HB0594sam003 102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Sen. Kimberly A. Lightford

Filed: 10/28/2021

10200HB0594sam003 LRB102 10655 AMC 30306 a

AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 594

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 594, AS AMENDED, with reference to page and line numbers of Senate Amendment No. 2, on page 2, line 3, by replacing "Sections 4.32 and 4.37" with "Section 4.32"; and

on page 3, by deleting lines 3 through 16; and

on page 3, immediately above line 17, by inserting the following:

"Section 18. The State Budget Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois is amended by changing Section 50-5 as follows:

(15 ILCS 20/50-5)

Sec. 50-5. Governor to submit State budget.

(a) The Governor shall, as soon as possible and not later than the second Wednesday in March in 2010 (March 10, 2010), the third Wednesday in February in 2011, the fourth Wednesday in February in 2012 (February 22, 2012), the first Wednesday in March in 2013 (March 6, 2013), the fourth Wednesday in March in 2014 (March 26, 2014), the first Wednesday in February in 2022 (February 2, 2022), and the third Wednesday in February of each year thereafter, except as otherwise provided in this Section, submit a State budget, embracing therein the amounts recommended by the Governor to be appropriated to the respective departments, offices, and institutions, and for all other public purposes, the estimated revenues from taxation, and the estimated revenues from sources other than taxation. Except with respect to the capital development provisions of the State budget, beginning with the revenue estimates prepared for fiscal year 2012, revenue estimates shall be based solely on: (i) revenue sources (including non-income resources), rates, and levels that exist as of the date of the submission of the State budget for the fiscal year and (ii) revenue sources (including non-income resources), rates, and levels that have been passed by the General Assembly as of the date of the submission of the State budget for the fiscal year and that are authorized to take effect in that fiscal year. Except with respect to the capital development provisions of the State budget, the Governor shall determine available revenue, deduct the cost of essential government services, including, but not limited to, pension payments and debt service, and assign a percentage of the remaining revenue to each statewide prioritized goal, as established in Section 50-25 of this Law, taking into consideration the proposed goals set forth in the report of the Commission established under that Section. The Governor shall also demonstrate how spending priorities for the fiscal year fulfill those statewide goals. The amounts recommended by the Governor for appropriation to the respective departments, offices and institutions shall be formulated according to each department's, office's, and institution's ability to effectively deliver services that meet the established statewide goals. The amounts relating to particular functions and activities shall be further formulated in accordance with the object classification specified in Section 13 of the State Finance Act. In addition, the amounts recommended by the Governor for appropriation shall take into account each State agency's effectiveness in achieving its prioritized goals for the previous fiscal year, as set forth in Section 50-25 of this Law, giving priority to agencies and programs that have demonstrated a focus on the prevention of waste and the maximum yield from resources.

Beginning in fiscal year 2011, the Governor shall distribute written quarterly financial reports on operating funds, which may include general, State, or federal funds and may include funds related to agencies that have significant impacts on State operations, and budget statements on all appropriated funds to the General Assembly and the State Comptroller. The reports shall be submitted no later than 45 days after the last day of each quarter of the fiscal year and shall be posted on the Governor's Office of Management and Budget's website on the same day. The reports shall be prepared and presented for each State agency and on a statewide level in an executive summary format that may include, for the fiscal year to date, individual itemizations for each significant revenue type as well as itemizations of expenditures and obligations, by agency, with an appropriate level of detail. The reports shall include a calculation of the actual total budget surplus or deficit for the fiscal year to date. The Governor shall also present periodic budget addresses throughout the fiscal year at the invitation of the General Assembly.

The Governor shall not propose expenditures and the General Assembly shall not enact appropriations that exceed the resources estimated to be available, as provided in this Section. Appropriations may be adjusted during the fiscal year by means of one or more supplemental appropriation bills if any State agency either fails to meet or exceeds the goals set forth in Section 50-25 of this Law.

For the purposes of Article VIII, Section 2 of the 1970 Illinois Constitution, the State budget for the following funds shall be prepared on the basis of revenue and expenditure measurement concepts that are in concert with generally accepted accounting principles for governments:

(1) General Revenue Fund.

