State of Illinois
90th General Assembly
Legislation

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90_HB1147

      220 ILCS 5/13-102         from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-102
      220 ILCS 5/13-103         from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-103
      220 ILCS 5/13-203         from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-203
      220 ILCS 5/13-210         from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-210
      220 ILCS 5/13-216 new
      220 ILCS 5/13-217 new
      220 ILCS 5/13-405         from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-405
      220 ILCS 5/13-502         from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-502
      220 ILCS 5/13-511 new
      220 ILCS 5/13-512 new
      220 ILCS 5/13-513 new
      220 ILCS 5/13-514 new
      220 ILCS 5/13-515 new
      220 ILCS 5/13-516 new
      220 ILCS 5/13-517 new
      220 ILCS 5/13-803         from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-803
      740 ILCS 10/5             from Ch. 38, par. 60-5
          Amends  the  telecommunications  Article  of  the  Public
      Utilities Act.  Makes legislative findings  that  changes  in
      telecommunications regulatory policy have brought benefits to
      consumers  except  those  in  local  exchange  markets, which
      remain organized as monopolies, and that the public  interest
      requires  a  change  in  the  monopoly  regulation  of  local
      exchange  telecommunications.  Provides that for a service to
      be classified as competitive, the  service  or  a  substitute
      service  must actually be supplied by more than one provider.
      Requires  the  Illinois  Commerce   Commission   to   enforce
      interconnection  agreements  entered  into  pursuant  to  the
      federal   Telecommunications   Act   of   1996.   Establishes
      penalties  for  violations  of  interconnection   agreements.
      Amends  the  Illinois  Antitrust  Act to remove the exemption
      from that Act for telecommunications carriers.   Changes  the
      sunset  date  for  the  Telecommunications Article to July 1,
      2001 from July 1, 1999. Effective immediately.
                                                     LRB9005036JSgc
                                               LRB9005036JSgc
 1        AN ACT relating to competition in the  telecommunications
 2    industry amending named Acts.
 3        Be  it  enacted  by  the People of the State of Illinois,
 4    represented in the General Assembly:
 5        Section 5.   The  Public  Utilities  Act  is  amended  by
 6    changing  Sections  13-102,  13-103,  13-203, 13-210, 13-405,
 7    13-502,  and  13-803  and  adding  Sections  13-216,  13-217,
 8    13-511, 13-512, 13-513, 13-514, 13-515, 13-516, and 13-517 as
 9    follows:
10        (220 ILCS 5/13-102) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-102)
11        (This Section is scheduled to be repealed July 1, 1999.)
12        Sec.    13-102.     Findings.     With     respect     to
13    telecommunications  services,  as herein defined, the General
14    Assembly finds that:
15        (a)  universally   available   and   widely    affordable
16    telecommunications  services  are  essential  to  the health,
17    welfare and prosperity of all Illinois citizens;
18        (b)  recent federal regulatory and  judicial  rulings  in
19    the    1980s    have    caused   a   restructuring   of   the
20    telecommunications industry and have opened some  aspects  of
21    the  industry  to  competitive  entry,  thereby necessitating
22    revision of State telecommunications regulatory policies  and
23    practices;
24        (c)  revisions  in telecommunications regulatory policies
25    and practices in Illinois beginning in the mid-1980s  brought
26    the   benefits   of   competition   to   consumers   in  many
27    telecommunications  markets,  but  not  in   local   exchange
28    telecommunications service markets that remained organized as
29    monopolies;
30        (d)  the   federal   Telecommunications   Act   of   1996
31    established    the    goal    of   opening   local   exchange
                            -2-                LRB9005036JSgc
 1    telecommunications service markets to competition and accords
 2    to the states the new responsibility to determine and enforce
 3    policies and actions necessary to attain that goal;
 4        (e)  it is in the immediate interest of the People of the
 5    State of Illinois for the State to exercise its rights within
 6    the new framework of  federal  telecommunications  policy  to
 7    ensure  that  the  economic  benefits of competition in local
 8    exchange telecommunications service markets are  realized  as
 9    effectively as possible;
10        (f) (c)  the   competitive  offering  of  local  exchange
11    telecommunications services  will  increase  may  create  the
12    potential  for  increased  innovation  and  efficiency in the
13    provision of telecommunications services  and  will  lead  to
14    reduced   prices   for  consumers,  increased  investment  in
15    communications infrastructure, the creation of new jobs,  and
16    the attraction of new businesses; and
17        (g) (d)  protection   of  the  public  interest  requires
18    changes in the  continued  regulation  of  telecommunications
19    carriers  and  services  to  ensure,  to the maximum feasible
20    extent, the reasonable and timely  development  of  effective
21    competition  in  local  exchange  telecommunications  service
22    markets for the foreseeable future.
