

"Municipality" means a city, village, or incorporated town.

"Municipal utility" means a public utility owned and operated by any subdivision or municipal corporation of this State.

"Nameplate capacity" means the aggregate inverter nameplate capacity in kilowatts AC.

"Person" means any natural person, firm, partnership, corporation, either domestic or foreign, company, association, limited liability company, joint stock company, or association and includes any trustee, receiver, assignee, or personal representative thereof.

"Project" means the planning, bidding, and construction of a facility.

"Project labor agreement" means a pre-hire collective bargaining agreement that covers all terms and conditions of employment on a specific construction project and must include the following:

(1) provisions establishing the minimum hourly wage for each class of labor organization employee;

(2) provisions establishing the benefits and other compensation for each class of labor organization employee;

(3) provisions establishing that no strike or disputes will be engaged in by the labor organization employees;

(4) provisions establishing that no lockout or disputes will be engaged in by the general contractor building the project; and

(5) provisions for minorities and women, as defined under the Business Enterprise for Minorities, Women, and Persons with Disabilities Act, setting forth goals for apprenticeship hours to be performed by minorities and women and setting forth goals for total hours to be performed by underrepresented minorities and women.

A labor organization and the general contractor building the project shall have the authority to include other terms and conditions as they deem necessary.

"Public utility" has the same definition as found in Section 3-105 of the Public Utilities Act.

"Qualified combined heat and power systems" means systems that, either simultaneously or sequentially, produce electricity and useful thermal energy from a single fuel source. Such systems are eligible for "renewable energy credits" in an amount equal to its total energy output where a renewable fuel is consumed or in an amount equal to the net reduction in nonrenewable fuel consumed on a total energy output basis.

"Real property" means any interest in land together with all structures, fixtures, and improvements thereon, including lands under water and riparian rights, any easements, covenants, licenses, leases, rights-of-way, uses, and other interests, together with any liens, judgments, mortgages, or other claims or security interests related to real property.

"Renewable energy credit" means a tradable credit that represents the environmental attributes of one megawatt hour of energy produced from a renewable energy resource.

"Renewable energy resources" includes energy and its associated renewable energy credit or renewable energy credits from wind, solar thermal energy, photovoltaic cells and panels, biodiesel, anaerobic digestion, crops and untreated and unadulterated organic waste biomass, and hydropower that does not involve new construction of dams, waste heat to power systems, qualified combined heat and power systems, or geothermal heating and cooling systems that qualify for the Geothermal Homes and Businesses Program. For purposes of this Act, landfill gas produced in the State is considered a renewable energy resource. "Renewable energy resources" does not include the incineration or burning of tires, garbage, general household, institutional, and commercial waste, industrial lunchroom or office waste, landscape waste, railroad crossties, utility poles, or construction or demolition debris, other than untreated and unadulterated waste wood. "Renewable energy resources" also includes high voltage direct current renewable energy credits and the associated energy converted to alternating current by a high voltage direct current converter station to the extent that: (1) the generator of such renewable energy resource contracted with a third party to transmit the energy over the high voltage direct current transmission facilities, and (2) the third-party contracting for delivery of renewable energy resources over the high voltage direct current transmission facilities have ownership rights over the unretired associated high voltage direct current renewable energy credit.

"Retail customer" has the same definition as found in Section 16-102 of the Public Utilities Act.

"Revenue bond" means any bond, note, or other evidence of indebtedness issued by the Authority, the principal and interest of which is payable solely from revenues or income derived from any project or activity of the Agency.

"Sequester" means permanent storage of carbon dioxide by injecting it into a saline aquifer, a depleted gas reservoir, or an oil reservoir, directly or through an enhanced oil recovery process that may involve intermediate storage, regardless of whether these activities are conducted by a clean coal facility, a clean coal SNG facility, a clean coal SNG brownfield facility, or a party with which a clean coal facility, clean coal SNG facility, or clean coal SNG brownfield facility has contracted for such purposes.

"Service area" has the same definition as found in Section 16-102 of the Public Utilities Act.

"Settlement period" means the period of time utilized by MISO and PJM and their successor organizations as the basis for settlement calculations in the real-time energy market.

"Sourcing agreement" means (i) in the case of an electric utility, an agreement between the owner of a clean coal facility and such electric utility, which agreement shall have terms and conditions meeting the requirements of paragraph (3) of subsection (d) of Section 1-75, (ii) in the case of an alternative retail electric supplier, an agreement between the owner of a clean coal facility and such alternative retail electric supplier, which agreement shall have terms and conditions meeting the requirements of Section 16-115(d)(5) of the Public Utilities Act, and (iii) in case of a gas utility, an agreement between the owner of a clean coal SNG brownfield facility and the gas utility, which agreement shall have the terms and conditions meeting the requirements of subsection (h-1) of Section 9-220 of the Public Utilities Act.

"Strike price" means a contract price for energy and renewable energy credits from a new utility-scale wind project or a new utility-scale photovoltaic project.

"Subscriber" means a person who (i) takes delivery service from an electric utility, and (ii) has a subscription of no less than 200 watts to a community renewable generation project that is located in the electric utility's service area. No subscriber's subscriptions may total more than 40% of the nameplate capacity of an individual community renewable generation project. Entities that are affiliated by virtue of a common parent shall not represent multiple subscriptions that total more than 40% of the nameplate capacity of an individual community renewable generation project.

"Subscription" means an interest in a community renewable generation project expressed in kilowatts, which is sized primarily to offset part or all of the subscriber's electricity usage.

"Substitute natural gas" or "SNG" means a gas manufactured by gasification of hydrocarbon feedstock, which is substantially interchangeable in use and distribution with conventional natural gas.

"Total resource cost test" or "TRC test" means a standard that is met if, for an investment in energy efficiency or demand-response measures, the benefit-cost ratio is greater than one. The benefit-cost ratio is the ratio of the net present value of the total benefits of the program to the net present value of the total costs as calculated over the lifetime of the measures. A total resource cost test compares the sum of avoided electric utility costs, representing the benefits that accrue to the system and the participant in the delivery of those efficiency measures and including avoided costs associated with reduced use of natural gas or other fuels, avoided costs associated with reduced water consumption, avoided costs associated with reduced operation and maintenance costs, and avoided societal costs associated with reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, as well as other quantifiable societal benefits, to the sum of all incremental costs of end-use measures that are implemented due to the program (including both utility and participant contributions), plus costs to administer, deliver, and evaluate each demand-side program, to quantify the net savings obtained by substituting the demand-side program for supply resources. The societal costs associated with greenhouse gas emissions shall be $200 per short ton, expressed in 2025 dollars or the most recently approved estimate developed by the federal government using a real discount rate consistent with long-term Treasury bond yields, whichever is greater. Changes in greenhouse gas emissions due to changes in electricity consumption shall be estimated using long-run marginal emissions rates developed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory's Cambium model or other Illinois-specific modeling of comparable analytical rigor. In discounting future costs and benefits for the purpose of calculating net present values, a societal discount rate based on actual, long-term Treasury bond yields should be used. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the TRC test shall not include or take into account a calculation of market price suppression effects or demand reduction induced price effects.

"Utility-scale solar project" means an electric generating facility that:

(1) generates electricity using photovoltaic cells; and

(2) has a nameplate capacity that is greater than 5,000 kilowatts alternating current (AC).

"Utility-scale wind project" means an electric generating facility that:

(1) generates electricity using wind; and

(2) has a nameplate capacity that is greater than 5,000 kilowatts.

"Waste Heat to Power Systems" means systems that capture and generate electricity from energy that would otherwise be lost to the atmosphere without the use of additional fuel.

"Zero emission credit" means a tradable credit that represents the environmental attributes of one megawatt hour of energy produced from a zero emission facility.

"Zero emission facility" means a facility that: (1) is fueled by nuclear power; and (2) is interconnected with PJM Interconnection, LLC or the Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc., or their successors.

(Source: P.A. 103-154, eff. 6-28-23; 103-380, eff. 1-1-24; 104-458, eff. 6-1-26.)

(20 ILCS 3855/1-79 new)

Sec. 1-79. Thermal Energy Storage Credit procurement program.

(a) For purposes of this Section, "thermal energy storage credit" means the verified capacity and load-shifting value of dispatchable thermal energy storage that reduced coincident electric demand or shifts electric load during Commission-approved performance windows.

(b) The Agency shall establish and administer a Thermal Energy Storage Credit procurement program for eligible dispatchable thermal energy projects.

(c) The Agency shall procure Thermal Energy Storage Credits through competitive solicitations and shall use a standard form contract approved by the Commission for the purchase of such Credits from eligible projects.

(d) Thermal energy storage credit contracts shall have a 15-year delivery term beginning on the project's commercial operation date, as verified pursuant to subsection (g).

(e) The Agency may offer alternative delivery terms of:

(1) a 10-year delivery term for eligible projects, including, but not limited to, behind-the-meter installations or other resources for which a shorter term is sufficient to enable financing and participation; and

(2) a delivery term of up to 20 years for district-scale or infrastructure-like projects, including dispatchable thermal energy storage installed as part of a district energy system or thermal energy network serving multiple buildings or an identified public anchor load, subject to objective eligibility criteria and annual procurement limits established by the Agency.

(f) Contracts shall specify the contracted quantity, performance requirements, settlement procedures, and annual true-up provisions.

(g) The Agency, in consultation with the Commission and affected utilities, shall establish measure and verification requirements sufficient to validate claimed peak demand reduction and load shifting, including the use of interval meter data and auditable telemetry, where appropriate.

(h) Contracts shall include annual true-up mechanisms to reconcile payments with verified performance and shall specify remedies for underperformance, including repayment, future delivery make-up, or reduced future payments.

(i) A seller may assign as collateral, for purposes of securing project financing, its right to receive payments under a thermal energy storage contract to a lender or other financing party, subject to notice to and acknowledgment by the Agency, in accordance with the standard contract.

(j) Any assignment shall not relieve the seller of performance obligations unless the Agency, in its discretion and consistent with the standard contract, consents to a substitution of the seller by an approved successor entity.

(k) The standard contract may include lender step-in and cure provisions, including a limited period for a secured party to cure defaults, or to propose a qualified replacement seller, as long as such provisions do not materially increase program risk.

(l) The Agency, in consultation with the Commission, shall adopt rules or procurement guidelines necessary to implement this Section.

(m) The Agency, in consultation with the Commission and affected utilities, shall establish measurement and verification requirements sufficient to validate claimed peak reduction and load-shifting benefits, including the use of interval meter data and auditable telemetry, where applicable.

(1) Measurement and verification requirements may include:

(A) the use of interval meter data;

(B) auditable telemetry and control system data;

(C) defined performance windows and baseline methodologies; and

(D) data quality, retention, and audit requirements.

(2) The Agency shall specify measurement and verification requirements through rulemaking or procurement guidelines.

(n) As a condition of contract execution or award acceptance, and prior to the commencement of deliveries, the seller shall post development security in a form and amount determined by the Agency to ensure timely project completion.

(1) Acceptable forms of development security may include cash escrow, an irrevocable standby letter of credit, a surety bond, or other forms as the Agency determines provide equivalent protection.

(2) Development security shall be released upon the Agency's verification of commercial operation and operational certification, except to the extent applied to satisfy amounts due under the contract.

(o) As a condition of receiving payments under a Thermal Energy Storage Credit contract, the seller shall maintain performance assurance during the delivery term in a form and amount sufficient to secure the seller's performance and true-up obligations.

(1) Acceptable forms of performance assurance may include cash escrow, an irrevocable standby letter of credit issued by a qualified financial institution, a surety bond, or, for Sellers meeting objective credit standards established by the Agency, a parent guaranty or other credit support acceptable to the Agency.

(2) The Agency shall establish sizing performance bands for performance assurance that are reasonably related to expected payment exposure and underperformance risk. Such sizing performance bands may be expressed as a fixed dollar amount, a per-kW amount, a percentage of expected annual contract value, or an amount equal to a specified number of months of expected payments.

(p) The Agency shall provide for a reduction of performance assurance amounts after demonstrated compliance over a defined period and may provide alternative mechanisms such as a retainage or payment withheld in lieu of a portion of posted security, provided the mechanism maintains equivalent protection.

(1) The Agency may reduce performance assurance requirements where the project is supported by Illinois Finance Authority credit enhancement, other State-backed credit support, or other security acceptable to the Agency that provides equivalent protection.

(2) The Agency may draw upon development security or performance assurance to recover amounts owed under the contract, including liquidated damages, refunds, or true-up amounts due to under-delivery, misrepresentation, failure to maintain required metering or telemetry, or other material breach.

(3) If the Agency draws upon posted security, the seller shall replenish the security to the required level within a period specified in the contract, unless the Agency approves an alternative cure plan or replacement security.

(q) The contract shall:

(1) include an annual true-up process to reconcile paid amounts with verified performance, including treatment of baseline adjustments, metering corrections, and data validation.

(2) specify how performance shortfalls are handled, which may include repayment, future delivery make-up, reduced future payments, or other remedies, and specify any limits or caps on remedies as appropriate to maintain finance ability while protecting the program.

(3) include cure periods for certain defaults, including for metering or telemetry outages, data submission failures, or other technical noncompliance, and may include a temporary suspension of payments during cure.

(r) The Agency shall establish rules to prevent double counting of the same verified peak reduction or load shifting performance for multiple State-administered credits or utility-administered incentives during the same performance interval, while permitting reasonable stacking where distinct services are provided or where performance is not claimed more than once.

Section 100. The Illinois Procurement Code is amended by adding Sections 20-61 and 20-66 as follows:

(30 ILCS 500/20-61 new)

Sec. 20-61. District energy evaluation in State procurements.

(a) Any requests for proposals, request for qualifications, or other competitive solicitations issued by the State for the following shall require proposers to evaluate district energy system options where the project includes buildings or facilities with an aggregate gross floor area exceeding 300,000 square feet or where otherwise determined appropriate by the procuring agency:

(1) campus development;

(2) mixed-use redevelopment;

(3) large-scale building construction or renovation; or

(4) disposition or redevelopment of State-owned land for economic development purposes.

(b) The evaluation under subsection (a) shall include:

(1) A District Energy Feasibility Assessment prepared by a qualified entity; and

(2) A narrative describing whether district energy systems or dispatchable thermal energy storage were evaluated or incorporated into the proposed budget.

(c) Nothing in this Section requires a procuring agency to select a proposal that includes a district energy system, if the agency determines that such a system is not cost-effective or otherwise in the best interest of the State.

(30 ILCS 500/20-66 new)

Sec. 20-66. District energy evaluation in State-led development procurements.

(a) Any requests for proposals, requests for qualifications, or other competitive solicitations issued by or on behalf of the State for campus development, mixed-use redevelopment, industrial parks, economic districts, or the development, redevelopment, or disposition of State-owned land shall require proposers to submit the following:

(1) A District Energy Feasibility Assessment prepared in accordance with applicable State standards; and

(2) A narrative describing how district energy statements and dispatchable thermal energy storage were evaluated or incorporated in the proposed project.

(b) The requirements of subsection (a) apply only to projects that include buildings or facilities with an aggregate gross floor area exceeding 300,000 square feet or that are otherwise identified by the procuring agency as suitable for district energy evaluation.

(c) Nothing in this Section requires to the State to select a proposal that includes a district energy system or a dispatchable thermal energy system if the procuring agency determines that such inclusion is not cost-effective or otherwise in the best interest of the State.

Section 105. The Use Tax Act is amended by changing Section 3-5 as follows:

(35 ILCS 105/3-5)

Sec. 3-5. Exemptions. Use, which, on and after January 1, 2025, includes use by a lessee, of the following tangible personal property is exempt from the tax imposed by this Act:

(1) Personal property purchased from a corporation, society, association, foundation, institution, or organization, other than a limited liability company, that is organized and operated as a not-for-profit service enterprise for the benefit of persons 65 years of age or older if the personal property was not purchased by the enterprise for the purpose of resale by the enterprise.

(2) Personal property purchased by a not-for-profit Illinois county fair association for use in conducting, operating, or promoting the county fair.

(3) Personal property purchased by a not-for-profit arts or cultural organization that establishes, by proof required by the Department by rule, that it has received an exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and that is organized and operated primarily for the presentation or support of arts or cultural programming, activities, or services. These organizations include, but are not limited to, music and dramatic arts organizations such as symphony orchestras and theatrical groups, arts and cultural service organizations, local arts councils, visual arts organizations, and media arts organizations. On and after July 1, 2001 (the effective date of Public Act 92-35), however, an entity otherwise eligible for this exemption shall not make tax-free purchases unless it has an active identification number issued by the Department.

(4) Except as otherwise provided in this Act, personal property purchased by a governmental body, by a corporation, society, association, foundation, or institution organized and operated exclusively for charitable, religious, or educational purposes, or by a not-for-profit corporation, society, association, foundation, institution, or organization that has no compensated officers or employees and that is organized and operated primarily for the recreation of persons 55 years of age or older. A limited liability company may qualify for the exemption under this paragraph only if the limited liability company is organized and operated exclusively for educational purposes. On and after July 1, 1987, however, no entity otherwise eligible for this exemption shall make tax-free purchases unless it has an active exemption identification number issued by the Department.