(2) Common School Fund.

(3) Educational Assistance Fund.

(4) Road Fund.

(5) Motor Fuel Tax Fund.

(6) Agricultural Premium Fund.

These funds shall be known as the "budgeted funds". The revenue estimates used in the State budget for the budgeted funds shall include the estimated beginning fund balance, plus revenues estimated to be received during the budgeted year, plus the estimated receipts due the State as of June 30 of the budgeted year that are expected to be collected during the lapse period following the budgeted year, minus the receipts collected during the first 2 months of the budgeted year that became due to the State in the year before the budgeted year. Revenues shall also include estimated federal reimbursements associated with the recognition of Section 25 of the State Finance Act liabilities. For any budgeted fund for which current year revenues are anticipated to exceed expenditures, the surplus shall be considered to be a resource available for expenditure in the budgeted fiscal year.

Expenditure estimates for the budgeted funds included in the State budget shall include the costs to be incurred by the State for the budgeted year, to be paid in the next fiscal year, excluding costs paid in the budgeted year which were carried over from the prior year, where the payment is authorized by Section 25 of the State Finance Act. For any budgeted fund for which expenditures are expected to exceed revenues in the current fiscal year, the deficit shall be considered as a use of funds in the budgeted fiscal year.

Revenues and expenditures shall also include transfers between funds that are based on revenues received or costs incurred during the budget year.

Appropriations for expenditures shall also include all anticipated statutory continuing appropriation obligations that are expected to be incurred during the budgeted fiscal year.

By March 15 of each year, the Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability shall prepare revenue and fund transfer estimates in accordance with the requirements of this Section and report those estimates to the General Assembly and the Governor.

For all funds other than the budgeted funds, the proposed expenditures shall not exceed funds estimated to be available for the fiscal year as shown in the budget. Appropriation for a fiscal year shall not exceed funds estimated by the General Assembly to be available during that year.

(b) By February 24, 2010, the Governor must file a written report with the Secretary of the Senate and the Clerk of the House of Representatives containing the following:

(1) for fiscal year 2010, the revenues for all budgeted funds, both actual to date and estimated for the full fiscal year;

(2) for fiscal year 2010, the expenditures for all budgeted funds, both actual to date and estimated for the full fiscal year;

(3) for fiscal year 2011, the estimated revenues for all budgeted funds, including without limitation the affordable General Revenue Fund appropriations, for the full fiscal year; and

(4) for fiscal year 2011, an estimate of the anticipated liabilities for all budgeted funds, including without limitation the affordable General Revenue Fund appropriations, debt service on bonds issued, and the State's contributions to the pension systems, for the full fiscal year.

Between July 1 and August 31 of each fiscal year, the members of the General Assembly and members of the public may make written budget recommendations to the Governor.

Beginning with budgets prepared for fiscal year 2013, the budgets submitted by the Governor and appropriations made by the General Assembly for all executive branch State agencies must adhere to a method of budgeting where each priority must be justified each year according to merit rather than according to the amount appropriated for the preceding year.

(Source: P.A. 97-669, eff. 1-13-12; 97-813, eff. 7-13-12; 98-2, eff. 2-19-13; 98-626, eff. 2-5-14.)"; and

on page 32, immediately below line 14, by inserting the following:

"Section 48. The Public-Private Partnership for Civic and Transit Infrastructure Project Act is amended by changing Sections 25-10 and 25-15 as follows:

(30 ILCS 558/25-10)

Sec. 25-10. Definitions. As used in this Act:

"Civic and Transit Infrastructure Project" or "civic build" or "Project" means civic infrastructure, whether publicly or privately owned, located in the City of Chicago, generally within the boundaries of East 14th Street; extending east to Lake Shore Drive; south to McCormick Place's North Building; west to the outer boundary of the McCormick Place busway and, where it extends farther west, the St. Charles Airline; northwest to South Indiana Avenue; north to East 15th Place; east to the McCormick Place busway; and north to East 14th Street, in total comprising approximately 34 acres, including, without limitation: (1) streets, roadways, pedestrian ways, commuter linkages and circulator transit systems, bridges, tunnels, overpasses, bus ways, and guideways connected to or adjacent to the Project; (2) utilities systems and related facilities, utility relocations and replacements, utility-line extensions, network and communication systems, streetscape improvements, drainage systems, sewer and water systems, subgrade structures and associated improvements; (3) landscaping, facade construction and restoration, wayfinding, and signage; (4) public transportation and transit facilities and related infrastructure, vehicle parking facilities, and other facilities that encourage intermodal transportation and public transit connected to or adjacent to the Project; (5) railroad infrastructure, stations, maintenance and storage facilities; (6) parks, plazas, atriums, civic and cultural facilities, community and recreational facilities, facilities to promote tourism and hospitality, educational facilities, conferencing and conventions, broadcast and related multimedia infrastructure, destination and community retail, dining and entertainment facilities; and (7) other facilities with the primary purpose of attracting and fostering economic development within the area of the Civic and Transit Infrastructure Project by generating additional tax base, all as agreed upon in a public-private agreement. "Civic build" includes any improvements or substantial enhancements or modifications to civic infrastructure located on or connected or adjacent to the Civic and Transit Infrastructure Project. "Civic Build" does not include commercial office, residential, or hotel facilities, or any retail, dining, and entertainment included within such facilities as part of a private build, constructed on or adjacent to the civic build.

"Civic build cost" means all costs of the civic build, as specified in the public-private agreement, and includes, without limitation, the cost of the following activities as part of the Civic and Transit Infrastructure Project: (1) acquiring or leasing real property, including air rights, and other assets associated with the Project; (2) demolishing, repairing, or rehabilitating buildings; (3) remediating land and buildings as required to prepare the property for development; (4) installing, constructing, or reconstructing, elements of civic infrastructure required to support the overall Project, including, without limitation, streets, roadways, pedestrian ways and commuter linkages, utilities systems and related facilities, utility relocations and replacements, network and communication systems, streetscape improvements, drainage systems, sewer and water systems, subgrade structures and associated improvements, landscaping, facade construction and restoration, wayfinding and signage, and other components of community infrastructure; (5) acquiring, constructing or reconstructing, and equipping transit stations, parking facilities, and other facilities that encourage intermodal transportation and public transit; (6) installing, constructing or reconstructing, and equipping core elements of civic infrastructure to promote and encourage economic development, including, without limitation, parks, cultural facilities, community and recreational facilities, facilities to promote tourism and hospitality, educational facilities, conferencing and conventions, broadcast and related multimedia infrastructure, destination and community retail, dining and entertainment facilities, and other facilities with the primary purpose of attracting and fostering economic development within the area by generating a new tax base; (7) providing related improvements, including, without limitation, excavation, earth retention, soil stabilization and correction, site improvements, and future capital improvements and expenses; (8) planning, engineering, legal, marketing, development, insurance, finance, and other related professional services and costs associated with the civic build; and (9) the commissioning or operational start-up of any component of the civic build.

"Develop" or "development" means to do one or more of the following: plan, design, develop, lease, acquire, install, construct, reconstruct, repair, rehabilitate, replace, or extend the Civic and Transit Infrastructure Project as provided under this Act.

"Maintain" or "maintenance" includes ordinary maintenance, repair, rehabilitation, capital maintenance, maintenance replacement, and other categories of maintenance that may be designated by the public-private agreement for the Civic and Transit Infrastructure Project as provided under this Act.

"Operate" or "operation" means to do one or more of the following: maintain, improve, equip, modify, or otherwise operate the Civic and Transit Infrastructure Project as provided under this Act.

"Private build" means all commercial, industrial or residential facilities, or property that is not included in the definition of civic build. The private build may include commercial office, residential, educational, health and wellness, or hotel facilities constructed on or adjacent to the civic build, and retail, dining, and entertainment facilities that are not included as part of the civic build under the public-private agreement.

"Private entity" means any private entity associated with the Civic and Transit Infrastructure Project at the time of execution and delivery of a public-private agreement, and its successors or assigns. The private entity may enter into a public-private agreement with the public agency on behalf of the State for the development, financing, construction, operational, or management of the Civic and Transit Infrastructure Project under this Act.