23    (Source: P.A. 84-1063.)
24        (220 ILCS 5/13-103) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-103)
25        (This Section is scheduled to be repealed July 1, 1999.)
26        Sec.  13-103.  Policy.  Consistent with its findings, the
27    General Assembly declares that it is the policy of the  State
28    of Illinois that:
29        (a)  telecommunications  services  offered in competitive
30    markets should be available to all Illinois citizens at just,
31    reasonable and affordable rates and that such services should
32    be  provided  as  widely  and  economically  as  possible  in
33    sufficient variety,  quality,  quantity  and  reliability  to
                            -3-                LRB9005036JSgc
 1    satisfy the public interest;
 2        (b)  when  consistent with the protection of consumers of
 3    telecommunications services  and  the  furtherance  of  other
 4    public   interest   goals,   competition  in  local  exchange
 5    telecommunications should be pursued permitted to function as
 6    a substitute for certain aspects of regulation in determining
 7    the variety, quality and price of telecommunications services
 8    and that the economic burdens of regulation should be reduced
 9    to the extent possible consistent  with  the  furtherance  of
10    market competition and protection of the public interest;
11        (c)  all necessary and appropriate modifications to State
12    regulation of telecommunications carriers and services should
13    be   implemented   without   unnecessary  disruption  to  the
14    telecommunications    system    or    to     consumers     of
15    telecommunications  services  and  that  it  is necessary and
16    appropriate to establish rules  to  encourage  and  ensure  a
17    reasonable  period  of time to permit preparation for orderly
18    transitions in the development provision of markets for local
19    exchange telecommunications services;
20        (d)  the consumers  of  telecommunications  services  and
21    facilities  provided  by  persons  or  companies  subject  to
22    regulation  pursuant  to  this  Act  and  Article  should  be
23    required  to pay only reasonable and non-discriminatory rates
24    or charges and that in no case should rates  or  charges  for
25    non-competitive   telecommunications   services  include  any
26    portion   of    the    cost    of    providing    competitive
27    telecommunications services, as defined in Section 13-209, or
28    the cost of any nonregulated activities;
29        (e)  the  regulatory  policies and procedures provided in
30    this Article are established in recognition of  the  changing
31    nature  of  the  telecommunications  industry  and  therefore
32    should  be subject to systematic legislative review to ensure
33    that  the  public  benefits  intended  to  result  from  such
34    policies and procedures are fully realized; and
                            -4-                LRB9005036JSgc
 1        (f)  development of and prudent  investment  in  advanced
 2    telecommunications services and networks that foster economic
 3    development  of  the  State  should be encouraged through the
 4    implementation  and  enforcement  of  policies  that  promote
 5    effective  and  sustained  competition  in   local   exchange
 6    telecommunications service markets.
 7    (Source: P.A. 87-856.)
 8        (220 ILCS 5/13-203) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-203)
 9        (This Section is scheduled to be repealed July 1, 1999.)
10        Sec.       13-203.       Telecommunications      service.
11    "Telecommunications service" means the provision or  offering
12    for  rent,  sale  or  lease,  or  in exchange for other value
13    received, of the transmittal  of  information,  by  means  of
14    electromagnetic,   including   light,  transmission  with  or
15    without benefit of any closed transmission medium,  including
16    all  instrumentalities,  facilities,  apparatus, and services
17    (including the collection,  storage,  forwarding,  switching,
18    and  delivery  of  such  information)  used  to  provide such
19    transmission and also  includes  access  and  interconnection
20    arrangements and services.
21        "Telecommunications service" does not include, however:
22             (a)  the rent, sale, or lease, or exchange for other
23        value received, of customer premises equipment except for
24        customer  premises  equipment  owned  or  provided  by  a
25        telecommunications  carrier  and  used  for answering 911
26        calls,  and  except  for  customer   premises   equipment
27        provided under Section 13-703;
28             (b)  telephone   or   telecommunications   answering
29        services,   paging  services,  and  physical  pickup  and
30        delivery  incidental  to  the  provision  of  information
31        transmitted  through  electromagnetic,  including  light,
32        transmission;
33             (c)  community antenna television service  which  is
                            -5-                LRB9005036JSgc
 1        operated to perform for hire the service of receiving and
 2        distributing  video  and  audio  program signals by wire,
 3        cable or  other  means  to  members  of  the  public  who
 4        subscribe  to  such  service,  to  the  extent  that such
 5        service is utilized solely for the  one-way  distribution
 6        of   such   entertainment  services  with  no  more  than
 7        incidental  subscriber  interaction  required   for   the
 8        selection of such entertainment service.