(5) Until July 1, 2003, a passenger car that is a replacement vehicle to the extent that the purchase price of the car is subject to the Replacement Vehicle Tax.

(6) Until July 1, 2003 and beginning again on September 1, 2004 through August 30, 2014, graphic arts machinery and equipment, including repair and replacement parts, both new and used, and including that manufactured on special order, certified by the purchaser to be used primarily for graphic arts production, and including machinery and equipment purchased for lease. Equipment includes chemicals or chemicals acting as catalysts but only if the chemicals or chemicals acting as catalysts effect a direct and immediate change upon a graphic arts product. Beginning on July 1, 2017, graphic arts machinery and equipment is included in the manufacturing and assembling machinery and equipment exemption under paragraph (18).

(7) Farm chemicals.

(8) Legal tender, currency, medallions, or gold or silver coinage issued by the State of Illinois, the government of the United States of America, or the government of any foreign country, and bullion.

(9) Personal property purchased from a teacher-sponsored student organization affiliated with an elementary or secondary school located in Illinois.

(10) A motor vehicle that is used for automobile renting, as defined in the Automobile Renting Occupation and Use Tax Act.

(11) Farm machinery and equipment, both new and used, including that manufactured on special order, certified by the purchaser to be used primarily for production agriculture or State or federal agricultural programs, including individual replacement parts for the machinery and equipment, including machinery and equipment purchased for lease, and including implements of husbandry defined in Section 1-130 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, farm machinery and agricultural chemical and fertilizer spreaders, and nurse wagons required to be registered under Section 3-809 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, but excluding other motor vehicles required to be registered under the Illinois Vehicle Code. Horticultural polyhouses or hoop houses used for propagating, growing, or overwintering plants shall be considered farm machinery and equipment under this item (11). Agricultural chemical tender tanks and dry boxes shall include units sold separately from a motor vehicle required to be licensed and units sold mounted on a motor vehicle required to be licensed if the selling price of the tender is separately stated.

Farm machinery and equipment shall include precision farming equipment that is installed or purchased to be installed on farm machinery and equipment, including, but not limited to, tractors, harvesters, sprayers, planters, seeders, or spreaders. Precision farming equipment includes, but is not limited to, soil testing sensors, computers, monitors, software, global positioning and mapping systems, and other such equipment.

Farm machinery and equipment also includes computers, sensors, software, and related equipment used primarily in the computer-assisted operation of production agriculture facilities, equipment, and activities such as, but not limited to, the collection, monitoring, and correlation of animal and crop data for the purpose of formulating animal diets and agricultural chemicals.

Beginning on January 1, 2024, farm machinery and equipment also includes electrical power generation equipment used primarily for production agriculture.

This item (11) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-90.

(12) Until June 30, 2013, fuel and petroleum products sold to or used by an air common carrier, certified by the carrier to be used for consumption, shipment, or storage in the conduct of its business as an air common carrier, for a flight destined for or returning from a location or locations outside the United States without regard to previous or subsequent domestic stopovers.

Beginning July 1, 2013, fuel and petroleum products sold to or used by an air carrier, certified by the carrier to be used for consumption, shipment, or storage in the conduct of its business as an air common carrier, for a flight that (i) is engaged in foreign trade or is engaged in trade between the United States and any of its possessions and (ii) transports at least one individual or package for hire from the city of origination to the city of final destination on the same aircraft, without regard to a change in the flight number of that aircraft.

(13) Proceeds of mandatory service charges separately stated on customers' bills for the purchase and consumption of food and beverages purchased at retail from a retailer, to the extent that the proceeds of the service charge are in fact turned over as tips or as a substitute for tips to the employees who participate directly in preparing, serving, hosting or cleaning up the food or beverage function with respect to which the service charge is imposed.

(14) Until July 1, 2003, oil field exploration, drilling, and production equipment, including (i) rigs and parts of rigs, rotary rigs, cable tool rigs, and workover rigs, (ii) pipe and tubular goods, including casing and drill strings, (iii) pumps and pump-jack units, (iv) storage tanks and flow lines, (v) any individual replacement part for oil field exploration, drilling, and production equipment, and (vi) machinery and equipment purchased for lease; but excluding motor vehicles required to be registered under the Illinois Vehicle Code.

(15) Photoprocessing machinery and equipment, including repair and replacement parts, both new and used, including that manufactured on special order, certified by the purchaser to be used primarily for photoprocessing, and including photoprocessing machinery and equipment purchased for lease.

(16) Until July 1, 2028, coal and aggregate exploration, mining, off-highway hauling, processing, maintenance, and reclamation equipment, including replacement parts and equipment, and including equipment purchased for lease, but excluding motor vehicles required to be registered under the Illinois Vehicle Code. The changes made to this Section by Public Act 97-767 apply on and after July 1, 2003, but no claim for credit or refund is allowed on or after August 16, 2013 (the effective date of Public Act 98-456) for such taxes paid during the period beginning July 1, 2003 and ending on August 16, 2013 (the effective date of Public Act 98-456).

(17) Until July 1, 2003, distillation machinery and equipment, sold as a unit or kit, assembled or installed by the retailer, certified by the user to be used only for the production of ethyl alcohol that will be used for consumption as motor fuel or as a component of motor fuel for the personal use of the user, and not subject to sale or resale.

(18) Manufacturing and assembling machinery and equipment used primarily in the process of manufacturing or assembling tangible personal property for wholesale or retail sale or lease, whether that sale or lease is made directly by the manufacturer or by some other person, whether the materials used in the process are owned by the manufacturer or some other person, or whether that sale or lease is made apart from or as an incident to the seller's engaging in the service occupation of producing machines, tools, dies, jigs, patterns, gauges, or other similar items of no commercial value on special order for a particular purchaser. The exemption provided by this paragraph (18) includes production related tangible personal property, as defined in Section 3-50, purchased on or after July 1, 2019. The exemption provided by this paragraph (18) does not include machinery and equipment used in (i) the generation of electricity for wholesale or retail sale; (ii) the generation or treatment of natural or artificial gas for wholesale or retail sale that is delivered to customers through pipes, pipelines, or mains; or (iii) the treatment of water for wholesale or retail sale that is delivered to customers through pipes, pipelines, or mains. The provisions of Public Act 98-583 are declaratory of existing law as to the meaning and scope of this exemption. Beginning on July 1, 2017, the exemption provided by this paragraph (18) includes, but is not limited to, graphic arts machinery and equipment, as defined in paragraph (6) of this Section.

(19) Personal property delivered to a purchaser or purchaser's donee inside Illinois when the purchase order for that personal property was received by a florist located outside Illinois who has a florist located inside Illinois deliver the personal property.

(20) Semen used for artificial insemination of livestock for direct agricultural production.

(21) Horses, or interests in horses, registered with and meeting the requirements of any of the Arabian Horse Club Registry of America, Appaloosa Horse Club, American Quarter Horse Association, United States Trotting Association, or Jockey Club, as appropriate, used for purposes of breeding or racing for prizes. This item (21) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-90, and the exemption provided for under this item (21) applies for all periods beginning May 30, 1995, but no claim for credit or refund is allowed on or after January 1, 2008 for such taxes paid during the period beginning May 30, 2000 and ending on January 1, 2008.

(22) Computers and communications equipment utilized for any hospital purpose and equipment used in the diagnosis, analysis, or treatment of hospital patients purchased by a lessor who leases the equipment, under a lease of one year or longer executed or in effect at the time the lessor would otherwise be subject to the tax imposed by this Act, to a hospital that has been issued an active tax exemption identification number by the Department under Section 1g of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. If the equipment is leased in a manner that does not qualify for this exemption or is used in any other non-exempt manner, the lessor shall be liable for the tax imposed under this Act or the Service Use Tax Act, as the case may be, based on the fair market value of the property at the time the non-qualifying use occurs. No lessor shall collect or attempt to collect an amount (however designated) that purports to reimburse that lessor for the tax imposed by this Act or the Service Use Tax Act, as the case may be, if the tax has not been paid by the lessor. If a lessor improperly collects any such amount from the lessee, the lessee shall have a legal right to claim a refund of that amount from the lessor. If, however, that amount is not refunded to the lessee for any reason, the lessor is liable to pay that amount to the Department.

(23) Personal property purchased by a lessor who leases the property, under a lease of one year or longer executed or in effect at the time the lessor would otherwise be subject to the tax imposed by this Act, to a governmental body that has been issued an active sales tax exemption identification number by the Department under Section 1g of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. If the property is leased in a manner that does not qualify for this exemption or used in any other non-exempt manner, the lessor shall be liable for the tax imposed under this Act or the Service Use Tax Act, as the case may be, based on the fair market value of the property at the time the non-qualifying use occurs. No lessor shall collect or attempt to collect an amount (however designated) that purports to reimburse that lessor for the tax imposed by this Act or the Service Use Tax Act, as the case may be, if the tax has not been paid by the lessor. If a lessor improperly collects any such amount from the lessee, the lessee shall have a legal right to claim a refund of that amount from the lessor. If, however, that amount is not refunded to the lessee for any reason, the lessor is liable to pay that amount to the Department.

(24) Beginning with taxable years ending on or after December 31, 1995 and ending with taxable years ending on or before December 31, 2004, personal property that is donated for disaster relief to be used in a State or federally declared disaster area in Illinois or bordering Illinois by a manufacturer or retailer that is registered in this State to a corporation, society, association, foundation, or institution that has been issued a sales tax exemption identification number by the Department that assists victims of the disaster who reside within the declared disaster area.

(25) Beginning with taxable years ending on or after December 31, 1995 and ending with taxable years ending on or before December 31, 2004, personal property that is used in the performance of infrastructure repairs in this State, including, but not limited to, municipal roads and streets, access roads, bridges, sidewalks, waste disposal systems, water and sewer line extensions, water distribution and purification facilities, storm water drainage and retention facilities, and sewage treatment facilities, resulting from a State or federally declared disaster in Illinois or bordering Illinois when such repairs are initiated on facilities located in the declared disaster area within 6 months after the disaster.

(26) Beginning July 1, 1999, game or game birds purchased at a "game breeding and hunting preserve area" as that term is used in the Wildlife Code. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-90.

(27) A motor vehicle, as that term is defined in Section 1-146 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, that is donated to a corporation, limited liability company, society, association, foundation, or institution that is determined by the Department to be organized and operated exclusively for educational purposes. For purposes of this exemption, "a corporation, limited liability company, society, association, foundation, or institution organized and operated exclusively for educational purposes" means all tax-supported public schools, private schools that offer systematic instruction in useful branches of learning by methods common to public schools and that compare favorably in their scope and intensity with the course of study presented in tax-supported schools, and vocational or technical schools or institutes organized and operated exclusively to provide a course of study of not less than 6 weeks duration and designed to prepare individuals to follow a trade or to pursue a manual, technical, mechanical, industrial, business, or commercial occupation.

(28) Beginning January 1, 2000, personal property, including food, purchased through fundraising events for the benefit of a public or private elementary or secondary school, a group of those schools, or one or more school districts if the events are sponsored by an entity recognized by the school district that consists primarily of volunteers and includes parents and teachers of the school children. This paragraph does not apply to fundraising events (i) for the benefit of private home instruction or (ii) for which the fundraising entity purchases the personal property sold at the events from another individual or entity that sold the property for the purpose of resale by the fundraising entity and that profits from the sale to the fundraising entity. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-90.

(29) Beginning January 1, 2000 and through December 31, 2001, new or used automatic vending machines that prepare and serve hot food and beverages, including coffee, soup, and other items, and replacement parts for these machines. Beginning January 1, 2002 and through June 30, 2003, machines and parts for machines used in commercial, coin-operated amusement and vending business if a use or occupation tax is paid on the gross receipts derived from the use of the commercial, coin-operated amusement and vending machines. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-90.

(30) Beginning January 1, 2001 and through June 30, 2016, food for human consumption that is to be consumed off the premises where it is sold (other than alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, and food that has been prepared for immediate consumption) and prescription and nonprescription medicines, drugs, medical appliances, and insulin, urine testing materials, syringes, and needles used by diabetics, for human use, when purchased for use by a person receiving medical assistance under Article V of the Illinois Public Aid Code who resides in a licensed long-term care facility, as defined in the Nursing Home Care Act, or in a licensed facility as defined in the ID/DD Community Care Act, the MC/DD Act, or the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013.

(31) Beginning on August 2, 2001 (the effective date of Public Act 92-227), computers and communications equipment utilized for any hospital purpose and equipment used in the diagnosis, analysis, or treatment of hospital patients purchased by a lessor who leases the equipment, under a lease of one year or longer executed or in effect at the time the lessor would otherwise be subject to the tax imposed by this Act, to a hospital that has been issued an active tax exemption identification number by the Department under Section 1g of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. If the equipment is leased in a manner that does not qualify for this exemption or is used in any other nonexempt manner, the lessor shall be liable for the tax imposed under this Act or the Service Use Tax Act, as the case may be, based on the fair market value of the property at the time the nonqualifying use occurs. No lessor shall collect or attempt to collect an amount (however designated) that purports to reimburse that lessor for the tax imposed by this Act or the Service Use Tax Act, as the case may be, if the tax has not been paid by the lessor. If a lessor improperly collects any such amount from the lessee, the lessee shall have a legal right to claim a refund of that amount from the lessor. If, however, that amount is not refunded to the lessee for any reason, the lessor is liable to pay that amount to the Department. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-90.

(32) Beginning on August 2, 2001 (the effective date of Public Act 92-227), personal property purchased by a lessor who leases the property, under a lease of one year or longer executed or in effect at the time the lessor would otherwise be subject to the tax imposed by this Act, to a governmental body that has been issued an active sales tax exemption identification number by the Department under Section 1g of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. If the property is leased in a manner that does not qualify for this exemption or used in any other nonexempt manner, the lessor shall be liable for the tax imposed under this Act or the Service Use Tax Act, as the case may be, based on the fair market value of the property at the time the nonqualifying use occurs. No lessor shall collect or attempt to collect an amount (however designated) that purports to reimburse that lessor for the tax imposed by this Act or the Service Use Tax Act, as the case may be, if the tax has not been paid by the lessor. If a lessor improperly collects any such amount from the lessee, the lessee shall have a legal right to claim a refund of that amount from the lessor. If, however, that amount is not refunded to the lessee for any reason, the lessor is liable to pay that amount to the Department. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-90.

(33) On and after July 1, 2003 and through June 30, 2004, the use in this State of motor vehicles of the second division with a gross vehicle weight in excess of 8,000 pounds and that are subject to the commercial distribution fee imposed under Section 3-815.1 of the Illinois Vehicle Code. Beginning on July 1, 2004 and through June 30, 2005, the use in this State of motor vehicles of the second division: (i) with a gross vehicle weight rating in excess of 8,000 pounds; (ii) that are subject to the commercial distribution fee imposed under Section 3-815.1 of the Illinois Vehicle Code; and (iii) that are primarily used for commercial purposes. Through June 30, 2005, this exemption applies to repair and replacement parts added after the initial purchase of such a motor vehicle if that motor vehicle is used in a manner that would qualify for the rolling stock exemption otherwise provided for in this Act. For purposes of this paragraph, the term "used for commercial purposes" means the transportation of persons or property in furtherance of any commercial or industrial enterprise, whether for-hire or not.

(34) Beginning January 1, 2008, tangible personal property used in the construction or maintenance of a community water supply, as defined under Section 3.145 of the Environmental Protection Act, that is operated by a not-for-profit corporation that holds a valid water supply permit issued under Title IV of the Environmental Protection Act. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-90.

(35) Beginning January 1, 2010 and continuing through December 31, 2029, materials, parts, equipment, components, and furnishings incorporated into or upon an aircraft as part of the modification, refurbishment, completion, replacement, repair, or maintenance of the aircraft. This exemption includes consumable supplies used in the modification, refurbishment, completion, replacement, repair, and maintenance of aircraft. However, until January 1, 2024, this exemption excludes any materials, parts, equipment, components, and consumable supplies used in the modification, replacement, repair, and maintenance of aircraft engines or power plants, whether such engines or power plants are installed or uninstalled upon any such aircraft. "Consumable supplies" include, but are not limited to, adhesive, tape, sandpaper, general purpose lubricants, cleaning solution, latex gloves, and protective films.

Beginning January 1, 2010 and continuing through December 31, 2023, this exemption applies only to the use of qualifying tangible personal property by persons who modify, refurbish, complete, repair, replace, or maintain aircraft and who (i) hold an Air Agency Certificate and are empowered to operate an approved repair station by the Federal Aviation Administration, (ii) have a Class IV Rating, and (iii) conduct operations in accordance with Part 145 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. From January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2029, this exemption applies only to the use of qualifying tangible personal property by: (A) persons who modify, refurbish, complete, repair, replace, or maintain aircraft and who (i) hold an Air Agency Certificate and are empowered to operate an approved repair station by the Federal Aviation Administration, (ii) have a Class IV Rating, and (iii) conduct operations in accordance with Part 145 of the Federal Aviation Regulations; and (B) persons who engage in the modification, replacement, repair, and maintenance of aircraft engines or power plants without regard to whether or not those persons meet the qualifications of item (A).