"Public agency" means the Illinois Finance Authority Governor's Office of Management and Budget.

"Public-private agreement" or "agreement" means one or more agreements or contracts entered into between the public agency on behalf of the State and private entity, and all schedules, exhibits, and attachments thereto, entered into under this Act for the development, financing, construction, operation, or management of the Civic and Transit Infrastructure Project, whereby the private entity will develop, finance, construct, own, operate, and manage the Project for a definite term in return for the right to receive the revenues generated from the Project and other required payments from the State, including, but not limited to, a portion of the State sales taxes, as provided under this Act.

"Revenues" means all revenues, including, but not limited to, income user fees; ticket fees; earnings, interest, lease payments, allocations, moneys from the federal government, grants, loans, lines of credit, credit guarantees, bond proceeds, equity investments, service payments, or other receipts arising out of or in connection with the financing, development, construction, operation, and management of the Project under this Act. "Revenues" does not include the State payments to the Civic and Transit Infrastructure Fund as required under this Act.

"State" means the State of Illinois.

"User fees" means the tolls, rates, fees, or other charges imposed by the State or private entity for use of all or part of the civic build.

(Source: P.A. 101-10, eff. 6-5-19; 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)

(30 ILCS 558/25-15)

Sec. 25-15. Formation of the public-private agreement.

(a) In consideration of the requirements of this Act and in order to enable the State to facilitate the development, financing, construction, management, and operation of Civic and Transit Infrastructure Projects, the a public agency, in consultation with the Governor's Office of Management and Budget, shall have the authority and shall take all necessary steps to enter into a public-private agreement with a private entity to develop, finance, construct, operate, and manage Civic and Transit Infrastructure Projects; provided that the final public-private agreement must be approved by the Governor's Office of Management and Budget prior to execution. Prior to negotiating the public-private agreement, the public agency shall have the authority to take all necessary steps to enter into interim agreements with the private entity to facilitate the negotiations for the public-private agreement consistent with this Act.

(b) The public agency shall serve as a fiduciary to the State in entering into the public-private agreement with the private entity.

(c) The public agency may retain such experts and advisors as are necessary to fulfill its duties and responsibilities under this Act and may rely upon existing third-party reports and analyses related to the Civic and Transit Infrastructure Project. The public agency may expend funds as necessary to facilitate negotiating and entering into a public-private agreement.

(d) The public agency shall have the authority to adopt rules to facilitate the administration of the public-private agreement entered into consistent with this Act.

(e) The term of the public-private agreement, including all extensions, shall be no more than 75 years. The term of a public-private agreement may be extended by the public agency if it deems that such extension is in the best interest of the State.

(f) Except as otherwise provided under this Act, the Civic and Transit Infrastructure Project shall be subject to all applicable planning requirements otherwise required by the State or local law, including land use planning, regional planning, transportation planning, and environmental compliance requirements.

(g) The public agency shall be responsible for fulfilling all required obligations related to any requests for disclosure of records related to the public business of the public agency and expenditure of State moneys under this Act pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act.

(h) The public-private agreement shall require the private entity to enter into a project labor agreement.

(i) The public agency shall take all reasonable steps to ensure that the public-private agreement is promptly negotiated with the private entity and that the public-private agreement is in substantially final form within 120 days following the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly. To ensure compliance with this subsection, the public agency shall submit a report on the status of the public-private agreement to the General Assembly no later than 120 days following the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly.

(Source: P.A. 101-10, eff. 6-5-19.)"; and

on page 65, immediately below line 12, by inserting the following:

"Section 66. If and only if House Bill 3666 of the 102nd General Assembly becomes law (as amended by Senate Amendment No. 6), the Energy Assistance Act is amended by changing Section 13 as follows:

(305 ILCS 20/13)

(Text of Section from P.A. 102-16)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2025)

Sec. 13. Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund.