 9        The  Commission  may,  by rulemaking, exclude (1) private
10    line service which is not directly or indirectly used for the
11    origination or  termination  of  switched  telecommunications
12    service,   (2)   cellular   radio   service,  (3)  high-speed
13    point-to-point data transmission at or above 9.6 kilobits, or
14    (4) the provision of telecommunications service by a  company
15    or  person  otherwise  subject  to  Section  13-202  (c) to a
16    telecommunications  carrier,  which  is  incidental  to   the
17    provision  of  service  subject  to  Section 13-202 (c), from
18    active regulatory oversight to the  extent  it  finds,  after
19    notice, hearing and comment that such exclusion is consistent
20    with  the  public  interest  and the purposes and policies of
21    this Article. To the extent that the Commission has  excluded
22    cellular  radio  service from active regulatory oversight for
23    any provider of cellular radio service in this State pursuant
24    to this Section,  the  Commission  shall  exclude  all  other
25    providers  of cellular radio service in the State from active
26    regulatory  oversight  without   an   additional   rulemaking
27    proceeding  where  there are 2 or more certified providers of
28    cellular radio service in a geographic area.
29    (Source: P.A. 87-856.)
30        (220 ILCS 5/13-210) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-210)
31        (This Section is scheduled to be repealed July 1, 1999.)
32        Sec. 13-210.  "Noncompetitive Telecommunications Service"
33    means a telecommunications service other than  a  competitive
                            -6-                LRB9005036JSgc
 1    service as defined in Section 13-209  and includes all access
 2    and  interconnection arrangements and services required to be
 3    provided to telecommunications carriers pursuant  to  Section
 4    251(c)  of  the  Telecommunications  Act  of  1996, except as
 5    provided in subsection (f) of Section 13-502 of this Article.
 6    (Source: P.A. 84-1063.)
 7        (220 ILCS 5/13-216 new)
 8        (This Section is scheduled to be repealed July 1, 1999.)
 9        Sec. 13-216.  Access and interconnection arrangements and
10    services.    "Access  and  interconnection  arrangements  and
11    services" shall include, but are not necessarily limited  to,
12    the  provision  of:  interconnection  with the local exchange
13    carrier's  network  for  the  transmission  and  routing   of
14    telephone   exchange  service  and  exchange  access  at  any
15    technically feasible point; nondiscriminatory access, at  any
16    technically  feasible  point,  to unbundled network elements,
17    including  local  loop  facilities,  network  interconnection
18    devices,   unbundled   switching   capability,    interoffice
19    transmission  facilities,  signaling  links  and call-related
20    databases,  operations   support   systems   functions,   and
21    unbundled operator services and directory assistance services
22    or  any  combination of unbundled network elements, including
23    the complete  combination  of  network  elements  to  provide
24    end-to-end       telecommunications       services;       any
25    telecommunications  service  that  the  carrier provides to a
26    customer or customers who are not telecommunications carriers
27    at a wholesale rate for the purpose of resale; and facilities
28    necessary for the physical collocation of equipment necessary
29    for interconnection or access to unbundled  network  elements
30    at the premises of the carrier.
31        (220 ILCS 5/13-217 new)
32        (This Section is scheduled to be repealed July 1, 1999.)
                            -7-                LRB9005036JSgc
 1        Sec.    13-217.  Telecommunications    Act    of    1996.
 2    "Telecommunications  Act  of 1996" means Pub. L. No. 104-104,
 3    Section 101(a), 110  Stat.  70,  which  amended  the  federal
 4    Communications Act of 1934.
 5        (220 ILCS 5/13-405) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-405)
 6        (This Section is scheduled to be repealed July 1, 1999.)
 7        Sec. 13-405.  Local exchange service authority; approval.
 8    The Commission shall approve an application for a Certificate
 9    of  Exchange  Service  Authority  only  upon a showing by the
10    applicant, and a finding by the Commission, after notice  and
11    hearing,   that:   (a)  the  applicant  possesses  sufficient
12    technical, financial, and managerial resources and  abilities
13    to provide local exchange telecommunications service.; and
14             (b)  that   the   exercise   of   the  Certificate's
15        authority by the applicant  would  not  adversely  affect
16        prices, network design, or the financial viability of the
17        principal  provider  of local exchange telecommunications
18        service.
