96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2009 and 2010
HB5837


 
Introduced 2/10/2010___________, by 
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 		





 








220 ILCS 5/9-223
  from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 9-223








     Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that no public utility shall impose a sprinkler standby charge on the owners of structures that contain automatic fire protection systems. Provides that "sprinkler standby charge" means additional charges imposed by a public utility on owners of structures because the structures are equipped with automatic fire protection sprinkler systems. Effective immediately.
  















LRB096 16919 MJR 32232 b

















 


 


A BILL FOR









 




  






HB5837

LRB096 16919 MJR 32232 b





  
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    AN ACT concerning utilities.
  
 
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    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
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represented in the General Assembly:
  
 
 
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    Section 5. The Public Utilities Act is amended  by changing 
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Section 9-223 as follows:
 



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    (220 ILCS 5/9-223)  (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 9-223)


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    Sec. 9-223. Fire protection charge.

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    (a) The Commission may authorize any public utility engaged 
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in
the production, storage, transmission, sale, delivery or 
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furnishing of water
to impose a fire protection charge, in 
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addition to any rate authorized by
this Act, sufficient to 
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cover a reasonable portion of the cost of providing
the 
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capacity, facilities and the water necessary to meet the fire 
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protection
needs of any municipality or public fire protection 
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district.  Such fire
protection charge shall be in the form of a 
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fixed amount per bill and shall
be shown separately on the 
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utility bill of each customer of the municipality
or fire 
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protection district.  Any filing by a public utility to impose 
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such a
fire protection charge or to modify a charge shall be 
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made pursuant to Section
9-201 of this Act.  Any fire protection 
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charge imposed shall reflect the
costs associated with 
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providing fire protection service for each municipality
or fire 
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protection district.  No such charge shall be imposed directly 
 


 






HB5837
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LRB096 16919 MJR 32232 b




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on
any municipality or fire protection district for a 
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reasonable level of fire
protection services unless provided 
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for in a separate agreement between the
municipality or the 
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fire protection district and the utility.
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    No public utility shall impose a sprinkler standby charge 
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on the owners of structures that contain automatic fire 
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protection systems. As used in this Section, "sprinkler standby 
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charge" means additional charges imposed by a public utility on 
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owners of structures because the structures are equipped with 
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automatic fire protection sprinkler systems. 

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    (b) By December 31, 2007, the Commission shall conduct at 
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least 3 public forums to evaluate the purpose and use of each 
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fire protection charge imposed under this Section. At least one 
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forum must be held in northern Illinois, at least one forum 
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must be held in central Illinois, and at least one forum must 
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be held in southern Illinois. The Commission must invite a 
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representative from each municipality and fire protection 
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district affected by a fire protection charge under this 
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Section to attend a public forum. The Commission shall report 
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its findings concerning recommendations concerning the purpose 
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and use of each fire protection charge to the General Assembly 
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no later than the last day of the veto session in 2008.

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(Source: P.A. 94-950, eff. 6-27-06.)

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