(a) The Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund is hereby created as a special fund in the State Treasury. Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund is not subject to sweeps, administrative charge-backs, or any other fiscal or budgetary maneuver that would in any way transfer any amounts from the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund into any other fund of the State. The Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund is authorized to receive moneys from voluntary donations from individuals, foundations, corporations, and other sources, moneys received pursuant to Section 17, and, by statutory deposit, the moneys collected pursuant to this Section. The Fund is also authorized to receive voluntary donations from individuals, foundations, corporations, and other sources. Subject to appropriation, the Department shall use moneys from the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund for payments to electric or gas public utilities, municipal electric or gas utilities, and electric cooperatives on behalf of their customers who are participants in the program authorized by Sections 4 and 18 of this Act, for the provision of weatherization services and for administration of the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund. All other deposits outside of the Energy Assistance Charge as set forth in subsection (b) are not subject to the percentage restrictions related to administrative and weatherization expenses provided in this subsection. The yearly expenditures for weatherization may not exceed 10% of the amount collected during the year pursuant to this Section, except when unspent funds from the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund are reallocated from a previous year; any unspent balance of the 10% weatherization allowance may be utilized for weatherization expenses in the year they are reallocated. The yearly administrative expenses of the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund may not exceed 13% of the amount collected during that year pursuant to this Section, except when unspent funds from the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund are reallocated from a previous year; any unspent balance of the 13% administrative allowance may be utilized for administrative expenses in the year they are reallocated. Of the 13% administrative allowance, no less than 8% shall be provided to Local Administrative Agencies for administrative expenses.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 16-111 of the Public Utilities Act but subject to subsection (k) of this Section, each public utility, electric cooperative, as defined in Section 3.4 of the Electric Supplier Act, and municipal utility, as referenced in Section 3-105 of the Public Utilities Act, that is engaged in the delivery of electricity or the distribution of natural gas within the State of Illinois shall, effective January 1, 2021 2022, assess each of its customer accounts a monthly Energy Assistance Charge for the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund. The delivering public utility, municipal electric or gas utility, or electric or gas cooperative for a self-assessing purchaser remains subject to the collection of the fee imposed by this Section. The monthly charge shall be as follows:

(1) Base Energy Assistance Charge per month on each account for residential electrical service;

(2) Base Energy Assistance Charge per month on each account for residential gas service;

(3) Ten times the Base Energy Assistance Charge per month on each account for non-residential electric service which had less than 10 megawatts of peak demand during the previous calendar year;

(4) Ten times the Base Energy Assistance Charge per month on each account for non-residential gas service which had distributed to it less than 4,000,000 therms of gas during the previous calendar year;

(5) Three hundred and seventy-five times the Base Energy Assistance Charge per month on each account for non-residential electric service which had 10 megawatts or greater of peak demand during the previous calendar year; and

(6) Three hundred and seventy-five times the Base Energy Assistance Charge per month on each account For non-residential gas service which had 4,000,000 or more therms of gas distributed to it during the previous calendar year.

The Base Energy Assistance Charge shall be $0.48 per month for the calendar year beginning January 1, 2022 and shall increase by $0.16 per month for any calendar year, provided no less than 80% of the previous State fiscal year's available Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund funding was exhausted. The maximum Base Energy Assistance Charge shall not exceed $0.96 per month for any calendar year.

The incremental change to such charges imposed by Public Act 99-933 and this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly shall not (i) be used for any purpose other than to directly assist customers and (ii) be applicable to utilities serving less than 100,000 customers in Illinois on January 1, 2021. The incremental change to such charges imposed by this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly are intended to increase utilization of the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP or PIP Plan) and shall be applied such that PIP Plan enrollment is at least doubled, as compared to 2020 enrollment, by 2024.

In addition, electric and gas utilities have committed, and shall contribute, a one-time payment of $22 million to the Fund, within 10 days after the effective date of the tariffs established pursuant to Sections 16-111.8 and 19-145 of the Public Utilities Act to be used for the Department's cost of implementing the programs described in Section 18 of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, the Arrearage Reduction Program described in Section 18, and the programs described in Section 8-105 of the Public Utilities Act. If a utility elects not to file a rider within 90 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, then the contribution from such utility shall be made no later than February 1, 2010.