The exemption does not include aircraft operated by a commercial air carrier providing scheduled passenger air service pursuant to authority issued under Part 121 or Part 129 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. The changes made to this paragraph (35) by Public Act 98-534 are declarative of existing law. It is the intent of the General Assembly that the exemption under this paragraph (35) applies continuously from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2024; however, no claim for credit or refund is allowed for taxes paid as a result of the disallowance of this exemption on or after January 1, 2015 and prior to February 5, 2020 (the effective date of Public Act 101-629).

(36) Tangible personal property purchased by a public-facilities corporation, as described in Section 11-65-10 of the Illinois Municipal Code, for purposes of constructing or furnishing a municipal convention hall, but only if the legal title to the municipal convention hall is transferred to the municipality without any further consideration by or on behalf of the municipality at the time of the completion of the municipal convention hall or upon the retirement or redemption of any bonds or other debt instruments issued by the public-facilities corporation in connection with the development of the municipal convention hall. This exemption includes existing public-facilities corporations as provided in Section 11-65-25 of the Illinois Municipal Code. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-90.

(37) Beginning January 1, 2017 and through December 31, 2026, menstrual pads, tampons, and menstrual cups.

(38) Merchandise that is subject to the Rental Purchase Agreement Occupation and Use Tax. The purchaser must certify that the item is purchased to be rented subject to a rental-purchase agreement, as defined in the Rental-Purchase Agreement Act, and provide proof of registration under the Rental Purchase Agreement Occupation and Use Tax Act. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-90.

(39) Tangible personal property purchased by a purchaser who is exempt from the tax imposed by this Act by operation of federal law. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-90.

(40) Qualified tangible personal property used in the construction or operation of a data center that has been granted a certificate of exemption by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, whether that tangible personal property is purchased by the owner, operator, or tenant of the data center or by a contractor or subcontractor of the owner, operator, or tenant. Data centers that would have qualified for a certificate of exemption prior to January 1, 2020 had Public Act 101-31 been in effect may apply for and obtain an exemption for subsequent purchases of computer equipment or enabling software purchased or leased to upgrade, supplement, or replace computer equipment or enabling software purchased or leased in the original investment that would have qualified.

The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall grant a certificate of exemption under this item (40) to qualified data centers as defined by Section 605-1025 of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois.

For the purposes of this item (40):

"Data center" means a building or a series of buildings rehabilitated or constructed to house working servers in one physical location or multiple sites within the State of Illinois.

"Qualified tangible personal property" means: electrical systems and equipment; climate control and chilling equipment and systems; mechanical systems and equipment; monitoring and secure systems; emergency generators; hardware; computers; servers; data storage devices; network connectivity equipment; racks; cabinets; telecommunications cabling infrastructure; raised floor systems; peripheral components or systems; software; mechanical, electrical, or plumbing systems; battery systems; cooling systems and towers; temperature control systems; other cabling; and other data center infrastructure equipment and systems necessary to operate qualified tangible personal property, including fixtures; and component parts of any of the foregoing, including installation, maintenance, repair, refurbishment, and replacement of qualified tangible personal property to generate, transform, transmit, distribute, or manage electricity necessary to operate qualified tangible personal property; and all other tangible personal property that is essential to the operations of a computer data center. The term "qualified tangible personal property" also includes building materials physically incorporated into the qualifying data center. To document the exemption allowed under this Section, the retailer must obtain from the purchaser a copy of the certificate of eligibility issued by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

This item (40) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-90.

(41) Beginning July 1, 2022, breast pumps, breast pump collection and storage supplies, and breast pump kits. This item (41) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-90. As used in this item (41):

"Breast pump" means an electrically controlled or manually controlled pump device designed or marketed to be used to express milk from a human breast during lactation, including the pump device and any battery, AC adapter, or other power supply unit that is used to power the pump device and is packaged and sold with the pump device at the time of sale.

"Breast pump collection and storage supplies" means items of tangible personal property designed or marketed to be used in conjunction with a breast pump to collect milk expressed from a human breast and to store collected milk until it is ready for consumption.

"Breast pump collection and storage supplies" includes, but is not limited to: breast shields and breast shield connectors; breast pump tubes and tubing adapters; breast pump valves and membranes; backflow protectors and backflow protector adaptors; bottles and bottle caps specific to the operation of the breast pump; and breast milk storage bags.

"Breast pump collection and storage supplies" does not include: (1) bottles and bottle caps not specific to the operation of the breast pump; (2) breast pump travel bags and other similar carrying accessories, including ice packs, labels, and other similar products; (3) breast pump cleaning supplies; (4) nursing bras, bra pads, breast shells, and other similar products; and (5) creams, ointments, and other similar products that relieve breastfeeding-related symptoms or conditions of the breasts or nipples, unless sold as part of a breast pump kit that is pre-packaged by the breast pump manufacturer or distributor.

"Breast pump kit" means a kit that: (1) contains no more than a breast pump, breast pump collection and storage supplies, a rechargeable battery for operating the breast pump, a breastmilk cooler, bottle stands, ice packs, and a breast pump carrying case; and (2) is pre-packaged as a breast pump kit by the breast pump manufacturer or distributor.

(42) Tangible personal property sold by or on behalf of the State Treasurer pursuant to the Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act. This item (42) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-90.

(43) Beginning on January 1, 2024, tangible personal property purchased by an active duty member of the armed forces of the United States who presents valid military identification and purchases the property using a form of payment where the federal government is the payor. The member of the armed forces must complete, at the point of sale, a form prescribed by the Department of Revenue documenting that the transaction is eligible for the exemption under this paragraph. Retailers must keep the form as documentation of the exemption in their records for a period of not less than 6 years. "Armed forces of the United States" means the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-90.

(44) Beginning July 1, 2024, home-delivered meals provided to Medicare or Medicaid recipients when payment is made by an intermediary, such as a Medicare Administrative Contractor, a Managed Care Organization, or a Medicare Advantage Organization, pursuant to a government contract. This item (44) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-90.

(45) Beginning on January 1, 2026, as further defined in Section 3-10, food for human consumption that is to be consumed off the premises where it is sold (other than alcoholic beverages, food consisting of or infused with adult use cannabis, soft drinks, candy, and food that has been prepared for immediate consumption). This item (45) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-90.

(46) Use by the lessee of the following leased tangible personal property:

(1) software transferred subject to a license that meets the following requirements:

(A) it is evidenced by a written agreement signed by the licensor and the customer;

(i) an electronic agreement in which the customer accepts the license by means of an electronic signature that is verifiable and can be authenticated and is attached to or made part of the license will comply with this requirement;

(ii) a license agreement in which the customer electronically accepts the terms by clicking "I agree" does not comply with this requirement;

(B) it restricts the customer's duplication and use of the software;

(C) it prohibits the customer from licensing, sublicensing, or transferring the software to a third party (except to a related party) without the permission and continued control of the licensor;

(D) the licensor has a policy of providing another copy at minimal or no charge if the customer loses or damages the software, or of permitting the licensee to make and keep an archival copy, and such policy is either stated in the license agreement, supported by the licensor's books and records, or supported by a notarized statement made under penalties of perjury by the licensor; and

(E) the customer must destroy or return all copies of the software to the licensor at the end of the license period; this provision is deemed to be met, in the case of a perpetual license, without being set forth in the license agreement; and

(2) property that is subject to a tax on lease receipts imposed by a home rule unit of local government if the ordinance imposing that tax was adopted prior to January 1, 2023.

(47) Beginning on January 1, 2027, tangible personal property that is eligible property, as defined in the District Energy and Thermal Energy Storage Parity Act, and that is purchased for incorporation into or primarily used for the construction, installation, or operation of Qualified District Energy Infrastructure or Dispatchable Thermal Energy Storage, as defined by the District Energy and Thermal Energy Storage Parity Act. This item (47) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-90.

(Source: P.A. 103-9, Article 5, Section 5-5, eff. 6-7-23; 103-9, Article 15, Section 15-5, eff. 6-7-23; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23; 103-384, eff. 1-1-24; 103-592, eff. 1-1-25; 103-605, eff. 7-1-24; 103-643, eff. 7-1-24; 103-746, eff. 1-1-25; 103-781, eff. 8-5-24; 104-417, eff. 8-15-25.)

Section 110. The Service Use Tax Act is amended by changing Section 3-5 as follows:

(35 ILCS 110/3-5)

Sec. 3-5. Exemptions. Use of the following tangible personal property is exempt from the tax imposed by this Act:

(1) Personal property purchased from a corporation, society, association, foundation, institution, or organization, other than a limited liability company, that is organized and operated as a not-for-profit service enterprise for the benefit of persons 65 years of age or older if the personal property was not purchased by the enterprise for the purpose of resale by the enterprise.

(2) Personal property purchased by a non-profit Illinois county fair association for use in conducting, operating, or promoting the county fair.

(3) Personal property purchased by a not-for-profit arts or cultural organization that establishes, by proof required by the Department by rule, that it has received an exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and that is organized and operated primarily for the presentation or support of arts or cultural programming, activities, or services. These organizations include, but are not limited to, music and dramatic arts organizations such as symphony orchestras and theatrical groups, arts and cultural service organizations, local arts councils, visual arts organizations, and media arts organizations. On and after July 1, 2001 (the effective date of Public Act 92-35), however, an entity otherwise eligible for this exemption shall not make tax-free purchases unless it has an active identification number issued by the Department.

(4) Legal tender, currency, medallions, or gold or silver coinage issued by the State of Illinois, the government of the United States of America, or the government of any foreign country, and bullion.

(5) Until July 1, 2003 and beginning again on September 1, 2004 through August 30, 2014, graphic arts machinery and equipment, including repair and replacement parts, both new and used, and including that manufactured on special order or purchased for lease, certified by the purchaser to be used primarily for graphic arts production. Equipment includes chemicals or chemicals acting as catalysts but only if the chemicals or chemicals acting as catalysts effect a direct and immediate change upon a graphic arts product. Beginning on July 1, 2017, graphic arts machinery and equipment is included in the manufacturing and assembling machinery and equipment exemption under Section 2 of this Act.

(6) Personal property purchased from a teacher-sponsored student organization affiliated with an elementary or secondary school located in Illinois.

(7) Farm machinery and equipment, both new and used, including that manufactured on special order, certified by the purchaser to be used primarily for production agriculture or State or federal agricultural programs, including individual replacement parts for the machinery and equipment, including machinery and equipment purchased for lease, and including implements of husbandry defined in Section 1-130 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, farm machinery and agricultural chemical and fertilizer spreaders, and nurse wagons required to be registered under Section 3-809 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, but excluding other motor vehicles required to be registered under the Illinois Vehicle Code. Horticultural polyhouses or hoop houses used for propagating, growing, or overwintering plants shall be considered farm machinery and equipment under this item (7). Agricultural chemical tender tanks and dry boxes shall include units sold separately from a motor vehicle required to be licensed and units sold mounted on a motor vehicle required to be licensed if the selling price of the tender is separately stated.

Farm machinery and equipment shall include precision farming equipment that is installed or purchased to be installed on farm machinery and equipment, including, but not limited to, tractors, harvesters, sprayers, planters, seeders, or spreaders. Precision farming equipment includes, but is not limited to, soil testing sensors, computers, monitors, software, global positioning and mapping systems, and other such equipment.

Farm machinery and equipment also includes computers, sensors, software, and related equipment used primarily in the computer-assisted operation of production agriculture facilities, equipment, and activities such as, but not limited to, the collection, monitoring, and correlation of animal and crop data for the purpose of formulating animal diets and agricultural chemicals.

Beginning on January 1, 2024, farm machinery and equipment also includes electrical power generation equipment used primarily for production agriculture.

This item (7) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-75.

(8) Until June 30, 2013, fuel and petroleum products sold to or used by an air common carrier, certified by the carrier to be used for consumption, shipment, or storage in the conduct of its business as an air common carrier, for a flight destined for or returning from a location or locations outside the United States without regard to previous or subsequent domestic stopovers.

Beginning July 1, 2013, fuel and petroleum products sold to or used by an air carrier, certified by the carrier to be used for consumption, shipment, or storage in the conduct of its business as an air common carrier, for a flight that (i) is engaged in foreign trade or is engaged in trade between the United States and any of its possessions and (ii) transports at least one individual or package for hire from the city of origination to the city of final destination on the same aircraft, without regard to a change in the flight number of that aircraft.

(9) Proceeds of mandatory service charges separately stated on customers' bills for the purchase and consumption of food and beverages acquired as an incident to the purchase of a service from a serviceman, to the extent that the proceeds of the service charge are in fact turned over as tips or as a substitute for tips to the employees who participate directly in preparing, serving, hosting or cleaning up the food or beverage function with respect to which the service charge is imposed.

(10) Until July 1, 2003, oil field exploration, drilling, and production equipment, including (i) rigs and parts of rigs, rotary rigs, cable tool rigs, and workover rigs, (ii) pipe and tubular goods, including casing and drill strings, (iii) pumps and pump-jack units, (iv) storage tanks and flow lines, (v) any individual replacement part for oil field exploration, drilling, and production equipment, and (vi) machinery and equipment purchased for lease; but excluding motor vehicles required to be registered under the Illinois Vehicle Code.

(11) Proceeds from the sale of photoprocessing machinery and equipment, including repair and replacement parts, both new and used, including that manufactured on special order, certified by the purchaser to be used primarily for photoprocessing, and including photoprocessing machinery and equipment purchased for lease.

(12) Until July 1, 2028, coal and aggregate exploration, mining, off-highway hauling, processing, maintenance, and reclamation equipment, including replacement parts and equipment, and including equipment purchased for lease, but excluding motor vehicles required to be registered under the Illinois Vehicle Code. The changes made to this Section by Public Act 97-767 apply on and after July 1, 2003, but no claim for credit or refund is allowed on or after August 16, 2013 (the effective date of Public Act 98-456) for such taxes paid during the period beginning July 1, 2003 and ending on August 16, 2013 (the effective date of Public Act 98-456).

(13) Semen used for artificial insemination of livestock for direct agricultural production.

(14) Horses, or interests in horses, registered with and meeting the requirements of any of the Arabian Horse Club Registry of America, Appaloosa Horse Club, American Quarter Horse Association, United States Trotting Association, or Jockey Club, as appropriate, used for purposes of breeding or racing for prizes. This item (14) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-75, and the exemption provided for under this item (14) applies for all periods beginning May 30, 1995, but no claim for credit or refund is allowed on or after January 1, 2008 (the effective date of Public Act 95-88) for such taxes paid during the period beginning May 30, 2000 and ending on January 1, 2008 (the effective date of Public Act 95-88).

(15) Computers and communications equipment utilized for any hospital purpose and equipment used in the diagnosis, analysis, or treatment of hospital patients purchased by a lessor who leases the equipment, under a lease of one year or longer executed or in effect at the time the lessor would otherwise be subject to the tax imposed by this Act, to a hospital that has been issued an active tax exemption identification number by the Department under Section 1g of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. If the equipment is leased in a manner that does not qualify for this exemption or is used in any other non-exempt manner, the lessor shall be liable for the tax imposed under this Act or the Use Tax Act, as the case may be, based on the fair market value of the property at the time the non-qualifying use occurs. No lessor shall collect or attempt to collect an amount (however designated) that purports to reimburse that lessor for the tax imposed by this Act or the Use Tax Act, as the case may be, if the tax has not been paid by the lessor. If a lessor improperly collects any such amount from the lessee, the lessee shall have a legal right to claim a refund of that amount from the lessor. If, however, that amount is not refunded to the lessee for any reason, the lessor is liable to pay that amount to the Department.

(16) Personal property purchased by a lessor who leases the property, under a lease of one year or longer executed or in effect at the time the lessor would otherwise be subject to the tax imposed by this Act, to a governmental body that has been issued an active tax exemption identification number by the Department under Section 1g of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. If the property is leased in a manner that does not qualify for this exemption or is used in any other non-exempt manner, the lessor shall be liable for the tax imposed under this Act or the Use Tax Act, as the case may be, based on the fair market value of the property at the time the non-qualifying use occurs. No lessor shall collect or attempt to collect an amount (however designated) that purports to reimburse that lessor for the tax imposed by this Act or the Use Tax Act, as the case may be, if the tax has not been paid by the lessor. If a lessor improperly collects any such amount from the lessee, the lessee shall have a legal right to claim a refund of that amount from the lessor. If, however, that amount is not refunded to the lessee for any reason, the lessor is liable to pay that amount to the Department.