19        The Commission shall not approve or issue  a  Certificate
20    of    Exchange   Service   Authority   to   more   than   one
21    telecommunications carrier for any exchange prior to  January
22    1,  1989;  provided,  however, that a Certificate of Exchange
23    Service Authority may be issued before such time, subject  to
24    appropriate Commission approval, pursuant to this Section, to
25    any telecommunications carrier providing predominantly direct
26    nonswitched access service between a customer or user and any
27    telecommunications carrier providing inter-MSA, inter-LATA or
28    inter-state   telecommunications  service,  or  between  such
29    telecommunications carriers, for  the  purpose  of  providing
30    such direct access service.
31    (Source: P.A. 84-1063.)
32        (220 ILCS 5/13-502) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-502)
                            -8-                LRB9005036JSgc
 1        (This Section is scheduled to be repealed July 1, 1999.)
 2        Sec. 13-502.  Classification of services.
 3        (a)  All  telecommunications services offered or provided
 4    under  tariff  by  telecommunications   carriers   shall   be
 5    classified   as  either  competitive  or  noncompetitive.   A
 6    telecommunications  carrier  may  offer  or  provide   either
 7    competitive or noncompetitive telecommunications services, or
 8    both,  subject  to  proper certification and other applicable
 9    provisions of  this  Article.   Any  tariff  filed  with  the
10    Commission  as  required  by  Section  13-501  shall indicate
11    whether the service to be offered or provided is  competitive
12    or noncompetitive.
13        (b)  A  service  shall  be classified as competitive only
14    if, and only to the extent that, for some identifiable  class
15    or  group of customers in an exchange, group of exchanges, or
16    some other clearly defined geographical area,  such  service,
17    or  its  functional  equivalent,  or a substitute service, is
18    actually and demonstrably being supplied to  those  customers
19    by  reasonably  available  from  more  than  one unaffiliated
20    provider,  whether  or   not   any   such   provider   is   a
21    telecommunications  carrier  subject to regulation under this
22    Act. All telecommunications services not properly  classified
23    as   competitive   shall  be  classified  as  noncompetitive;
24    provided that all telecommunications services  offered  by  a
25    local  exchange telecommunications carrier certificated after
26    January 1, 1989, and not affiliated  with  a  local  exchange
27    telecommunications  carrier  certificated  before  January 1,
28    1989,  shall  be  classified  as   competitive.   No   tariff
29    classifying  a  new telecommunications service as competitive
30    or     reclassifying     a     previously      noncompetitive
31    telecommunications  service as competitive, which is filed by
32    a telecommunications carrier which also  offers  or  provides
33    noncompetitive telecommunications service, shall be effective
34    unless  and  until the telecommunications carrier offering or
                            -9-                LRB9005036JSgc
 1    providing, or seeking  to  offer  or  provide,  the  proposed
 2    competitive service prepares and files a study describing the
 3    market  for the service, including evidence of the manner and
 4    extent to which the service is being supplied  by  more  than
 5    one  provider,  together  with  such  other  evidence  as the
 6    Commission may require. The Commission shall have  the  power
 7    to  investigate  the  propriety  of  any  classification of a
 8    telecommunications  service  on  its  own  motion  and  shall
 9    investigate upon complaint.  After notice  and  hearing,  the
10    Commission  shall  order  the  proper  classification  of any
11    service in whole or in part.  The Commission shall  make  its
12    determination  and  issue  its  final order no later than 180
13    days  from  the  date  such  hearing  or   investigation   is
14    initiated.  If  the  Commission  enters  into  a hearing upon
15    complaint and if the  Commission  fails  to  issue  an  order
16    within  that  period,  the  complaint shall be deemed granted
17    unless   the   Commission,   the   complainant,    and    the
18    telecommunications  carrier  providing  the  service agree to
19    extend the time period.
20        (c)  No  tariff  classifying  a  new   telecommunications
21    service   as   competitive   or  reclassifying  a  previously
22    noncompetitive  telecommunications  service  as  competitive,
23    which is filed by a  telecommunications  carrier  which  also
24    offers or provides noncompetitive telecommunications service,
25    shall  be  effective unless and until such telecommunications
26    carrier  offering  or  providing,  or  seeking  to  offer  or
27    provide, such proposed competitive service prepares and files
28    a study of the long-run service incremental  cost  underlying
29    such  service  and  demonstrates  that the tariffed rates and
30    charges for the service and any relevant  group  of  services
31    that  includes the proposed competitive service and for which
32    resources are used in common solely by that group of services
33    are not less than the long-run service  incremental  cost  of
34    providing  the  service  and each relevant group of services.