(c) For purposes of this Section:

(1) "residential electric service" means electric utility service for household purposes delivered to a dwelling of 2 or fewer units which is billed under a residential rate, or electric utility service for household purposes delivered to a dwelling unit or units which is billed under a residential rate and is registered by a separate meter for each dwelling unit;

(2) "residential gas service" means gas utility service for household purposes distributed to a dwelling of 2 or fewer units which is billed under a residential rate, or gas utility service for household purposes distributed to a dwelling unit or units which is billed under a residential rate and is registered by a separate meter for each dwelling unit;

(3) "non-residential electric service" means electric utility service which is not residential electric service; and

(4) "non-residential gas service" means gas utility service which is not residential gas service.

(d) Within 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, each public utility engaged in the delivery of electricity or the distribution of natural gas shall file with the Illinois Commerce Commission tariffs incorporating the Energy Assistance Charge in other charges stated in such tariffs, which shall become effective no later than the beginning of the first billing cycle following such filing.

(e) The Energy Assistance Charge assessed by electric and gas public utilities shall be considered a charge for public utility service.

(f) By the 20th day of the month following the month in which the charges imposed by the Section were collected, each public utility, municipal utility, and electric cooperative shall remit to the Department of Revenue all moneys received as payment of the Energy Assistance Charge on a return prescribed and furnished by the Department of Revenue showing such information as the Department of Revenue may reasonably require; provided, however, that a utility offering an Arrearage Reduction Program or Supplemental Arrearage Reduction Program pursuant to Section 18 of this Act shall be entitled to net those amounts necessary to fund and recover the costs of such Programs as authorized by that Section that is no more than the incremental change in such Energy Assistance Charge authorized by Public Act 96-33. If a customer makes a partial payment, a public utility, municipal utility, or electric cooperative may elect either: (i) to apply such partial payments first to amounts owed to the utility or cooperative for its services and then to payment for the Energy Assistance Charge or (ii) to apply such partial payments on a pro-rata basis between amounts owed to the utility or cooperative for its services and to payment for the Energy Assistance Charge.

If any payment provided for in this Section exceeds the distributor's liabilities under this Act, as shown on an original return, the Department may authorize the distributor to credit such excess payment against liability subsequently to be remitted to the Department under this Act, in accordance with reasonable rules adopted by the Department. If the Department subsequently determines that all or any part of the credit taken was not actually due to the distributor, the distributor's discount shall be reduced by an amount equal to the difference between the discount as applied to the credit taken and that actually due, and that distributor shall be liable for penalties and interest on such difference.

(g) The Department of Revenue shall deposit into the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund all moneys remitted to it in accordance with subsection (f) of this Section. The utilities shall coordinate with the Department to establish an equitable and practical methodology for implementing this subsection (g) beginning with the 2010 program year.

(h) On or before December 31, 2002, the Department shall prepare a report for the General Assembly on the expenditure of funds appropriated from the Low-Income Energy Assistance Block Grant Fund for the program authorized under Section 4 of this Act.

(i) The Department of Revenue may establish such rules as it deems necessary to implement this Section.

(j) The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may establish such rules as it deems necessary to implement this Section.

(k) The charges imposed by this Section shall only apply to customers of municipal electric or gas utilities and electric or gas cooperatives if the municipal electric or gas utility or electric or gas cooperative makes an affirmative decision to impose the charge. If a municipal electric or gas utility or an electric cooperative makes an affirmative decision to impose the charge provided by this Section, the municipal electric or gas utility or electric cooperative shall inform the Department of Revenue in writing of such decision when it begins to impose the charge. If a municipal electric or gas utility or electric or gas cooperative does not assess this charge, the Department may not use funds from the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund to provide benefits to its customers under the program authorized by Section 4 of this Act.

In its use of federal funds under this Act, the Department may not cause a disproportionate share of those federal funds to benefit customers of systems which do not assess the charge provided by this Section.

This Section is repealed on January 1, 2025 unless renewed by action of the General Assembly.

(Source: P.A. 102-16, eff. 6-17-21; 10200HB3666sam006.)

(Text of Section from P.A. 102-176)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2025)

Sec. 13. Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund.