(17) Beginning with taxable years ending on or after December 31, 1995 and ending with taxable years ending on or before December 31, 2004, personal property that is donated for disaster relief to be used in a State or federally declared disaster area in Illinois or bordering Illinois by a manufacturer or retailer that is registered in this State to a corporation, society, association, foundation, or institution that has been issued a sales tax exemption identification number by the Department that assists victims of the disaster who reside within the declared disaster area.

(18) Beginning with taxable years ending on or after December 31, 1995 and ending with taxable years ending on or before December 31, 2004, personal property that is used in the performance of infrastructure repairs in this State, including, but not limited to, municipal roads and streets, access roads, bridges, sidewalks, waste disposal systems, water and sewer line extensions, water distribution and purification facilities, storm water drainage and retention facilities, and sewage treatment facilities, resulting from a State or federally declared disaster in Illinois or bordering Illinois when such repairs are initiated on facilities located in the declared disaster area within 6 months after the disaster.

(19) Beginning July 1, 1999, game or game birds purchased at a "game breeding and hunting preserve area" as that term is used in the Wildlife Code. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-75.

(20) A motor vehicle, as that term is defined in Section 1-146 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, that is donated to a corporation, limited liability company, society, association, foundation, or institution that is determined by the Department to be organized and operated exclusively for educational purposes. For purposes of this exemption, "a corporation, limited liability company, society, association, foundation, or institution organized and operated exclusively for educational purposes" means all tax-supported public schools, private schools that offer systematic instruction in useful branches of learning by methods common to public schools and that compare favorably in their scope and intensity with the course of study presented in tax-supported schools, and vocational or technical schools or institutes organized and operated exclusively to provide a course of study of not less than 6 weeks duration and designed to prepare individuals to follow a trade or to pursue a manual, technical, mechanical, industrial, business, or commercial occupation.

(21) Beginning January 1, 2000, personal property, including food, purchased through fundraising events for the benefit of a public or private elementary or secondary school, a group of those schools, or one or more school districts if the events are sponsored by an entity recognized by the school district that consists primarily of volunteers and includes parents and teachers of the school children. This paragraph does not apply to fundraising events (i) for the benefit of private home instruction or (ii) for which the fundraising entity purchases the personal property sold at the events from another individual or entity that sold the property for the purpose of resale by the fundraising entity and that profits from the sale to the fundraising entity. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-75.

(22) Beginning January 1, 2000 and through December 31, 2001, new or used automatic vending machines that prepare and serve hot food and beverages, including coffee, soup, and other items, and replacement parts for these machines. Beginning January 1, 2002 and through June 30, 2003, machines and parts for machines used in commercial, coin-operated amusement and vending business if a use or occupation tax is paid on the gross receipts derived from the use of the commercial, coin-operated amusement and vending machines. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-75.

(23) Beginning August 23, 2001 and through June 30, 2016, food for human consumption that is to be consumed off the premises where it is sold (other than alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, and food that has been prepared for immediate consumption) and prescription and nonprescription medicines, drugs, medical appliances, and insulin, urine testing materials, syringes, and needles used by diabetics, for human use, when purchased for use by a person receiving medical assistance under Article V of the Illinois Public Aid Code who resides in a licensed long-term care facility, as defined in the Nursing Home Care Act, or in a licensed facility as defined in the ID/DD Community Care Act, the MC/DD Act, or the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013.

(24) Beginning on August 2, 2001 (the effective date of Public Act 92-227), computers and communications equipment utilized for any hospital purpose and equipment used in the diagnosis, analysis, or treatment of hospital patients purchased by a lessor who leases the equipment, under a lease of one year or longer executed or in effect at the time the lessor would otherwise be subject to the tax imposed by this Act, to a hospital that has been issued an active tax exemption identification number by the Department under Section 1g of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. If the equipment is leased in a manner that does not qualify for this exemption or is used in any other nonexempt manner, the lessor shall be liable for the tax imposed under this Act or the Use Tax Act, as the case may be, based on the fair market value of the property at the time the nonqualifying use occurs. No lessor shall collect or attempt to collect an amount (however designated) that purports to reimburse that lessor for the tax imposed by this Act or the Use Tax Act, as the case may be, if the tax has not been paid by the lessor. If a lessor improperly collects any such amount from the lessee, the lessee shall have a legal right to claim a refund of that amount from the lessor. If, however, that amount is not refunded to the lessee for any reason, the lessor is liable to pay that amount to the Department. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-75.

(25) Beginning on August 2, 2001 (the effective date of Public Act 92-227), personal property purchased by a lessor who leases the property, under a lease of one year or longer executed or in effect at the time the lessor would otherwise be subject to the tax imposed by this Act, to a governmental body that has been issued an active tax exemption identification number by the Department under Section 1g of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. If the property is leased in a manner that does not qualify for this exemption or is used in any other nonexempt manner, the lessor shall be liable for the tax imposed under this Act or the Use Tax Act, as the case may be, based on the fair market value of the property at the time the nonqualifying use occurs. No lessor shall collect or attempt to collect an amount (however designated) that purports to reimburse that lessor for the tax imposed by this Act or the Use Tax Act, as the case may be, if the tax has not been paid by the lessor. If a lessor improperly collects any such amount from the lessee, the lessee shall have a legal right to claim a refund of that amount from the lessor. If, however, that amount is not refunded to the lessee for any reason, the lessor is liable to pay that amount to the Department. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-75.

(26) Beginning January 1, 2008, tangible personal property used in the construction or maintenance of a community water supply, as defined under Section 3.145 of the Environmental Protection Act, that is operated by a not-for-profit corporation that holds a valid water supply permit issued under Title IV of the Environmental Protection Act. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-75.

(27) Beginning January 1, 2010 and continuing through December 31, 2029, materials, parts, equipment, components, and furnishings incorporated into or upon an aircraft as part of the modification, refurbishment, completion, replacement, repair, or maintenance of the aircraft. This exemption includes consumable supplies used in the modification, refurbishment, completion, replacement, repair, and maintenance of aircraft. However, until January 1, 2024, this exemption excludes any materials, parts, equipment, components, and consumable supplies used in the modification, replacement, repair, and maintenance of aircraft engines or power plants, whether such engines or power plants are installed or uninstalled upon any such aircraft. "Consumable supplies" include, but are not limited to, adhesive, tape, sandpaper, general purpose lubricants, cleaning solution, latex gloves, and protective films.

Beginning January 1, 2010 and continuing through December 31, 2023, this exemption applies only to the use of qualifying tangible personal property transferred incident to the modification, refurbishment, completion, replacement, repair, or maintenance of aircraft by persons who (i) hold an Air Agency Certificate and are empowered to operate an approved repair station by the Federal Aviation Administration, (ii) have a Class IV Rating, and (iii) conduct operations in accordance with Part 145 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. From January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2029, this exemption applies only to the use of qualifying tangible personal property transferred incident to: (A) the modification, refurbishment, completion, repair, replacement, or maintenance of an aircraft by persons who (i) hold an Air Agency Certificate and are empowered to operate an approved repair station by the Federal Aviation Administration, (ii) have a Class IV Rating, and (iii) conduct operations in accordance with Part 145 of the Federal Aviation Regulations; and (B) the modification, replacement, repair, and maintenance of aircraft engines or power plants without regard to whether or not those persons meet the qualifications of item (A).

The exemption does not include aircraft operated by a commercial air carrier providing scheduled passenger air service pursuant to authority issued under Part 121 or Part 129 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. The changes made to this paragraph (27) by Public Act 98-534 are declarative of existing law. It is the intent of the General Assembly that the exemption under this paragraph (27) applies continuously from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2024; however, no claim for credit or refund is allowed for taxes paid as a result of the disallowance of this exemption on or after January 1, 2015 and prior to February 5, 2020 (the effective date of Public Act 101-629).

(28) Tangible personal property purchased by a public-facilities corporation, as described in Section 11-65-10 of the Illinois Municipal Code, for purposes of constructing or furnishing a municipal convention hall, but only if the legal title to the municipal convention hall is transferred to the municipality without any further consideration by or on behalf of the municipality at the time of the completion of the municipal convention hall or upon the retirement or redemption of any bonds or other debt instruments issued by the public-facilities corporation in connection with the development of the municipal convention hall. This exemption includes existing public-facilities corporations as provided in Section 11-65-25 of the Illinois Municipal Code. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-75.

(29) Beginning January 1, 2017 and through December 31, 2026, menstrual pads, tampons, and menstrual cups.

(30) Tangible personal property transferred to a purchaser who is exempt from the tax imposed by this Act by operation of federal law. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-75.

(31) Qualified tangible personal property used in the construction or operation of a data center that has been granted a certificate of exemption by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, whether that tangible personal property is purchased by the owner, operator, or tenant of the data center or by a contractor or subcontractor of the owner, operator, or tenant. Data centers that would have qualified for a certificate of exemption prior to January 1, 2020 had Public Act 101-31 been in effect, may apply for and obtain an exemption for subsequent purchases of computer equipment or enabling software purchased or leased to upgrade, supplement, or replace computer equipment or enabling software purchased or leased in the original investment that would have qualified.

The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall grant a certificate of exemption under this item (31) to qualified data centers as defined by Section 605-1025 of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois.

For the purposes of this item (31):

"Data center" means a building or a series of buildings rehabilitated or constructed to house working servers in one physical location or multiple sites within the State of Illinois.

"Qualified tangible personal property" means: electrical systems and equipment; climate control and chilling equipment and systems; mechanical systems and equipment; monitoring and secure systems; emergency generators; hardware; computers; servers; data storage devices; network connectivity equipment; racks; cabinets; telecommunications cabling infrastructure; raised floor systems; peripheral components or systems; software; mechanical, electrical, or plumbing systems; battery systems; cooling systems and towers; temperature control systems; other cabling; and other data center infrastructure equipment and systems necessary to operate qualified tangible personal property, including fixtures; and component parts of any of the foregoing, including installation, maintenance, repair, refurbishment, and replacement of qualified tangible personal property to generate, transform, transmit, distribute, or manage electricity necessary to operate qualified tangible personal property; and all other tangible personal property that is essential to the operations of a computer data center. The term "qualified tangible personal property" also includes building materials physically incorporated into the qualifying data center. To document the exemption allowed under this Section, the retailer must obtain from the purchaser a copy of the certificate of eligibility issued by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

This item (31) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-75.

(32) Beginning July 1, 2022, breast pumps, breast pump collection and storage supplies, and breast pump kits. This item (32) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-75. As used in this item (32):

"Breast pump" means an electrically controlled or manually controlled pump device designed or marketed to be used to express milk from a human breast during lactation, including the pump device and any battery, AC adapter, or other power supply unit that is used to power the pump device and is packaged and sold with the pump device at the time of sale.

"Breast pump collection and storage supplies" means items of tangible personal property designed or marketed to be used in conjunction with a breast pump to collect milk expressed from a human breast and to store collected milk until it is ready for consumption.

"Breast pump collection and storage supplies" includes, but is not limited to: breast shields and breast shield connectors; breast pump tubes and tubing adapters; breast pump valves and membranes; backflow protectors and backflow protector adaptors; bottles and bottle caps specific to the operation of the breast pump; and breast milk storage bags.

"Breast pump collection and storage supplies" does not include: (1) bottles and bottle caps not specific to the operation of the breast pump; (2) breast pump travel bags and other similar carrying accessories, including ice packs, labels, and other similar products; (3) breast pump cleaning supplies; (4) nursing bras, bra pads, breast shells, and other similar products; and (5) creams, ointments, and other similar products that relieve breastfeeding-related symptoms or conditions of the breasts or nipples, unless sold as part of a breast pump kit that is pre-packaged by the breast pump manufacturer or distributor.

"Breast pump kit" means a kit that: (1) contains no more than a breast pump, breast pump collection and storage supplies, a rechargeable battery for operating the breast pump, a breastmilk cooler, bottle stands, ice packs, and a breast pump carrying case; and (2) is pre-packaged as a breast pump kit by the breast pump manufacturer or distributor.

(33) Tangible personal property sold by or on behalf of the State Treasurer pursuant to the Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act. This item (33) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-75.

(34) Beginning on January 1, 2024, tangible personal property purchased by an active duty member of the armed forces of the United States who presents valid military identification and purchases the property using a form of payment where the federal government is the payor. The member of the armed forces must complete, at the point of sale, a form prescribed by the Department of Revenue documenting that the transaction is eligible for the exemption under this paragraph. Retailers must keep the form as documentation of the exemption in their records for a period of not less than 6 years. "Armed forces of the United States" means the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-75.

(35) Beginning July 1, 2024, home-delivered meals provided to Medicare or Medicaid recipients when payment is made by an intermediary, such as a Medicare Administrative Contractor, a Managed Care Organization, or a Medicare Advantage Organization, pursuant to a government contract. This paragraph (35) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-75.

(36) Beginning on January 1, 2026, as further defined in Section 3-10, food prepared for immediate consumption and transferred incident to a sale of service subject to this Act or the Service Occupation Tax Act by an entity licensed under the Hospital Licensing Act, the Nursing Home Care Act, the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act, the ID/DD Community Care Act, the MC/DD Act, the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013, or the Child Care Act of 1969 or by an entity that holds a permit issued pursuant to the Life Care Facilities Act. This item (36) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-75.

(37) Beginning on January 1, 2026, as further defined in Section 3-10, food for human consumption that is to be consumed off the premises where it is sold (other than alcoholic beverages, food consisting of or infused with adult use cannabis, soft drinks, candy, and food that has been prepared for immediate consumption). This item (37) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-75.

(38) Use by a lessee of the following leased tangible personal property:

(1) software transferred subject to a license that meets the following requirements:

(A) it is evidenced by a written agreement signed by the licensor and the customer;

(i) an electronic agreement in which the customer accepts the license by means of an electronic signature that is verifiable and can be authenticated and is attached to or made part of the license will comply with this requirement;

(ii) a license agreement in which the customer electronically accepts the terms by clicking "I agree" does not comply with this requirement;

(B) it restricts the customer's duplication and use of the software;

(C) it prohibits the customer from licensing, sublicensing, or transferring the software to a third party (except to a related party) without the permission and continued control of the licensor;

(D) the licensor has a policy of providing another copy at minimal or no charge if the customer loses or damages the software, or of permitting the licensee to make and keep an archival copy, and such policy is either stated in the license agreement, supported by the licensor's books and records, or supported by a notarized statement made under penalties of perjury by the licensor; and

(E) the customer must destroy or return all copies of the software to the licensor at the end of the license period; this provision is deemed to be met, in the case of a perpetual license, without being set forth in the license agreement; and

(2) property that is subject to a tax on lease receipts imposed by a home rule unit of local government if the ordinance imposing that tax was adopted prior to January 1, 2023.

(39) Beginning on January 1, 2027, tangible personal property that is eligible property, as defined in the District Energy and Thermal Energy Storage Parity Act, and that is purchased for incorporation into or primarily used for the construction, installation, or operation of Qualified District Energy Infrastructure or Dispatchable Thermal Energy Storage, as defined by the District Energy and Thermal Energy Storage Parity Act. This item (39) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-75.

(Source: P.A. 103-9, Article 5, Section 5-10, eff. 6-7-23; 103-9, Article 15, Section 15-10, eff. 6-7-23; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23; 103-384, eff. 1-1-24; 103-592, eff. 1-1-25; 103-605, eff. 7-1-24; 103-643, eff. 7-1-24; 103-746, eff. 1-1-25; 103-781, eff. 8-5-24; 103-995, eff. 8-9-24; 104-417, eff. 8-15-25.)

Section 115. The Service Occupation Tax Act is amended by changing Section 3-5 as follows:

(35 ILCS 115/3-5)

Sec. 3-5. Exemptions. The following tangible personal property is exempt from the tax imposed by this Act:

(1) Personal property sold by a corporation, society, association, foundation, institution, or organization, other than a limited liability company, that is organized and operated as a not-for-profit service enterprise for the benefit of persons 65 years of age or older if the personal property was not purchased by the enterprise for the purpose of resale by the enterprise.

(2) Personal property purchased by a not-for-profit Illinois county fair association for use in conducting, operating, or promoting the county fair.

(3) Personal property purchased by any not-for-profit arts or cultural organization that establishes, by proof required by the Department by rule, that it has received an exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and that is organized and operated primarily for the presentation or support of arts or cultural programming, activities, or services. These organizations include, but are not limited to, music and dramatic arts organizations such as symphony orchestras and theatrical groups, arts and cultural service organizations, local arts councils, visual arts organizations, and media arts organizations. On and after July 1, 2001 (the effective date of Public Act 92-35), however, an entity otherwise eligible for this exemption shall not make tax-free purchases unless it has an active identification number issued by the Department.

(4) Legal tender, currency, medallions, or gold or silver coinage issued by the State of Illinois, the government of the United States of America, or the government of any foreign country, and bullion.

(5) Until July 1, 2003 and beginning again on September 1, 2004 through August 30, 2014, graphic arts machinery and equipment, including repair and replacement parts, both new and used, and including that manufactured on special order or purchased for lease, certified by the purchaser to be used primarily for graphic arts production. Equipment includes chemicals or chemicals acting as catalysts but only if the chemicals or chemicals acting as catalysts effect a direct and immediate change upon a graphic arts product. Beginning on July 1, 2017, graphic arts machinery and equipment is included in the manufacturing and assembling machinery and equipment exemption under Section 2 of this Act.

