Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB2973
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Full Text of HB2973  95th General Assembly

HB2973ham001 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. Carolyn H. Krause

Filed: 3/28/2007

 

 


 

 


 
09500HB2973ham001 LRB095 06413 MJR 34708 a

1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 2973

2     AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 2973 by replacing
3 everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4     "Section 5. The Public Utilities Act is amended by adding
5 Section 16-131 as follows:
 
6     (220 ILCS 5/16-131 new)
7     Sec. 16-131. Commission consumer education program for
8 energy conservation.
9     (a) The Commission shall implement and maintain a consumer
10 education program for energy conservation to provide
11 residential and small commercial retail customers with
12 information to help them understand their options concerning
13 energy conservation.
14     (b) The Commission shall form a working group following the
15 enactment of this amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly.
16 This group shall consist of 5 representatives of the

 

 

09500HB2973ham001 - 2 - LRB095 06413 MJR 34708 a

1 investor-owned electric utilities in this State, 2 of which
2 shall be appointed by electric utilities serving over 1,000,000
3 retail customers in this State; 2 representatives of
4 alternative retail electric suppliers; 3 representatives of
5 organizations representing the interests of residential and
6 small commercial retail customers; and the Commission.
7     (c) By January 1, 2008, educational materials for small
8 commercial customers and residential customers, the working
9 group appointed pursuant to this Section shall develop a
10 package of printed educational materials which meet the
11 requirements of subsection (d) and shall submit such package to
12 the Commission for approval, along with recommendations for
13 implementing this consumer education program for energy
14 conservation. Such materials shall consider the needs of
15 different types of consumers in this State, such as elderly,
16 low-income, multilingual, minority, rural and disabled
17 customers. The working group shall issue recommendations to the
18 Commission on how such education program can be implemented
19 through a variety of communication methods, including
20 specifically mass media, distribution of printed material,
21 public service announcements, and posting on the Internet.
22     (d) At a minimum, the materials constituting the consumer
23 education program submitted to the Commission by the working
24 group shall include concise explanations or descriptions of the
25 following:
26         (1) information about how customers may conserve

 

 

09500HB2973ham001 - 3 - LRB095 06413 MJR 34708 a

1     energy and
2         (2) additional information available from the
3     Commission upon request.
4     (e) Within 45 days following the submission required of the
5 working group by subsection (d) of this Section, the Commission
6 shall approve or disapprove the educational materials and
7 recommendations for program implementation. The Commission
8 shall be deemed to have approved the educational program
9 materials and recommendations unless the Commission
10 disapproves of any such material or recommendation within 45
11 days following the date of receipt.
12     (f) Once approved by the Commission, materials comprising
13 the consumer education program contemplated by this Section
14 shall be distributed as follows:
15         (1) Electric utilities shall mail printed educational
16     materials specified by the working group and approved by
17     the Commission (a) to all residential and small commercial
18     retail customers within a reasonable period as determined
19     by the Commission; and (b) to all new residential and small
20     commercial retail customers at the time that such customers
21     begin taking services from the electric utility.
22         (2) Both electric utilities and alternative retail
23     electric suppliers shall provide such materials at no
24     charge to residential and small commercial retail
25     customers upon request.
26     (g) The costs of printing educational materials approved by

 

 

09500HB2973ham001 - 4 - LRB095 06413 MJR 34708 a

1 the Commission pursuant to this Section shall be payable solely
2 from funding as provided in this subsection (g). Each year the
3 General Assembly shall appropriate money to the Commission from
4 the General Revenue Fund for the expenses of the Commission
5 associated with this Section. The cost of the consumer
6 education program for energy conservation contemplated by this
7 Section shall not exceed the amount of such appropriation. In
8 no event shall any electric utility, alternative retail
9 electric supplier or customer be liable for the costs of
10 printing consumer education program material in accordance
11 with this Section. The obligations associated with this
12 consumer education program shall not exceed the amounts
13 appropriated for this program pursuant to this Section.
14     (i) The Commission shall study the effectiveness of the
15 consumer education program for energy conservation. Such study
16 shall include a notice and an opportunity for participation and
17 comment by all interested and potentially affected parties.
18 Such study shall be completed by June 30th of each year and a
19 summary thereof, together with any legislative
20 recommendations, shall be included in the Commission's Annual
21 Report due in accordance with Section 4-304 of this Act.
 
22     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
23 becoming law.".