(a) The Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund is hereby created as a special fund in the State Treasury. The Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund is authorized to receive moneys from voluntary donations from individuals, foundations, corporations, and other sources, moneys received pursuant to Section 17, and, by statutory deposit, the moneys collected pursuant to this Section. The Fund is also authorized to receive voluntary donations from individuals, foundations, corporations, and other sources. Subject to appropriation, the Department shall use moneys from the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund for payments to electric or gas public utilities, municipal electric or gas utilities, and electric cooperatives on behalf of their customers who are participants in the program authorized by Sections 4 and 18 of this Act, for the provision of weatherization services and for administration of the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund. All other deposits outside of the Energy Assistance Charge as set forth in subsection (b) are not subject to the percentage restrictions related to administrative and weatherization expenses provided in this subsection. The yearly expenditures for weatherization may not exceed 10% of the amount collected during the year pursuant to this Section, except when unspent funds from the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund are reallocated from a previous year; any unspent balance of the 10% weatherization allowance may be utilized for weatherization expenses in the year they are reallocated. The yearly administrative expenses of the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund may not exceed 13% of the amount collected during that year pursuant to this Section, except when unspent funds from the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund are reallocated from a previous year; any unspent balance of the 13% administrative allowance may be utilized for administrative expenses in the year they are reallocated. Of the 13% administrative allowance, no less than 8% shall be provided to Local Administrative Agencies for administrative expenses.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 16-111 of the Public Utilities Act but subject to subsection (k) of this Section, each public utility, electric cooperative, as defined in Section 3.4 of the Electric Supplier Act, and municipal utility, as referenced in Section 3-105 of the Public Utilities Act, that is engaged in the delivery of electricity or the distribution of natural gas within the State of Illinois shall, effective January 1, 2021 2022, assess each of its customer accounts a monthly Energy Assistance Charge for the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund. The delivering public utility, municipal electric or gas utility, or electric or gas cooperative for a self-assessing purchaser remains subject to the collection of the fee imposed by this Section. The monthly charge shall be as follows:

(1) Base Energy Assistance Charge per month on each account for residential electrical service;

(2) Base Energy Assistance Charge per month on each account for residential gas service;

(3) Ten times the Base Energy Assistance Charge per month on each account for non-residential electric service which had less than 10 megawatts of peak demand during the previous calendar year;

(4) Ten times the Base Energy Assistance Charge per month on each account for non-residential gas service which had distributed to it less than 4,000,000 therms of gas during the previous calendar year;

(5) Three hundred and seventy-five times the Base Energy Assistance Charge per month on each account for non-residential electric service which had 10 megawatts or greater of peak demand during the previous calendar year; and

(6) Three hundred and seventy-five times the Base Energy Assistance Charge per month on each account for non-residential gas service which had 4,000,000 or more therms of gas distributed to it during the previous calendar year.

The Base Energy Assistance Charge shall be $0.48 per month for the calendar year beginning January 1, 2022 and shall increase by $0.16 per month for any calendar year, provided no less than 80% of the previous State fiscal year's available Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund funding was exhausted. The maximum Base Energy Assistance Charge shall not exceed $0.96 per month for any calendar year.

The incremental change to such charges imposed by Public Act 99-933 and this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly shall not (i) be used for any purpose other than to directly assist customers and (ii) be applicable to utilities serving less than 100,000 customers in Illinois on January 1, 2021. The incremental change to such charges imposed by this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly are intended to increase utilization of the Percentage of Income Payment Plan (PIPP or PIP Plan) and shall be applied such that PIP Plan enrollment is at least doubled, as compared to 2020 enrollment, by 2024.

In addition, electric and gas utilities have committed, and shall contribute, a one-time payment of $22 million to the Fund, within 10 days after the effective date of the tariffs established pursuant to Sections 16-111.8 and 19-145 of the Public Utilities Act to be used for the Department's cost of implementing the programs described in Section 18 of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, the Arrearage Reduction Program described in Section 18, and the programs described in Section 8-105 of the Public Utilities Act. If a utility elects not to file a rider within 90 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, then the contribution from such utility shall be made no later than February 1, 2010.