(6) Personal property sold by a teacher-sponsored student organization affiliated with an elementary or secondary school located in Illinois.

(7) Farm machinery and equipment, both new and used, including that manufactured on special order, certified by the purchaser to be used primarily for production agriculture or State or federal agricultural programs, including individual replacement parts for the machinery and equipment, including machinery and equipment purchased for lease, and including implements of husbandry defined in Section 1-130 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, farm machinery and agricultural chemical and fertilizer spreaders, and nurse wagons required to be registered under Section 3-809 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, but excluding other motor vehicles required to be registered under the Illinois Vehicle Code. Horticultural polyhouses or hoop houses used for propagating, growing, or overwintering plants shall be considered farm machinery and equipment under this item (7). Agricultural chemical tender tanks and dry boxes shall include units sold separately from a motor vehicle required to be licensed and units sold mounted on a motor vehicle required to be licensed if the selling price of the tender is separately stated.

Farm machinery and equipment shall include precision farming equipment that is installed or purchased to be installed on farm machinery and equipment, including, but not limited to, tractors, harvesters, sprayers, planters, seeders, or spreaders. Precision farming equipment includes, but is not limited to, soil testing sensors, computers, monitors, software, global positioning and mapping systems, and other such equipment.

Farm machinery and equipment also includes computers, sensors, software, and related equipment used primarily in the computer-assisted operation of production agriculture facilities, equipment, and activities such as, but not limited to, the collection, monitoring, and correlation of animal and crop data for the purpose of formulating animal diets and agricultural chemicals.

Beginning on January 1, 2024, farm machinery and equipment also includes electrical power generation equipment used primarily for production agriculture.

This item (7) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-55.

(8) Until June 30, 2013, fuel and petroleum products sold to or used by an air common carrier, certified by the carrier to be used for consumption, shipment, or storage in the conduct of its business as an air common carrier, for a flight destined for or returning from a location or locations outside the United States without regard to previous or subsequent domestic stopovers.

Beginning July 1, 2013, fuel and petroleum products sold to or used by an air carrier, certified by the carrier to be used for consumption, shipment, or storage in the conduct of its business as an air common carrier, for a flight that (i) is engaged in foreign trade or is engaged in trade between the United States and any of its possessions and (ii) transports at least one individual or package for hire from the city of origination to the city of final destination on the same aircraft, without regard to a change in the flight number of that aircraft.

(9) Proceeds of mandatory service charges separately stated on customers' bills for the purchase and consumption of food and beverages, to the extent that the proceeds of the service charge are in fact turned over as tips or as a substitute for tips to the employees who participate directly in preparing, serving, hosting or cleaning up the food or beverage function with respect to which the service charge is imposed.

(10) Until July 1, 2003, oil field exploration, drilling, and production equipment, including (i) rigs and parts of rigs, rotary rigs, cable tool rigs, and workover rigs, (ii) pipe and tubular goods, including casing and drill strings, (iii) pumps and pump-jack units, (iv) storage tanks and flow lines, (v) any individual replacement part for oil field exploration, drilling, and production equipment, and (vi) machinery and equipment purchased for lease; but excluding motor vehicles required to be registered under the Illinois Vehicle Code.

(11) Photoprocessing machinery and equipment, including repair and replacement parts, both new and used, including that manufactured on special order, certified by the purchaser to be used primarily for photoprocessing, and including photoprocessing machinery and equipment purchased for lease.

(12) Until July 1, 2028, coal and aggregate exploration, mining, off-highway hauling, processing, maintenance, and reclamation equipment, including replacement parts and equipment, and including equipment purchased for lease, but excluding motor vehicles required to be registered under the Illinois Vehicle Code. The changes made to this Section by Public Act 97-767 apply on and after July 1, 2003, but no claim for credit or refund is allowed on or after August 16, 2013 (the effective date of Public Act 98-456) for such taxes paid during the period beginning July 1, 2003 and ending on August 16, 2013 (the effective date of Public Act 98-456).

(13) Beginning January 1, 1992 and through June 30, 2016, food for human consumption that is to be consumed off the premises where it is sold (other than alcoholic beverages, soft drinks and food that has been prepared for immediate consumption) and prescription and non-prescription medicines, drugs, medical appliances, and insulin, urine testing materials, syringes, and needles used by diabetics, for human use, when purchased for use by a person receiving medical assistance under Article V of the Illinois Public Aid Code who resides in a licensed long-term care facility, as defined in the Nursing Home Care Act, or in a licensed facility as defined in the ID/DD Community Care Act, the MC/DD Act, or the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013.

(14) Semen used for artificial insemination of livestock for direct agricultural production.

(15) Horses, or interests in horses, registered with and meeting the requirements of any of the Arabian Horse Club Registry of America, Appaloosa Horse Club, American Quarter Horse Association, United States Trotting Association, or Jockey Club, as appropriate, used for purposes of breeding or racing for prizes. This item (15) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-55, and the exemption provided for under this item (15) applies for all periods beginning May 30, 1995, but no claim for credit or refund is allowed on or after January 1, 2008 (the effective date of Public Act 95-88) for such taxes paid during the period beginning May 30, 2000 and ending on January 1, 2008 (the effective date of Public Act 95-88).

(16) Computers and communications equipment utilized for any hospital purpose and equipment used in the diagnosis, analysis, or treatment of hospital patients sold to a lessor who leases the equipment, under a lease of one year or longer executed or in effect at the time of the purchase, to a hospital that has been issued an active tax exemption identification number by the Department under Section 1g of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act.

(17) Personal property sold to a lessor who leases the property, under a lease of one year or longer executed or in effect at the time of the purchase, to a governmental body that has been issued an active tax exemption identification number by the Department under Section 1g of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act.

(18) Beginning with taxable years ending on or after December 31, 1995 and ending with taxable years ending on or before December 31, 2004, personal property that is donated for disaster relief to be used in a State or federally declared disaster area in Illinois or bordering Illinois by a manufacturer or retailer that is registered in this State to a corporation, society, association, foundation, or institution that has been issued a sales tax exemption identification number by the Department that assists victims of the disaster who reside within the declared disaster area.

(19) Beginning with taxable years ending on or after December 31, 1995 and ending with taxable years ending on or before December 31, 2004, personal property that is used in the performance of infrastructure repairs in this State, including, but not limited to, municipal roads and streets, access roads, bridges, sidewalks, waste disposal systems, water and sewer line extensions, water distribution and purification facilities, storm water drainage and retention facilities, and sewage treatment facilities, resulting from a State or federally declared disaster in Illinois or bordering Illinois when such repairs are initiated on facilities located in the declared disaster area within 6 months after the disaster.

(20) Beginning July 1, 1999, game or game birds sold at a "game breeding and hunting preserve area" as that term is used in the Wildlife Code. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-55.

(21) A motor vehicle, as that term is defined in Section 1-146 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, that is donated to a corporation, limited liability company, society, association, foundation, or institution that is determined by the Department to be organized and operated exclusively for educational purposes. For purposes of this exemption, "a corporation, limited liability company, society, association, foundation, or institution organized and operated exclusively for educational purposes" means all tax-supported public schools, private schools that offer systematic instruction in useful branches of learning by methods common to public schools and that compare favorably in their scope and intensity with the course of study presented in tax-supported schools, and vocational or technical schools or institutes organized and operated exclusively to provide a course of study of not less than 6 weeks duration and designed to prepare individuals to follow a trade or to pursue a manual, technical, mechanical, industrial, business, or commercial occupation.

(22) Beginning January 1, 2000, personal property, including food, purchased through fundraising events for the benefit of a public or private elementary or secondary school, a group of those schools, or one or more school districts if the events are sponsored by an entity recognized by the school district that consists primarily of volunteers and includes parents and teachers of the school children. This paragraph does not apply to fundraising events (i) for the benefit of private home instruction or (ii) for which the fundraising entity purchases the personal property sold at the events from another individual or entity that sold the property for the purpose of resale by the fundraising entity and that profits from the sale to the fundraising entity. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-55.

(23) Beginning January 1, 2000 and through December 31, 2001, new or used automatic vending machines that prepare and serve hot food and beverages, including coffee, soup, and other items, and replacement parts for these machines. Beginning January 1, 2002 and through June 30, 2003, machines and parts for machines used in commercial, coin-operated amusement and vending business if a use or occupation tax is paid on the gross receipts derived from the use of the commercial, coin-operated amusement and vending machines. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-55.

(24) Beginning on August 2, 2001 (the effective date of Public Act 92-227), computers and communications equipment utilized for any hospital purpose and equipment used in the diagnosis, analysis, or treatment of hospital patients sold to a lessor who leases the equipment, under a lease of one year or longer executed or in effect at the time of the purchase, to a hospital that has been issued an active tax exemption identification number by the Department under Section 1g of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-55.

(25) Beginning on August 2, 2001 (the effective date of Public Act 92-227), personal property sold to a lessor who leases the property, under a lease of one year or longer executed or in effect at the time of the purchase, to a governmental body that has been issued an active tax exemption identification number by the Department under Section 1g of the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-55.

(26) Beginning on January 1, 2002 and through June 30, 2016, tangible personal property purchased from an Illinois retailer by a taxpayer engaged in centralized purchasing activities in Illinois who will, upon receipt of the property in Illinois, temporarily store the property in Illinois (i) for the purpose of subsequently transporting it outside this State for use or consumption thereafter solely outside this State or (ii) for the purpose of being processed, fabricated, or manufactured into, attached to, or incorporated into other tangible personal property to be transported outside this State and thereafter used or consumed solely outside this State. The Director of Revenue shall, pursuant to rules adopted in accordance with the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, issue a permit to any taxpayer in good standing with the Department who is eligible for the exemption under this paragraph (26). The permit issued under this paragraph (26) shall authorize the holder, to the extent and in the manner specified in the rules adopted under this Act, to purchase tangible personal property from a retailer exempt from the taxes imposed by this Act. Taxpayers shall maintain all necessary books and records to substantiate the use and consumption of all such tangible personal property outside of the State of Illinois.

(27) Beginning January 1, 2008, tangible personal property used in the construction or maintenance of a community water supply, as defined under Section 3.145 of the Environmental Protection Act, that is operated by a not-for-profit corporation that holds a valid water supply permit issued under Title IV of the Environmental Protection Act. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-55.

(28) Tangible personal property sold to a public-facilities corporation, as described in Section 11-65-10 of the Illinois Municipal Code, for purposes of constructing or furnishing a municipal convention hall, but only if the legal title to the municipal convention hall is transferred to the municipality without any further consideration by or on behalf of the municipality at the time of the completion of the municipal convention hall or upon the retirement or redemption of any bonds or other debt instruments issued by the public-facilities corporation in connection with the development of the municipal convention hall. This exemption includes existing public-facilities corporations as provided in Section 11-65-25 of the Illinois Municipal Code. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-55.

(29) Beginning January 1, 2010 and continuing through December 31, 2029, materials, parts, equipment, components, and furnishings incorporated into or upon an aircraft as part of the modification, refurbishment, completion, replacement, repair, or maintenance of the aircraft. This exemption includes consumable supplies used in the modification, refurbishment, completion, replacement, repair, and maintenance of aircraft. However, until January 1, 2024, this exemption excludes any materials, parts, equipment, components, and consumable supplies used in the modification, replacement, repair, and maintenance of aircraft engines or power plants, whether such engines or power plants are installed or uninstalled upon any such aircraft. "Consumable supplies" include, but are not limited to, adhesive, tape, sandpaper, general purpose lubricants, cleaning solution, latex gloves, and protective films.

Beginning January 1, 2010 and continuing through December 31, 2023, this exemption applies only to the transfer of qualifying tangible personal property incident to the modification, refurbishment, completion, replacement, repair, or maintenance of an aircraft by persons who (i) hold an Air Agency Certificate and are empowered to operate an approved repair station by the Federal Aviation Administration, (ii) have a Class IV Rating, and (iii) conduct operations in accordance with Part 145 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. The exemption does not include aircraft operated by a commercial air carrier providing scheduled passenger air service pursuant to authority issued under Part 121 or Part 129 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. From January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2029, this exemption applies only to the transfer of qualifying tangible personal property incident to: (A) the modification, refurbishment, completion, repair, replacement, or maintenance of an aircraft by persons who (i) hold an Air Agency Certificate and are empowered to operate an approved repair station by the Federal Aviation Administration, (ii) have a Class IV Rating, and (iii) conduct operations in accordance with Part 145 of the Federal Aviation Regulations; and (B) the modification, replacement, repair, and maintenance of aircraft engines or power plants without regard to whether or not those persons meet the qualifications of item (A).

The changes made to this paragraph (29) by Public Act 98-534 are declarative of existing law. It is the intent of the General Assembly that the exemption under this paragraph (29) applies continuously from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2024; however, no claim for credit or refund is allowed for taxes paid as a result of the disallowance of this exemption on or after January 1, 2015 and prior to February 5, 2020 (the effective date of Public Act 101-629).

(30) Beginning January 1, 2017 and through December 31, 2026, menstrual pads, tampons, and menstrual cups.

(31) Tangible personal property transferred to a purchaser who is exempt from tax by operation of federal law. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-55.

(32) Qualified tangible personal property used in the construction or operation of a data center that has been granted a certificate of exemption by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, whether that tangible personal property is purchased by the owner, operator, or tenant of the data center or by a contractor or subcontractor of the owner, operator, or tenant. Data centers that would have qualified for a certificate of exemption prior to January 1, 2020 had Public Act 101-31 been in effect, may apply for and obtain an exemption for subsequent purchases of computer equipment or enabling software purchased or leased to upgrade, supplement, or replace computer equipment or enabling software purchased or leased in the original investment that would have qualified.

The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall grant a certificate of exemption under this item (32) to qualified data centers as defined by Section 605-1025 of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois.

For the purposes of this item (32):

"Data center" means a building or a series of buildings rehabilitated or constructed to house working servers in one physical location or multiple sites within the State of Illinois.

"Qualified tangible personal property" means: electrical systems and equipment; climate control and chilling equipment and systems; mechanical systems and equipment; monitoring and secure systems; emergency generators; hardware; computers; servers; data storage devices; network connectivity equipment; racks; cabinets; telecommunications cabling infrastructure; raised floor systems; peripheral components or systems; software; mechanical, electrical, or plumbing systems; battery systems; cooling systems and towers; temperature control systems; other cabling; and other data center infrastructure equipment and systems necessary to operate qualified tangible personal property, including fixtures; and component parts of any of the foregoing, including installation, maintenance, repair, refurbishment, and replacement of qualified tangible personal property to generate, transform, transmit, distribute, or manage electricity necessary to operate qualified tangible personal property; and all other tangible personal property that is essential to the operations of a computer data center. The term "qualified tangible personal property" also includes building materials physically incorporated into the qualifying data center. To document the exemption allowed under this Section, the retailer must obtain from the purchaser a copy of the certificate of eligibility issued by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

This item (32) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-55.

(33) Beginning July 1, 2022, breast pumps, breast pump collection and storage supplies, and breast pump kits. This item (33) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-55. As used in this item (33):

"Breast pump" means an electrically controlled or manually controlled pump device designed or marketed to be used to express milk from a human breast during lactation, including the pump device and any battery, AC adapter, or other power supply unit that is used to power the pump device and is packaged and sold with the pump device at the time of sale.

"Breast pump collection and storage supplies" means items of tangible personal property designed or marketed to be used in conjunction with a breast pump to collect milk expressed from a human breast and to store collected milk until it is ready for consumption.

"Breast pump collection and storage supplies" includes, but is not limited to: breast shields and breast shield connectors; breast pump tubes and tubing adapters; breast pump valves and membranes; backflow protectors and backflow protector adaptors; bottles and bottle caps specific to the operation of the breast pump; and breast milk storage bags.

"Breast pump collection and storage supplies" does not include: (1) bottles and bottle caps not specific to the operation of the breast pump; (2) breast pump travel bags and other similar carrying accessories, including ice packs, labels, and other similar products; (3) breast pump cleaning supplies; (4) nursing bras, bra pads, breast shells, and other similar products; and (5) creams, ointments, and other similar products that relieve breastfeeding-related symptoms or conditions of the breasts or nipples, unless sold as part of a breast pump kit that is pre-packaged by the breast pump manufacturer or distributor.

"Breast pump kit" means a kit that: (1) contains no more than a breast pump, breast pump collection and storage supplies, a rechargeable battery for operating the breast pump, a breastmilk cooler, bottle stands, ice packs, and a breast pump carrying case; and (2) is pre-packaged as a breast pump kit by the breast pump manufacturer or distributor.

(34) Tangible personal property sold by or on behalf of the State Treasurer pursuant to the Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act. This item (34) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-55.

