SB0629 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB098 04436 JWD 34464 b

98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
SB0629

Introduced 1/24/2013, by Sen. John J. Cullerton

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

220 ILCS 5/19-125

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Makes a technical change in a Section concerning consumer education.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning regulation.

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

Section 5. The Public Utilities Act is amended by changing Section 19-125 as follows:

(220 ILCS 5/19-125)

Sec. 19-125. Consumer education.

(a) The The Commission shall make available upon request and at no charge, and shall make available to the public on the Internet through the State of Illinois World Wide Web site:

(1) a list of all certified alternative gas suppliers serving residential and small commercial customers within the service area of each gas utility including, in the case of the Internet, computer links to available web sites of the certified alternative gas suppliers;

(2) a list of all certified alternative gas suppliers serving residential or small commercial customers that have been found in the last 3 years by the Commission pursuant to Section 10-108 to have failed to provide service in accordance with this Act;

(3) guidelines to assist customers in determining which gas supplier is most appropriate for each customer; and

(4) Internet links to providers of information that enables customers to compare prices and services of gas utilities and alternative gas suppliers, if and when that information is available.

(a-5) The Commission shall develop no later than 6 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly and maintain consumer education information to help residential and small commercial consumers understand their gas supply options and their rights and responsibilities. The Commission shall publish the consumer education information on its World Wide Web site.

(a-10) To assist the Commission in developing consumer education information, the Commission shall form a working group that shall consist of representatives of gas utilities with residential and small commercial gas transportation service programs, alternative gas suppliers, the Attorney General, the Citizens Utility Board, and the Commission.

(a-15) At a minimum, the consumer education information developed by the Commission shall include explanations or descriptions of the following:

(1) The choices available to consumers to take gas service from an alternative retail gas supplier or remain as a retail customer of the gas utility.

(2) A consumer's rights and responsibilities in receiving service from an alternative retail gas supplier or remaining as a retail customer of the gas utility.

(3) The gas utility's role in delivering gas, including, but not limited to, utility response to calls for service and gas leaks.

(4) The legal obligations of alternative retail gas suppliers.

(5) The components of a bill that could be received by a customer taking delivery services.

(6) The procedures available to customers to address complaints against a gas utility or an alternative retail gas supplier and a list of phone numbers and other contact information for the Commission, the Attorney General, or the Citizens Utility Board.

(7) Guidance to assist consumers in making educated decisions when choosing their natural gas provider, including:

(A) how to compare prices;

(B) questions to ask when considering natural gas providers; and

(C) current and historical utility gas rates.

(8) The availability of the "Do Not Contact List" for those who do not wish to be solicited by natural gas providers.

(b) In any service area where customers are able to choose their natural gas supplier, the Commission shall require gas utilities and alternative gas suppliers to inform customers of how they may contact the Commission in order to obtain information about the customer choice program.

(c) The Commission shall adopt a uniform disclosure that alternative gas suppliers shall be required to complete for each product offering. The uniform disclosure shall contain, at a minimum:

(1) for products with a fixed price per therm, the price per therm;

(2) the length of the initial term of the product, or, if applicable, the expiration date of the initial term of the product;

(3) the amount of the termination fees, if any;

(4) the amount of the administrative fees, other fees, or recurring charges, if any, to be listed separately for each and every fee or charge;

(5) for products with a variable price per therm, the terms of such variability, including, but not limited to, any index that is used to calculate the price and any additional charges, costs and fees; and

(6) for products where a customer's charges are a fixed amount per billing period regardless of the market price for natural gas or the customer's natural gas consumption during the billing period, the billing period covered.

If the alternative gas supplier will not offer a different product for new customers as of the first of the month, then the alternative gas supplier does not have to provide new information until the first day of the month in which a different product or products are being offered.

The Commission shall post this information on its World Wide Web site in a manner that shall enable customers to compare prices, terms, and conditions offered by the alternative gas suppliers. The website shall be updated at least monthly and the Commission shall maintain this information on its website for at least 12 months to allow customers to compare the historical plans and prices for all alternative gas suppliers.

(d) The Commission shall make available in print, upon request and at no charge and on its World Wide Web site, information on which customers of alternative gas suppliers serving residential and small commercial customers may address any complaint with regard to an alternative gas supplier's obligations under Section 19-115 of this Article, including the provision of service in accordance with the terms of its contract, sales tactics, and rates. The Commission shall maintain a summary by category and provider of all formal and informal complaints it receives pursuant to this Section, and it shall publish the summary on a quarterly basis on its World Wide Web site. Individual customer information shall not be included in the summary.

(e) The provisions of this Section shall apply only to alternative gas suppliers serving or seeking to serve residential and small commercial customers and only to the extent such alternative gas suppliers provide services to residential and small commercial customers.

(Source: P.A. 95-1051, eff. 4-10-09.)