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| 1 | AN ACT concerning regulation.
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| 2 | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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| 3 | represented in the General Assembly:
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| 4 | Section 5. The Public Utilities Act is amended by adding | ||||||
| 5 | Section 5-201.5 as follows: | ||||||
| 6 | (220 ILCS 5/5-201.5 new)
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| 7 | Sec. 5-201.5. Full disclosure in advertising.
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| 8 | (a) For purposes of this Section, a "utility voice group" | ||||||
| 9 | means any organization, corporation, or association that | ||||||
| 10 | receives more than 50% of its annual funding directly from a | ||||||
| 11 | utility or parent or sister company of a utility regulated | ||||||
| 12 | under the Public Utilities Act, except that money received as a | ||||||
| 13 | result of a legal settlement, foundation grant, or | ||||||
| 14 | administrative decision or other judicial decision shall not be | ||||||
| 15 | included in such calculation. | ||||||
| 16 | (b) All advertising, including without limitation print | ||||||
| 17 | and radio advertising, by a utility voice group through any | ||||||
| 18 | medium relating to the positions, proposals, or conduct of the | ||||||
| 19 | utility or parent or sister company funding more than 50% of | ||||||
| 20 | the utility voice group must prominently include the name and | ||||||
| 21 | address of that utility or parent or sister company, or both, | ||||||
| 22 | providing the funding.
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| 23 | (c) Television, internet, or any other advertising medium | ||||||
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| 1 | using video must have a clear audio-visual statement that | ||||||
| 2 | prominently includes the name and address of the utility or | ||||||
| 3 | parent or sister company funding more than 50% of the utility | ||||||
| 4 | voice group and must prominently include the name and address | ||||||
| 5 | of that utility or parent or sister company, or both, providing | ||||||
| 6 | the funding. The statement must:
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| 7 | (1) include an unobscured, full-screen view of a person | ||||||
| 8 | making the statement or a voice-over accompanied by a | ||||||
| 9 | clearly identifiable photographic or similar image of the | ||||||
| 10 | person making the statement; and
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| 11 | (2) appear in writing at the end of the communication | ||||||
| 12 | in a clearly readable manner with a reasonable degree of | ||||||
| 13 | color contrast between the background and the printed | ||||||
| 14 | statement for a period of at least 4 seconds.
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| 15 | (d) A utility voice group must disclose to the Commission | ||||||
| 16 | on a semi-annual basis on a form prepared by the Commission a | ||||||
| 17 | listing of all financial contributors. Each disclosure shall be | ||||||
| 18 | posted on the Commission's web site within 48 hours of receipt | ||||||
| 19 | and shall be available to the public.
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| 20 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||||||
| 21 | becoming law.
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