(35) Beginning on January 1, 2024, tangible personal property purchased by an active duty member of the armed forces of the United States who presents valid military identification and purchases the property using a form of payment where the federal government is the payor. The member of the armed forces must complete, at the point of sale, a form prescribed by the Department of Revenue documenting that the transaction is eligible for the exemption under this paragraph. Retailers must keep the form as documentation of the exemption in their records for a period of not less than 6 years. "Armed forces of the United States" means the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-55.

(36) Beginning July 1, 2024, home-delivered meals provided to Medicare or Medicaid recipients when payment is made by an intermediary, such as a Medicare Administrative Contractor, a Managed Care Organization, or a Medicare Advantage Organization, pursuant to a government contract. This paragraph (36) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-55.

(37) Beginning on January 1, 2026, as further defined in Section 3-10, food prepared for immediate consumption and transferred incident to a sale of service subject to this Act or the Service Use Tax Act by an entity licensed under the Hospital Licensing Act, the Nursing Home Care Act, the Assisted Living and Shared Housing Act, the ID/DD Community Care Act, the MC/DD Act, the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013, or the Child Care Act of 1969 or by an entity that holds a permit issued pursuant to the Life Care Facilities Act. This item (37) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-55.

(38) Beginning on January 1, 2026, as further defined in Section 3-10, food for human consumption that is to be consumed off the premises where it is sold (other than alcoholic beverages, food consisting of or infused with adult use cannabis, soft drinks, candy, and food that has been prepared for immediate consumption). This item (38) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-55.

(39) The lease of the following tangible personal property:

(1) computer software transferred subject to a license that meets the following requirements:

(A) it is evidenced by a written agreement signed by the licensor and the customer;

(i) an electronic agreement in which the customer accepts the license by means of an electronic signature that is verifiable and can be authenticated and is attached to or made part of the license will comply with this requirement;

(ii) a license agreement in which the customer electronically accepts the terms by clicking "I agree" does not comply with this requirement;

(B) it restricts the customer's duplication and use of the software;

(C) it prohibits the customer from licensing, sublicensing, or transferring the software to a third party (except to a related party) without the permission and continued control of the licensor;

(D) the licensor has a policy of providing another copy at minimal or no charge if the customer loses or damages the software, or of permitting the licensee to make and keep an archival copy, and such policy is either stated in the license agreement, supported by the licensor's books and records, or supported by a notarized statement made under penalties of perjury by the licensor; and

(E) the customer must destroy or return all copies of the software to the licensor at the end of the license period; this provision is deemed to be met, in the case of a perpetual license, without being set forth in the license agreement; and

(2) property that is subject to a tax on lease receipts imposed by a home rule unit of local government if the ordinance imposing that tax was adopted prior to January 1, 2023.

(40) Beginning on January 1, 2027, tangible personal property that is eligible property, as defined in the District Energy and Thermal Energy Storage Parity Act, and that is purchased for incorporation into or primarily used for the construction, installation, or operation of Qualified District Energy Infrastructure or Dispatchable Thermal Energy Storage, as defined by the District Energy and Thermal Energy Storage Parity Act. This item (40) is exempt from the provisions of Section 3-55.

(Source: P.A. 103-9, Article 5, Section 5-15, eff. 6-7-23; 103-9, Article 15, Section 15-15, eff. 6-7-23; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23; 103-384, eff. 1-1-24; 103-592, eff. 1-1-25; 103-605, eff. 7-1-24; 103-643, eff. 7-1-24; 103-746, eff. 1-1-25; 103-781, eff. 8-5-24; 103-995, eff. 8-9-24; 104-417, eff. 8-15-25.)

Section 120. The Retailers' Occupation Tax Act is amended by changing Section 2-5 as follows:

(35 ILCS 120/2-5)

Sec. 2-5. Exemptions. Gross receipts from proceeds from the sale, which, on and after January 1, 2025, includes the lease, of the following tangible personal property are exempt from the tax imposed by this Act:

(1) Farm chemicals.

(2) Farm machinery and equipment, both new and used, including that manufactured on special order, certified by the purchaser to be used primarily for production agriculture or State or federal agricultural programs, including individual replacement parts for the machinery and equipment, including machinery and equipment purchased for lease, and including implements of husbandry defined in Section 1-130 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, farm machinery and agricultural chemical and fertilizer spreaders, and nurse wagons required to be registered under Section 3-809 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, but excluding other motor vehicles required to be registered under the Illinois Vehicle Code. Horticultural polyhouses or hoop houses used for propagating, growing, or overwintering plants shall be considered farm machinery and equipment under this item (2). Agricultural chemical tender tanks and dry boxes shall include units sold separately from a motor vehicle required to be licensed and units sold mounted on a motor vehicle required to be licensed, if the selling price of the tender is separately stated.

Farm machinery and equipment shall include precision farming equipment that is installed or purchased to be installed on farm machinery and equipment including, but not limited to, tractors, harvesters, sprayers, planters, seeders, or spreaders. Precision farming equipment includes, but is not limited to, soil testing sensors, computers, monitors, software, global positioning and mapping systems, and other such equipment.

Farm machinery and equipment also includes computers, sensors, software, and related equipment used primarily in the computer-assisted operation of production agriculture facilities, equipment, and activities such as, but not limited to, the collection, monitoring, and correlation of animal and crop data for the purpose of formulating animal diets and agricultural chemicals.

Beginning on January 1, 2024, farm machinery and equipment also includes electrical power generation equipment used primarily for production agriculture.

This item (2) is exempt from the provisions of Section 2-70.

(3) Until July 1, 2003, distillation machinery and equipment, sold as a unit or kit, assembled or installed by the retailer, certified by the user to be used only for the production of ethyl alcohol that will be used for consumption as motor fuel or as a component of motor fuel for the personal use of the user, and not subject to sale or resale.

(4) Until July 1, 2003 and beginning again September 1, 2004 through August 30, 2014, graphic arts machinery and equipment, including repair and replacement parts, both new and used, and including that manufactured on special order or purchased for lease, certified by the purchaser to be used primarily for graphic arts production. Equipment includes chemicals or chemicals acting as catalysts but only if the chemicals or chemicals acting as catalysts effect a direct and immediate change upon a graphic arts product. Beginning on July 1, 2017, graphic arts machinery and equipment is included in the manufacturing and assembling machinery and equipment exemption under paragraph (14).

(5) A motor vehicle that is used for automobile renting, as defined in the Automobile Renting Occupation and Use Tax Act. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 2-70.

(6) Personal property sold by a teacher-sponsored student organization affiliated with an elementary or secondary school located in Illinois.

(7) Until July 1, 2003, proceeds of that portion of the selling price of a passenger car the sale of which is subject to the Replacement Vehicle Tax.

(8) Personal property sold to an Illinois county fair association for use in conducting, operating, or promoting the county fair.

(9) Personal property sold to a not-for-profit arts or cultural organization that establishes, by proof required by the Department by rule, that it has received an exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and that is organized and operated primarily for the presentation or support of arts or cultural programming, activities, or services. These organizations include, but are not limited to, music and dramatic arts organizations such as symphony orchestras and theatrical groups, arts and cultural service organizations, local arts councils, visual arts organizations, and media arts organizations. On and after July 1, 2001 (the effective date of Public Act 92-35), however, an entity otherwise eligible for this exemption shall not make tax-free purchases unless it has an active identification number issued by the Department.

(10) Personal property sold by a corporation, society, association, foundation, institution, or organization, other than a limited liability company, that is organized and operated as a not-for-profit service enterprise for the benefit of persons 65 years of age or older if the personal property was not purchased by the enterprise for the purpose of resale by the enterprise.

(11) Except as otherwise provided in this Section, personal property sold to a governmental body, to a corporation, society, association, foundation, or institution organized and operated exclusively for charitable, religious, or educational purposes, or to a not-for-profit corporation, society, association, foundation, institution, or organization that has no compensated officers or employees and that is organized and operated primarily for the recreation of persons 55 years of age or older. A limited liability company may qualify for the exemption under this paragraph only if the limited liability company is organized and operated exclusively for educational purposes. On and after July 1, 1987, however, no entity otherwise eligible for this exemption shall make tax-free purchases unless it has an active identification number issued by the Department.

(12) (Blank).

(12-5) On and after July 1, 2003 and through June 30, 2004, motor vehicles of the second division with a gross vehicle weight in excess of 8,000 pounds that are subject to the commercial distribution fee imposed under Section 3-815.1 of the Illinois Vehicle Code. Beginning on July 1, 2004 and through June 30, 2005, the use in this State of motor vehicles of the second division: (i) with a gross vehicle weight rating in excess of 8,000 pounds; (ii) that are subject to the commercial distribution fee imposed under Section 3-815.1 of the Illinois Vehicle Code; and (iii) that are primarily used for commercial purposes. Through June 30, 2005, this exemption applies to repair and replacement parts added after the initial purchase of such a motor vehicle if that motor vehicle is used in a manner that would qualify for the rolling stock exemption otherwise provided for in this Act. For purposes of this paragraph, "used for commercial purposes" means the transportation of persons or property in furtherance of any commercial or industrial enterprise whether for-hire or not.

(13) Proceeds from sales to owners or lessors, lessees, or shippers of tangible personal property that is utilized by interstate carriers for hire for use as rolling stock moving in interstate commerce and equipment operated by a telecommunications provider, licensed as a common carrier by the Federal Communications Commission, which is permanently installed in or affixed to aircraft moving in interstate commerce.

(14) Machinery and equipment that will be used by the purchaser, or a lessee of the purchaser, primarily in the process of manufacturing or assembling tangible personal property for wholesale or retail sale or lease, whether the sale or lease is made directly by the manufacturer or by some other person, whether the materials used in the process are owned by the manufacturer or some other person, or whether the sale or lease is made apart from or as an incident to the seller's engaging in the service occupation of producing machines, tools, dies, jigs, patterns, gauges, or other similar items of no commercial value on special order for a particular purchaser. The exemption provided by this paragraph (14) does not include machinery and equipment used in (i) the generation of electricity for wholesale or retail sale; (ii) the generation or treatment of natural or artificial gas for wholesale or retail sale that is delivered to customers through pipes, pipelines, or mains; or (iii) the treatment of water for wholesale or retail sale that is delivered to customers through pipes, pipelines, or mains. The provisions of Public Act 98-583 are declaratory of existing law as to the meaning and scope of this exemption. Beginning on July 1, 2017, the exemption provided by this paragraph (14) includes, but is not limited to, graphic arts machinery and equipment, as defined in paragraph (4) of this Section.

(15) Proceeds of mandatory service charges separately stated on customers' bills for purchase and consumption of food and beverages, to the extent that the proceeds of the service charge are in fact turned over as tips or as a substitute for tips to the employees who participate directly in preparing, serving, hosting or cleaning up the food or beverage function with respect to which the service charge is imposed.

(16) Tangible personal property sold to a purchaser if the purchaser is exempt from use tax by operation of federal law. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 2-70.

(17) Tangible personal property sold to a common carrier by rail or motor that receives the physical possession of the property in Illinois and that transports the property, or shares with another common carrier in the transportation of the property, out of Illinois on a standard uniform bill of lading showing the seller of the property as the shipper or consignor of the property to a destination outside Illinois, for use outside Illinois.

(18) Legal tender, currency, medallions, or gold or silver coinage issued by the State of Illinois, the government of the United States of America, or the government of any foreign country, and bullion.

(19) Until July 1, 2003, oil field exploration, drilling, and production equipment, including (i) rigs and parts of rigs, rotary rigs, cable tool rigs, and workover rigs, (ii) pipe and tubular goods, including casing and drill strings, (iii) pumps and pump-jack units, (iv) storage tanks and flow lines, (v) any individual replacement part for oil field exploration, drilling, and production equipment, and (vi) machinery and equipment purchased for lease; but excluding motor vehicles required to be registered under the Illinois Vehicle Code.

(20) Photoprocessing machinery and equipment, including repair and replacement parts, both new and used, including that manufactured on special order, certified by the purchaser to be used primarily for photoprocessing, and including photoprocessing machinery and equipment purchased for lease.

(21) Until July 1, 2028, coal and aggregate exploration, mining, off-highway hauling, processing, maintenance, and reclamation equipment, including replacement parts and equipment, and including equipment purchased for lease, but excluding motor vehicles required to be registered under the Illinois Vehicle Code. The changes made to this Section by Public Act 97-767 apply on and after July 1, 2003, but no claim for credit or refund is allowed on or after August 16, 2013 (the effective date of Public Act 98-456) for such taxes paid during the period beginning July 1, 2003 and ending on August 16, 2013 (the effective date of Public Act 98-456).

(22) Until June 30, 2013, fuel and petroleum products sold to or used by an air carrier, certified by the carrier to be used for consumption, shipment, or storage in the conduct of its business as an air common carrier, for a flight destined for or returning from a location or locations outside the United States without regard to previous or subsequent domestic stopovers.

Beginning July 1, 2013, fuel and petroleum products sold to or used by an air carrier, certified by the carrier to be used for consumption, shipment, or storage in the conduct of its business as an air common carrier, for a flight that (i) is engaged in foreign trade or is engaged in trade between the United States and any of its possessions and (ii) transports at least one individual or package for hire from the city of origination to the city of final destination on the same aircraft, without regard to a change in the flight number of that aircraft.

(23) A transaction in which the purchase order is received by a florist who is located outside Illinois, but who has a florist located in Illinois deliver the property to the purchaser or the purchaser's donee in Illinois.

(24) Fuel consumed or used in the operation of ships, barges, or vessels that are used primarily in or for the transportation of property or the conveyance of persons for hire on rivers bordering on this State if the fuel is delivered by the seller to the purchaser's barge, ship, or vessel while it is afloat upon that bordering river.

(25) Except as provided in items (25-5) and (25-6) of this Section, a motor vehicle sold in this State to a nonresident even though the motor vehicle is delivered to the nonresident in this State, if the motor vehicle is not to be titled in this State, and if a drive-away permit is issued to the motor vehicle as provided in Section 3-603 of the Illinois Vehicle Code or if the nonresident purchaser has vehicle registration plates to transfer to the motor vehicle upon returning to his or her home state. The issuance of the drive-away permit or having the out-of-state registration plates to be transferred is prima facie evidence that the motor vehicle will not be titled in this State.

(25-5) The exemption under item (25) does not apply if the state in which the motor vehicle will be titled does not allow a reciprocal exemption for a motor vehicle sold and delivered in that state to an Illinois resident but titled in Illinois. The tax collected under this Act on the sale of a motor vehicle in this State to a resident of another state that does not allow a reciprocal exemption shall be imposed at a rate equal to the state's rate of tax on taxable property in the state in which the purchaser is a resident, except that the tax shall not exceed the tax that would otherwise be imposed under this Act. At the time of the sale, the purchaser shall execute a statement, signed under penalty of perjury, of his or her intent to title the vehicle in the state in which the purchaser is a resident within 30 days after the sale and of the fact of the payment to the State of Illinois of tax in an amount equivalent to the state's rate of tax on taxable property in his or her state of residence and shall submit the statement to the appropriate tax collection agency in his or her state of residence. In addition, the retailer must retain a signed copy of the statement in his or her records. Nothing in this item shall be construed to require the removal of the vehicle from this state following the filing of an intent to title the vehicle in the purchaser's state of residence if the purchaser titles the vehicle in his or her state of residence within 30 days after the date of sale. The tax collected under this Act in accordance with this item (25-5) shall be proportionately distributed as if the tax were collected at the 6.25% general rate imposed under this Act.

(25-6) There is a rebuttable presumption that the exemption under item (25) does not apply if the purchaser is a limited liability company and a member of the limited liability company is a resident of Illinois. This presumption may be rebutted by other evidence, such as evidence the motor vehicle is insured at a garaging or storage address outside Illinois or other evidence of the physical address at which the motor vehicle will be permanently stored or garaged outside Illinois.

(25-7) Beginning on July 1, 2007, no tax is imposed under this Act on the sale of an aircraft, as defined in Section 3 of the Illinois Aeronautics Act, if all of the following conditions are met:

(1) the aircraft leaves this State within 15 days after the later of either the issuance of the final billing for the sale of the aircraft, or the authorized approval for return to service, completion of the maintenance record entry, and completion of the test flight and ground test for inspection, as required by 14 CFR 91.407;

(2) the aircraft is not based or registered in this State after the sale of the aircraft; and

(3) the seller retains in his or her books and records and provides to the Department a signed and dated certification from the purchaser, on a form prescribed by the Department, certifying that the requirements of this item (25-7) are met. The certificate must also include the name and address of the purchaser, the address of the location where the aircraft is to be titled or registered, the address of the primary physical location of the aircraft, and other information that the Department may reasonably require.

For purposes of this item (25-7):

"Based in this State" means hangared, stored, or otherwise used, excluding post-sale customizations as defined in this Section, for 10 or more days in each 12-month period immediately following the date of the sale of the aircraft.

"Registered in this State" means an aircraft registered with the Department of Transportation, Aeronautics Division, or titled or registered with the Federal Aviation Administration to an address located in this State.

This paragraph (25-7) is exempt from the provisions of Section 2-70.