(c) For purposes of this Section:

(1) "residential electric service" means electric utility service for household purposes delivered to a dwelling of 2 or fewer units which is billed under a residential rate, or electric utility service for household purposes delivered to a dwelling unit or units which is billed under a residential rate and is registered by a separate meter for each dwelling unit;

(2) "residential gas service" means gas utility service for household purposes distributed to a dwelling of 2 or fewer units which is billed under a residential rate, or gas utility service for household purposes distributed to a dwelling unit or units which is billed under a residential rate and is registered by a separate meter for each dwelling unit;

(3) "non-residential electric service" means electric utility service which is not residential electric service; and

(4) "non-residential gas service" means gas utility service which is not residential gas service.

(d) Within 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, each public utility engaged in the delivery of electricity or the distribution of natural gas shall file with the Illinois Commerce Commission tariffs incorporating the Energy Assistance Charge in other charges stated in such tariffs, which shall become effective no later than the beginning of the first billing cycle following such filing.

(e) The Energy Assistance Charge assessed by electric and gas public utilities shall be considered a charge for public utility service.

(f) By the 20th day of the month following the month in which the charges imposed by the Section were collected, each public utility, municipal utility, and electric cooperative shall remit to the Department of Revenue all moneys received as payment of the Energy Assistance Charge on a return prescribed and furnished by the Department of Revenue showing such information as the Department of Revenue may reasonably require; provided, however, that a utility offering an Arrearage Reduction Program or Supplemental Arrearage Reduction Program pursuant to Section 18 of this Act shall be entitled to net those amounts necessary to fund and recover the costs of such Programs as authorized by that Section that is no more than the incremental change in such Energy Assistance Charge authorized by Public Act 96-33. If a customer makes a partial payment, a public utility, municipal utility, or electric cooperative may elect either: (i) to apply such partial payments first to amounts owed to the utility or cooperative for its services and then to payment for the Energy Assistance Charge or (ii) to apply such partial payments on a pro-rata basis between amounts owed to the utility or cooperative for its services and to payment for the Energy Assistance Charge.

If any payment provided for in this Section exceeds the distributor's liabilities under this Act, as shown on an original return, the Department may authorize the distributor to credit such excess payment against liability subsequently to be remitted to the Department under this Act, in accordance with reasonable rules adopted by the Department. If the Department subsequently determines that all or any part of the credit taken was not actually due to the distributor, the distributor's discount shall be reduced by an amount equal to the difference between the discount as applied to the credit taken and that actually due, and that distributor shall be liable for penalties and interest on such difference.

(g) The Department of Revenue shall deposit into the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund all moneys remitted to it in accordance with subsection (f) of this Section. The utilities shall coordinate with the Department to establish an equitable and practical methodology for implementing this subsection (g) beginning with the 2010 program year.

(h) On or before December 31, 2002, the Department shall prepare a report for the General Assembly on the expenditure of funds appropriated from the Low-Income Energy Assistance Block Grant Fund for the program authorized under Section 4 of this Act.

(i) The Department of Revenue may establish such rules as it deems necessary to implement this Section.

(j) The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity may establish such rules as it deems necessary to implement this Section.

(k) The charges imposed by this Section shall only apply to customers of municipal electric or gas utilities and electric or gas cooperatives if the municipal electric or gas utility or electric or gas cooperative makes an affirmative decision to impose the charge. If a municipal electric or gas utility or an electric cooperative makes an affirmative decision to impose the charge provided by this Section, the municipal electric or gas utility or electric cooperative shall inform the Department of Revenue in writing of such decision when it begins to impose the charge. If a municipal electric or gas utility or electric or gas cooperative does not assess this charge, the Department may not use funds from the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund to provide benefits to its customers under the program authorized by Section 4 of this Act.

In its use of federal funds under this Act, the Department may not cause a disproportionate share of those federal funds to benefit customers of systems which do not assess the charge provided by this Section.

This Section is repealed on January 1, 2025 unless renewed by action of the General Assembly.

(Source: P.A. 102-176, eff. 6-1-22.; 10200HB3666sam006.)"; and

on page 96, line 5, by replacing "law" with "law, except that Section 66 takes effect upon becoming law or on the date House Bill 3666 of the 102nd General Assembly takes effect, whichever is later".