(26) Semen used for artificial insemination of livestock for direct agricultural production.

(27) Horses, or interests in horses, registered with and meeting the requirements of any of the Arabian Horse Club Registry of America, Appaloosa Horse Club, American Quarter Horse Association, United States Trotting Association, or Jockey Club, as appropriate, used for purposes of breeding or racing for prizes. This item (27) is exempt from the provisions of Section 2-70, and the exemption provided for under this item (27) applies for all periods beginning May 30, 1995, but no claim for credit or refund is allowed on or after January 1, 2008 (the effective date of Public Act 95-88) for such taxes paid during the period beginning May 30, 2000 and ending on January 1, 2008 (the effective date of Public Act 95-88).

(28) Computers and communications equipment utilized for any hospital purpose and equipment used in the diagnosis, analysis, or treatment of hospital patients sold to a lessor who leases the equipment, under a lease of one year or longer executed or in effect at the time of the purchase, to a hospital that has been issued an active tax exemption identification number by the Department under Section 1g of this Act.

(29) Personal property sold to a lessor who leases the property, under a lease of one year or longer executed or in effect at the time of the purchase, to a governmental body that has been issued an active tax exemption identification number by the Department under Section 1g of this Act.

(30) Beginning with taxable years ending on or after December 31, 1995 and ending with taxable years ending on or before December 31, 2004, personal property that is donated for disaster relief to be used in a State or federally declared disaster area in Illinois or bordering Illinois by a manufacturer or retailer that is registered in this State to a corporation, society, association, foundation, or institution that has been issued a sales tax exemption identification number by the Department that assists victims of the disaster who reside within the declared disaster area.

(31) Beginning with taxable years ending on or after December 31, 1995 and ending with taxable years ending on or before December 31, 2004, personal property that is used in the performance of infrastructure repairs in this State, including, but not limited to, municipal roads and streets, access roads, bridges, sidewalks, waste disposal systems, water and sewer line extensions, water distribution and purification facilities, storm water drainage and retention facilities, and sewage treatment facilities, resulting from a State or federally declared disaster in Illinois or bordering Illinois when such repairs are initiated on facilities located in the declared disaster area within 6 months after the disaster.

(32) Beginning July 1, 1999, game or game birds sold at a "game breeding and hunting preserve area" as that term is used in the Wildlife Code. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 2-70.

(33) A motor vehicle, as that term is defined in Section 1-146 of the Illinois Vehicle Code, that is donated to a corporation, limited liability company, society, association, foundation, or institution that is determined by the Department to be organized and operated exclusively for educational purposes. For purposes of this exemption, "a corporation, limited liability company, society, association, foundation, or institution organized and operated exclusively for educational purposes" means all tax-supported public schools, private schools that offer systematic instruction in useful branches of learning by methods common to public schools and that compare favorably in their scope and intensity with the course of study presented in tax-supported schools, and vocational or technical schools or institutes organized and operated exclusively to provide a course of study of not less than 6 weeks duration and designed to prepare individuals to follow a trade or to pursue a manual, technical, mechanical, industrial, business, or commercial occupation.

(34) Beginning January 1, 2000, personal property, including food, purchased through fundraising events for the benefit of a public or private elementary or secondary school, a group of those schools, or one or more school districts if the events are sponsored by an entity recognized by the school district that consists primarily of volunteers and includes parents and teachers of the school children. This paragraph does not apply to fundraising events (i) for the benefit of private home instruction or (ii) for which the fundraising entity purchases the personal property sold at the events from another individual or entity that sold the property for the purpose of resale by the fundraising entity and that profits from the sale to the fundraising entity. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 2-70.

(35) Beginning January 1, 2000 and through December 31, 2001, new or used automatic vending machines that prepare and serve hot food and beverages, including coffee, soup, and other items, and replacement parts for these machines. Beginning January 1, 2002 and through June 30, 2003, machines and parts for machines used in commercial, coin-operated amusement and vending business if a use or occupation tax is paid on the gross receipts derived from the use of the commercial, coin-operated amusement and vending machines. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 2-70.

(35-5) Beginning August 23, 2001 and through June 30, 2016, food for human consumption that is to be consumed off the premises where it is sold (other than alcoholic beverages, soft drinks, and food that has been prepared for immediate consumption) and prescription and nonprescription medicines, drugs, medical appliances, and insulin, urine testing materials, syringes, and needles used by diabetics, for human use, when purchased for use by a person receiving medical assistance under Article V of the Illinois Public Aid Code who resides in a licensed long-term care facility, as defined in the Nursing Home Care Act, or a licensed facility as defined in the ID/DD Community Care Act, the MC/DD Act, or the Specialized Mental Health Rehabilitation Act of 2013.

(36) Beginning August 2, 2001, computers and communications equipment utilized for any hospital purpose and equipment used in the diagnosis, analysis, or treatment of hospital patients sold to a lessor who leases the equipment, under a lease of one year or longer executed or in effect at the time of the purchase, to a hospital that has been issued an active tax exemption identification number by the Department under Section 1g of this Act. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 2-70.

(37) Beginning August 2, 2001, personal property sold to a lessor who leases the property, under a lease of one year or longer executed or in effect at the time of the purchase, to a governmental body that has been issued an active tax exemption identification number by the Department under Section 1g of this Act. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 2-70.

(38) Beginning on January 1, 2002 and through June 30, 2016, tangible personal property purchased from an Illinois retailer by a taxpayer engaged in centralized purchasing activities in Illinois who will, upon receipt of the property in Illinois, temporarily store the property in Illinois (i) for the purpose of subsequently transporting it outside this State for use or consumption thereafter solely outside this State or (ii) for the purpose of being processed, fabricated, or manufactured into, attached to, or incorporated into other tangible personal property to be transported outside this State and thereafter used or consumed solely outside this State. The Director of Revenue shall, pursuant to rules adopted in accordance with the Illinois Administrative Procedure Act, issue a permit to any taxpayer in good standing with the Department who is eligible for the exemption under this paragraph (38). The permit issued under this paragraph (38) shall authorize the holder, to the extent and in the manner specified in the rules adopted under this Act, to purchase tangible personal property from a retailer exempt from the taxes imposed by this Act. Taxpayers shall maintain all necessary books and records to substantiate the use and consumption of all such tangible personal property outside of the State of Illinois.

(39) Beginning January 1, 2008, tangible personal property used in the construction or maintenance of a community water supply, as defined under Section 3.145 of the Environmental Protection Act, that is operated by a not-for-profit corporation that holds a valid water supply permit issued under Title IV of the Environmental Protection Act. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 2-70.

(40) Beginning January 1, 2010 and continuing through December 31, 2029, materials, parts, equipment, components, and furnishings incorporated into or upon an aircraft as part of the modification, refurbishment, completion, replacement, repair, or maintenance of the aircraft. This exemption includes consumable supplies used in the modification, refurbishment, completion, replacement, repair, and maintenance of aircraft. However, until January 1, 2024, this exemption excludes any materials, parts, equipment, components, and consumable supplies used in the modification, replacement, repair, and maintenance of aircraft engines or power plants, whether such engines or power plants are installed or uninstalled upon any such aircraft. "Consumable supplies" include, but are not limited to, adhesive, tape, sandpaper, general purpose lubricants, cleaning solution, latex gloves, and protective films.

Beginning January 1, 2010 and continuing through December 31, 2023, this exemption applies only to the sale of qualifying tangible personal property to persons who modify, refurbish, complete, replace, or maintain an aircraft and who (i) hold an Air Agency Certificate and are empowered to operate an approved repair station by the Federal Aviation Administration, (ii) have a Class IV Rating, and (iii) conduct operations in accordance with Part 145 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. The exemption does not include aircraft operated by a commercial air carrier providing scheduled passenger air service pursuant to authority issued under Part 121 or Part 129 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. From January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2029, this exemption applies only to the sale of qualifying tangible personal property to: (A) persons who modify, refurbish, complete, repair, replace, or maintain aircraft and who (i) hold an Air Agency Certificate and are empowered to operate an approved repair station by the Federal Aviation Administration, (ii) have a Class IV Rating, and (iii) conduct operations in accordance with Part 145 of the Federal Aviation Regulations; and (B) persons who engage in the modification, replacement, repair, and maintenance of aircraft engines or power plants without regard to whether or not those persons meet the qualifications of item (A).

The changes made to this paragraph (40) by Public Act 98-534 are declarative of existing law. It is the intent of the General Assembly that the exemption under this paragraph (40) applies continuously from January 1, 2010 through December 31, 2024; however, no claim for credit or refund is allowed for taxes paid as a result of the disallowance of this exemption on or after January 1, 2015 and prior to February 5, 2020 (the effective date of Public Act 101-629).

(41) Tangible personal property sold to a public-facilities corporation, as described in Section 11-65-10 of the Illinois Municipal Code, for purposes of constructing or furnishing a municipal convention hall, but only if the legal title to the municipal convention hall is transferred to the municipality without any further consideration by or on behalf of the municipality at the time of the completion of the municipal convention hall or upon the retirement or redemption of any bonds or other debt instruments issued by the public-facilities corporation in connection with the development of the municipal convention hall. This exemption includes existing public-facilities corporations as provided in Section 11-65-25 of the Illinois Municipal Code. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 2-70.

(42) Beginning January 1, 2017 and through December 31, 2026, menstrual pads, tampons, and menstrual cups.

(43) Merchandise that is subject to the Rental Purchase Agreement Occupation and Use Tax. The purchaser must certify that the item is purchased to be rented subject to a rental-purchase agreement, as defined in the Rental-Purchase Agreement Act, and provide proof of registration under the Rental Purchase Agreement Occupation and Use Tax Act. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 2-70.

(44) Qualified tangible personal property used in the construction or operation of a data center that has been granted a certificate of exemption by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, whether that tangible personal property is purchased by the owner, operator, or tenant of the data center or by a contractor or subcontractor of the owner, operator, or tenant. Data centers that would have qualified for a certificate of exemption prior to January 1, 2020 had Public Act 101-31 been in effect, may apply for and obtain an exemption for subsequent purchases of computer equipment or enabling software purchased or leased to upgrade, supplement, or replace computer equipment or enabling software purchased or leased in the original investment that would have qualified.

The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall grant a certificate of exemption under this item (44) to qualified data centers as defined by Section 605-1025 of the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois.

For the purposes of this item (44):

"Data center" means a building or a series of buildings rehabilitated or constructed to house working servers in one physical location or multiple sites within the State of Illinois.

"Qualified tangible personal property" means: electrical systems and equipment; climate control and chilling equipment and systems; mechanical systems and equipment; monitoring and secure systems; emergency generators; hardware; computers; servers; data storage devices; network connectivity equipment; racks; cabinets; telecommunications cabling infrastructure; raised floor systems; peripheral components or systems; software; mechanical, electrical, or plumbing systems; battery systems; cooling systems and towers; temperature control systems; other cabling; and other data center infrastructure equipment and systems necessary to operate qualified tangible personal property, including fixtures; and component parts of any of the foregoing, including installation, maintenance, repair, refurbishment, and replacement of qualified tangible personal property to generate, transform, transmit, distribute, or manage electricity necessary to operate qualified tangible personal property; and all other tangible personal property that is essential to the operations of a computer data center. The term "qualified tangible personal property" also includes building materials physically incorporated into the qualifying data center. To document the exemption allowed under this Section, the retailer must obtain from the purchaser a copy of the certificate of eligibility issued by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

This item (44) is exempt from the provisions of Section 2-70.

(45) Beginning January 1, 2020 and through December 31, 2020, sales of tangible personal property made by a marketplace seller over a marketplace for which tax is due under this Act but for which use tax has been collected and remitted to the Department by a marketplace facilitator under Section 2d of the Use Tax Act are exempt from tax under this Act. A marketplace seller claiming this exemption shall maintain books and records demonstrating that the use tax on such sales has been collected and remitted by a marketplace facilitator. Marketplace sellers that have properly remitted tax under this Act on such sales may file a claim for credit as provided in Section 6 of this Act. No claim is allowed, however, for such taxes for which a credit or refund has been issued to the marketplace facilitator under the Use Tax Act, or for which the marketplace facilitator has filed a claim for credit or refund under the Use Tax Act.

(46) Beginning July 1, 2022, breast pumps, breast pump collection and storage supplies, and breast pump kits. This item (46) is exempt from the provisions of Section 2-70. As used in this item (46):

"Breast pump" means an electrically controlled or manually controlled pump device designed or marketed to be used to express milk from a human breast during lactation, including the pump device and any battery, AC adapter, or other power supply unit that is used to power the pump device and is packaged and sold with the pump device at the time of sale.

"Breast pump collection and storage supplies" means items of tangible personal property designed or marketed to be used in conjunction with a breast pump to collect milk expressed from a human breast and to store collected milk until it is ready for consumption.

"Breast pump collection and storage supplies" includes, but is not limited to: breast shields and breast shield connectors; breast pump tubes and tubing adapters; breast pump valves and membranes; backflow protectors and backflow protector adaptors; bottles and bottle caps specific to the operation of the breast pump; and breast milk storage bags.

"Breast pump collection and storage supplies" does not include: (1) bottles and bottle caps not specific to the operation of the breast pump; (2) breast pump travel bags and other similar carrying accessories, including ice packs, labels, and other similar products; (3) breast pump cleaning supplies; (4) nursing bras, bra pads, breast shells, and other similar products; and (5) creams, ointments, and other similar products that relieve breastfeeding-related symptoms or conditions of the breasts or nipples, unless sold as part of a breast pump kit that is pre-packaged by the breast pump manufacturer or distributor.

"Breast pump kit" means a kit that: (1) contains no more than a breast pump, breast pump collection and storage supplies, a rechargeable battery for operating the breast pump, a breastmilk cooler, bottle stands, ice packs, and a breast pump carrying case; and (2) is pre-packaged as a breast pump kit by the breast pump manufacturer or distributor.

(47) Tangible personal property sold by or on behalf of the State Treasurer pursuant to the Revised Uniform Unclaimed Property Act. This item (47) is exempt from the provisions of Section 2-70.

(48) Beginning on January 1, 2024, tangible personal property purchased by an active duty member of the armed forces of the United States who presents valid military identification and purchases the property using a form of payment where the federal government is the payor. The member of the armed forces must complete, at the point of sale, a form prescribed by the Department of Revenue documenting that the transaction is eligible for the exemption under this paragraph. Retailers must keep the form as documentation of the exemption in their records for a period of not less than 6 years. "Armed forces of the United States" means the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard. This paragraph is exempt from the provisions of Section 2-70.

(49) Beginning July 1, 2024, home-delivered meals provided to Medicare or Medicaid recipients when payment is made by an intermediary, such as a Medicare Administrative Contractor, a Managed Care Organization, or a Medicare Advantage Organization, pursuant to a government contract. This paragraph (49) is exempt from the provisions of Section 2-70.

(50) Beginning on January 1, 2026, as further defined in Section 2-10, food for human consumption that is to be consumed off the premises where it is sold (other than alcoholic beverages, food consisting of or infused with adult use cannabis, soft drinks, candy, and food that has been prepared for immediate consumption). This item (50) is exempt from the provisions of Section 2-70.

(51) Gross receipts from the lease of the following tangible personal property:

(1) computer software transferred subject to a license that meets the following requirements:

(A) it is evidenced by a written agreement signed by the licensor and the customer;

(i) an electronic agreement in which the customer accepts the license by means of an electronic signature that is verifiable and can be authenticated and is attached to or made part of the license will comply with this requirement;

(ii) a license agreement in which the customer electronically accepts the terms by clicking "I agree" does not comply with this requirement;

(B) it restricts the customer's duplication and use of the software;

(C) it prohibits the customer from licensing, sublicensing, or transferring the software to a third party (except to a related party) without the permission and continued control of the licensor;

(D) the licensor has a policy of providing another copy at minimal or no charge if the customer loses or damages the software, or of permitting the licensee to make and keep an archival copy, and such policy is either stated in the license agreement, supported by the licensor's books and records, or supported by a notarized statement made under penalties of perjury by the licensor; and

(E) the customer must destroy or return all copies of the software to the licensor at the end of the license period; this provision is deemed to be met, in the case of a perpetual license, without being set forth in the license agreement; and

(2) property that is subject to a tax on lease receipts imposed by a home rule unit of local government if the ordinance imposing that tax was adopted prior to January 1, 2023.

(52) Beginning on January 1, 2027, tangible personal property that is eligible property, as defined in the District Energy and Thermal Energy Storage Parity Act, and that is purchased for incorporation into or primarily used for the construction, installation, or operation of Qualified District Energy Infrastructure or Dispatchable Thermal Energy Storage, as defined by the District Energy and Thermal Energy Storage Parity Act. This paragraph (52) is exempt from the provisions of Section 2-70.

(Source: P.A. 103-9, Article 5, Section 5-20, eff. 6-7-23; 103-9, Article 15, Section 15-20, eff. 6-7-23; 103-154, eff. 6-30-23; 103-384, eff. 1-1-24; 103-592, eff. 1-1-25; 103-605, eff. 7-1-24; 103-643, eff. 7-1-24; 103-746, eff. 1-1-25; 103-781, eff. 8-5-24; 103-995, eff. 8-9-24; 104-6, eff. 6-16-25; 104-417, eff. 8-15-25.)

Section 125. The Property Tax Code is amended by adding Section 18-176 as follows:

(35 ILCS 200/18-176 new)

Sec. 18-176. Commercial energy storage systems; definition. "Commercial energy storage system" means equipment machinery, and devices that store energy for later use, including electrical chemical or thermal energy storage systems, whether installed on a standalone basis or as part of a larger energy or utility systems. "Commercial energy storage system" includes dispatchable thermal energy storage installed as part of a district energy system or thermal energy system where the system is capable of measurably reducing coincident electrical demand or shifting electric load and meets applicable measurement and verification requirements. "Commercial energy storage system" does not include energy storage equipment installed exclusively for residential use.

Section 130. The Public Utilities Act is amended by changing Section 16-107.9 and by adding Section 8-104.5 as follows:

(220 ILCS 5/8-104.5 new)

Sec. 8-104.5. District energy enabling measures and heat recovery incentives.

(a) Each electric utility and gas utility shall establish or expand, subject to approval by the Commission, rebate programs or other financial incentives for qualifying district energy enabling measures, heat recovery, heat sharing, and dispatchable thermal energy storage, including measures deployed through district energy networks and thermal energy networks.

(b) Programs under this Section shall be designed to:

(1) reduce greenhouse gas emissions or criteria pollutants; and

(2) reduce coincident electric peak demand or shift electric load associated with heating and cooling.

(c) The Commission shall evaluate and approve programs under this Section using the State's total resource cost test and applicable low-income provisions, as set forth in this Act and in the Commission-approved Illinois Energy Efficiency Policy Manual.

(d) In approving rebate levels and performance-based incentive structures under this Section, the Commission shall require utilities to reasonably reflect avoidable utility system costs, including:

(1) avoided capacity costs associated with reduction in coincident electric peak demand;

(2) avoided transmission and distribution costs where the Commission determines the measure provides locational or temporal benefits; and

(3) avoided energy costs and any other avoided costs recognized under Commission-approved methodologies.

(e) In addition to the cost-effectiveness evaluation required under subsection (c), the Commission may apply a ratepayer impact measure consistent with Commission practice for distributed energy resources and other customer programs to ensure that rebate designs appropriately manage rate impacts and cost-shift concerns.

(f) The Commission shall require programs approved under this Section to include verification methodologies when quantifying avoided capacity, avoided transmission, and distribution costs for purposes of establishing rebate levels or performance-based incentives under this Section, including any avoided distribution value framework adopted in Commission proceedings addressing distributed energy resource valuation and compensation.

(g) The Commission shall require program designs under this Section to include measurement and verification requirements sufficient to validate claimed peak reduction and load-shifting benefits, including, where appropriate, the use of interval meter data and verification of operating conditions during Commission-defined peak performance windows.

(220 ILCS 5/16-107.9)

(This Section may contain text from a Public Act with a delayed effective date)

Sec. 16-107.9. Virtual power plant program.

(a) As used in this Section:

"Aggregator" means a third-party entity that participates in the program, other than the electric utility or its affiliate, that (i) represents and aggregates the load of participating customers who collectively have the ability to deploy 100 kilowatts or more of deployment of eligible devices and (ii) is responsible for performance of the aggregation in the program.

"Battery" means a behind-the-meter energy storage device and associated equipment that operate together to fulfill program requirements.

"Commission" means the Illinois Commerce Commission.

"Customer" means an active electric service account holder of a utility.

"Direct participant" means a customer that enrolls in the program directly with the utility, rather than participating in the program through an aggregator.

"Distributed energy resource" has the meaning set forth in Section 16-107.6.

"Distributed energy resources management system" means a platform that may be used by distribution system operators or utilities to integrate grid resources, such as distributed energy resources, into system operations.

"Eligible device" means a customer or third party-owned distributed energy resource that satisfies the requirements for participation in the program as specified in the relevant program rider. "Eligible device" also means any device that can be controlled to respond to pricing, provide services, including decrease peak electricity demand or shift demand from peak to off-peak periods, or inject power to the grid. "Eligible device" includes, but is not limited to, behind-the-meter energy storage systems, smart thermostats, electric vehicle batteries, including fleets, and distributed renewable energy devices paired with one or more energy storage systems.

"Emergency event" means an event called by the utility with fewer than 24 hours notice.

"Energy storage system" has the meaning set forth in subsection (a) of Section 16-107.6.

"Enrolled customer" means a customer that participates in the program through either an aggregator or as a direct participant.

"Enrolled device" means an enrolled customer's eligible device, as specified in the relevant tariff.

"Enterprise distributed energy resources management system" means a platform operated by the electric utility that interfaces with a grid-edge distributed energy resources management system to integrate distributed energy resources into utility electric system operations.

"Grid-edge distributed energy resources management system" means a platform owned by a party other than the electric utility that may be used to integrate distributed energy resources.

"Grid event" means a grid condition for which the utility schedules or remotely dispatches enrolled devices to respond to, as specified in the grid service opportunities for each tariff.

"Grid service" means a capacity, energy, or ancillary service that supports grid operations.

"Participating customer" means an aggregator or a direct retail customer, as defined in Section 16-102, with one or more eligible devices.

"Performance payment" means a payment made to the participant based on the performance of an enrolled device providing a grid service during a grid event.

"Performance payment rate" means the compensation rate paid to participants for providing a particular grid service during a grid event.

"Smart inverter" has the meaning set forth in subsection (a) of Section 16-107.6.

"Upfront payment" means a one-time payment made at the time of enrollment.

"Virtual power plant" means an aggregation of behind-the-meter distributed energy resources operated in coordination to provide one or more grid services.

(b) The General Assembly finds that:

(1) virtual power plants are dynamic load management and energy supply resources that can support grid operations, reduce ratepayer costs, and achieve other important public policy goals;

(2) virtual power plants can reduce demand for grid supplied electricity during peak periods, shift electricity consumption out of peak periods, make renewable energy generated during off-peak periods available for use during peak periods, supply energy to the grid at desired times, provide frequency regulation, voltage support, and other ancillary services, reduce strain on the distribution system, manage localized peaks, improve system resiliency and reliability, and provide other grid services;

(3) virtual power plants can facilitate and optimize the utilization of electrical generation from wind and solar energy to help utilities increase hosting capacity and integrate more renewable energy resources;

(4) virtual power plants can reduce costs to ratepayers by utilizing customer-sited resources to provide grid services, avoiding or reducing reliance on fossil-fuel fired peaker plants, avoiding or deferring the need to construct new and more costly grid scale resources, optimizing the use of existing assets, and avoiding or deferring distribution and transmission system upgrades and other grid investments;

(5) virtual power plants can promote equity by reducing costs for all ratepayers, expanding access to distributed energy resources among low-income and moderate-income customers through improved distributed energy resource finance ability, and providing other important co-benefits, including reduction in emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants, especially in environmental justice and other disadvantaged communities that host fossil fuel generation plants;

(6) the United States Department of Energy estimates that the United States could deploy 80 to 160 gigawatts of virtual power plants by 2030, a tripling of current levels, to support the rapid electrification of vehicles and homes and provide on the order of $10,000,000,000 in ratepayer savings annually. The deployment of virtual power plants can provide energy cost savings and other benefits to the people of Illinois;

(7) there are significant barriers to deployment and operation of virtual power plants, including the need for statutory and regulatory guidance and support, greater consistency in virtual power plant programs across regulatory jurisdictions, and for utility commitments to incorporate the use of virtual power plants into system operations and long-term resource planning;

(8) it is in the public interest to advance customer choice and leverage the expertise of private, non-utility entities to advance innovation and implement cost-effective clean energy solutions; and

(9) the policy of Illinois shall be to maximize the use of virtual power plants comprised of customer-owned and third party-owned distributed energy resources to deliver system services and other benefits through utility administered virtual power plant programs in accordance with the provisions of this amendatory Act of the 104th General Assembly.

(c) No later than December 31, 2028, the Commission shall approve at least one virtual power plant tariff for each electric utility serving more than 300,000 customers in the State as of January 1, 2023. Each utility shall file a tariff or tariffs for approval no later than December 31, 2027 to allow retail customers in the electric utility's service areas to participate in a virtual power plant program proposal consistent with the provisions of this Section. The Commission shall provide opportunities for stakeholders to provide input on the virtual power plant programs proposed for implementation by each utility, which the Commission shall take into consideration in its review of each utility's filing. No later than one year after the utility's filing, the Commission shall approve or modify and approve each utility's virtual power plant program proposal for immediate implementation by the utility.

(d) The virtual power plant program filed under subsection (c) shall be developed for implementation through a tariff offering with standard terms and conditions for participation. The virtual power plant program tariff shall allow for customers with battery storage, non-battery storage and electric vehicle technologies to enroll the devices in the program through aggregators or directly with the utility. The virtual power plant program tariff shall:

(1) provide a mechanism to incorporate existing programs, such as smart thermostat demand-response or electric vehicle charging programs currently offered by the utility, under the virtual power plant program framework;

(2) provide grid services opportunities for each eligible technology that customers and aggregators may provide, which shall include, at minimum, reducing the utility's applicable capacity and transmission obligations and capturing daily wholesale energy arbitrage opportunities through provision of grid services;

(3) provide additional functions and grid service opportunities that the Commission determines are supportive of efficient planning and operation of the electrical grid, including:

(A) minimizing the use of fossil fuels at peak times;

(B) local peak demand reductions;

(C) locational value;

(D) the avoidance or deferral of local transmission or distribution upgrades or capacity expansion;

(E) voltage support and other ancillary services; and

(F) emergency grid services;

(4) provide operational parameters, which shall include, at a minimum:

(A) minimum and maximum numbers of grid events for which the utility may require dispatch from the enrolled distributed energy resources;

(B) months of the year that grid events may occur;

(C) days of the week that grid events may occur;

(D) times of day that grid events may occur;

(E) maximum duration of grid events; and

(F) minimum day-ahead advance notification requirement of grid events, except for emergency events, as applicable;

(5) include provisions for aggregators to participate in the virtual power plant program, participate in the utility's distributed energy resource management system as available, automatically enroll and manage their customers' participation, receive dispatch signals and other communications from the utility, deliver performance measurement and verification data to the utility, and receive virtual power plant program payments directly from the utility;

(6) include provisions that provide a standardized process for any eligible aggregator to enroll in the program and authorize the eligible aggregators to manage individual customer device participation without additional authorizations from the utility;

(7) include provisions that allow a participating customer with multiple eligible devices to enroll the technologies either directly without an aggregator or through one or more aggregators in applicable programs under the tariff approved under this Section, provided that no particular device is accounted for more than once;

(8) include provisions for direct participant customers to participate with the utility's distributed energy resource management system as available, receive dispatch signals and other communications from the utility, deliver performance measurement and verification data to the utility, and receive virtual power plant program payments directly from the utility. Any provisions implementing this subpart that necessitate the installation of equipment to enable direct participation via the utility shall apply to customers who elect to participate as a direct participant and shall not be required of customers who participate via an aggregator or to customers who do not participate in the virtual power plant program;

(9) provide for measurement and verification of battery non-battery, and electric vehicle technologies performance directly at the device without the requirement for the installation of an additional meter;

(10) include upfront payment or performance payment compensation mechanisms for the peak reduction service, as well as for non-battery and electric vehicle technologies as the Commission deems appropriate. The performance payment shall be based on the average capacity provided during grid events. The Commission shall approve additional compensation mechanisms as it determines appropriate for other grid services provided under the battery, non-battery and electric vehicle riders. The virtual power plant program shall not assess penalties for non-performance; provided, however, that the Commission may approve reasonable mechanisms to disenroll customers for continued non-performance;

(11) enable low-to-moderate income customers, community-driven community solar projects, and customers whose electric service has not been declared competitive pursuant to Section 16-113 as of July 1, 2011 located in equity investment eligible investment communities to receive a higher upfront enrollment payment. The Commission shall coordinate with State energy officials and departments to make funding from federal programs and such other sources as may be available for use in providing higher upfront payments to customers classes as may be approved by the Commission in accordance with this subsection;

(12) provide that the performance payment rate applicable at the time of enrollment shall be for 5 years, after which time the participant may reenroll at the then applicable performance payment rate for an additional 5-year term;

(13) provide for a transition of customers from the scheduled dispatch program described in Section 16-107.6 to the virtual power plant program; and

(14) allow enrolled customers to participate in other applicable interconnection tariffs and grid service programs outside the virtual power plant program, so long as it does not result in double-counting of benefits for the same grid services.

(e) The Commission may adopt other reasonable requirements for participation consistent with this subsection, provided that collateral from an aggregator shall not be required for participation.

(f) The utility may contract with a third party-owned distributed energy resource management system provider to assist with program implementation; however, implementation shall not be delayed due to the lack of utility-owned distributed energy resource management system capabilities or third party-owned distributed energy resource management system capabilities.

(g) The utility shall not send or receive dispatch signals directly to or from any participating customer represented by an aggregator for an event under the virtual power plant program described in this Section.

(h) Participating aggregators shall have capabilities to receive event signals from utilities or utility-contracted distributed energy resources management system providers.

(i) Utilities shall recover reasonably and prudently incurred costs to facilitate the virtual power plant program approved under subsection (c), including, but not limited to, distributed energy resource management systems provider and other service contract costs, operations and maintenance expenses, information technology costs, and other costs, expenses, and investments that the Commission finds necessary and prudent for the development and implementation of the program. The utility shall recover the cost of virtual power plant program upfront payments and performance payments and such other payments made to participants through the tariff filed pursuant to subsection (h) of Section 16-107.6.

(j) No later than January 31 of each year, each utility shall file an annual report that includes, but is not limited to:

(1) the total capacity enrolled in each program rider developed in accordance with the requirements of Section, broken down by technology type, customer class, and aggregator and direct participant status for each grid service opportunity offered in the prior calendar year;

(2) recommendations to increase participation in the virtual power plant program; and

(3) any other information that the Commission may require.

(k) Each utility shall amend existing tariffs and procedures that limit the ability of customers to participate in providing grid services under the program, such as limitations on charging energy storage devices with grid energy or exporting energy to the grid from battery discharge.

(l) The tariffs approved by the Commission shall not reflect any additional charges, fees, or insurance requirements imposed on those owning or operating demand-response technologies beyond those imposed on similarly situated customers that do not own or operate demand-response technologies.

(m) As a condition of participating in the programs described in this Section, prior to enrollment of a customer by an aggregator, the aggregator shall disclose the following:

(1) the payments, expressed as an amount or a formula, to be provided to the customer;

(2) between the aggregator and customer, who is responsible for paying penalties or fees; and

(3) between the aggregator and customer, who is responsible for posting collateral, if required.

Any tariff authorized by this Section shall incorporate the requirements under this subsection and shall require the electric utility to establish a complaint and Commission notification process and, on order of the Commission, suspend any aggregator repeatedly or egregiously violating such requirements.

(n) The Commission shall initiate a proceeding to establish an optional storage-enabled interconnection track for eligible projects. To be eligible for the storage-enabled interconnection track, a project shall:

(1) include dispatchable thermal energy storage, as defined by law, with control and telemetry capable of verifying performance; and

(2) commit to Commission-approved peak demand reduction or load-shifting performance windows and associated measurement and verification requirements.

In establishing the storage-enabled interconnection track, the Commission shall ensure compliance with all applicable reliability, safety, and non-discrimination requirements and shall not waive any study required to ensure safe and reliable interconnection.

Notwithstanding other requirements of this subsection (n), the Commission may:

(1) streamline study sequencing;

(2) standardize data submittal requirements;

(3) establish defined timelines for utility review and Commission oversight; and

(4) use the Commission's ombudsperson process to expeditiously resolve cost estimate disputes.

Nothing in this subsection (n) requires a utility to provide interconnection service on terms that are inconsistent with Commission-approved tariffs or applicable regional transmission organization rules.

For purposes of any Commission-approved program, tariff, rider, or incentive applicable to energy storage systems, dispatchable thermal energy storage that meets the definition of energy storage system under this Act shall be treated as eligible, on comparable terms, subject to applicable measurement and verification requirements.

Eligibility for any State-administered incentive, procurement, credit, rebate, or tariff applicable to energy storage systems or demand-side resources shall not be conditioned on whether a dispatchable thermal energy storage project requires an electric interconnection study or interconnection upgrade, as long as project meets applicable measurement, verification, and performance requirements.

(Source: P.A. 104-458, eff. 6-1-26.)

Section 995. No acceleration or delay. Where this Act makes changes in a statute that is represented in this Act by text that is not yet or no longer in effect (for example, a Section represented by multiple versions), the use of that text does not accelerate or delay the taking effect of (i) the changes made by this Act or (ii) provisions derived from any other Public Act.