                            -10-               LRB9005036JSgc
 1    Such study  shall  be  given  proprietary  treatment  by  the
 2    Commission  at  the  request  of  such  carrier  if any other
 3    provider  of  the   competitive   service,   its   functional
 4    equivalent,  or a substitute service in the geographical area
 5    described by the proposed tariff has not filed,  or  has  not
 6    been required to file, such a study.
 7        (d)  In the event any telecommunications service has been
 8    classified and filed as competitive by the telecommunications
 9    carrier,  and has been offered or provided on such basis, and
10    the Commission subsequently  determines  after  investigation
11    that  such  classification improperly included services which
12    were in fact noncompetitive, the Commission  shall  have  the
13    power  to  determine  and  order refunds to customers for any
14    overcharges  which  may  have  resulted  from  the   improper
15    classification,  or  to order such other remedies provided to
16    it under this Act, or to seek an appropriate remedy or relief
17    in a court of competent jurisdiction.
18        (e)  Any telecommunications carrier which seeks to file a
19    tariff  classifying  a  new  telecommunications  service   as
20    competitive  or  reclassifying  a  previously  noncompetitive
21    telecommunications  service  as  competitive  may, instead of
22    filing such  new  tariff  and  offering  and  providing  such
23    service  as  competitive  subject  to  refund,   apply to the
24    Commission, prior to offering or providing  such  service  as
25    competitive, for an order finding that the proposed tariff is
26    proper  and  consistent  with  law.   Any  telecommunications
27    carrier  applying  for  Commission  approval pursuant to this
28    paragraph (e) shall provide timely and  effective  notice  of
29    its  application  and proposed tariff to potentially affected
30    providers and customers in a manner to be determined  by  the
31    Commission.
32        Upon such application and notice, the Commission may make
33    its  findings without hearing within 21 days of the filing of
34    the application and may allow such tariff to  take  immediate
                            -11-               LRB9005036JSgc
 1    effect  thereafter  if  there  is  no  request for hearing by
 2    potentially affected providers or customers.  The  Commission
 3    shall,   however,   enter  into  hearings  to  determine  the
 4    propriety and legality of  the  proposed  tariffs  upon  such
 5    request  or  if  the  Commission, in its discretion, believes
 6    such hearings are necessary.
 7        If  the  Commission  enters  into   hearings   upon   the
 8    application,  it shall issue a final order within 180 days of
 9    such application, and, if the Commission fails  to  issue  an
10    order  within  such  period,  the application shall be deemed
11    granted, unless, however, the Commission, the  applicant  and
12    all  parties to the hearing agree to extend such time period.
13    The Commission shall have the power to issue an interim order
14    allowing the proposed tariff to take effect  during  the  180
15    day period subject to refund and such other conditions as the
16    Commission may provide.
17        (f)  A  telecommunications  carrier  that provides access
18    and  interconnection  arrangements  and  services  to   other
19    telecommunications carriers pursuant to Section 251(c) of the
20    Telecommunications Act of 1996 may petition the Commission to
21    classify  the  access  and  interconnection  arrangements and
22    services,   in   whole   or   in   part,    as    competitive
23    telecommunication   services.   Access   and  interconnection
24    arrangements  and  services  required  to  be   provided   to
25    telecommunications carriers pursuant to Section 251(c) of the
26    Telecommunications   Act   of   1996  may  be  classified  as
27    competitive telecommunications services only if, and only  to
28    the  extent  that,  after notice and hearing, the petitioning
29    carrier demonstrates and the Commission determines that,  for
30    some identifiable class or group of customers in an exchange,
31    group   of   exchanges,   or   some   other  clearly  defined
32    geographical area, the access or interconnection  arrangement
33    or  service  is  actually  and demonstrably being supplied to
34    those consumers by more than one  unaffiliated  provider  and
                            -12-               LRB9005036JSgc
 1    that effective competition exists in the relevant market.
 2    (Source: P.A. 87-856.)
 3        (220 ILCS 5/13-511 new)
 4        (This Section is scheduled to be repealed July 1, 1999.)
 5        Sec. 13-511.  Penalty for violation.  Notwithstanding any
 6    other  provision of this Article or Act, a telecommunications
 7    carrier that knowingly violates or fails to comply  with  any
 8    provision  of  this  Article  or  any  rule  or  order issued
 9    pursuant  to  this  Article  related  to  the  provision   of
10    noncompetitive  services,  shall  be  subject  to  penalties,
11    fines,  and  damages as provided in Section 5-201, 5-202, and
12    5-203, except that the amount of any fine shall be determined
13    by the Commission and shall be  no  less  than  0.1%  of  the
14    carrier's   annual   intrastate  revenues.   Each  day  of  a
15    continuing offense shall be treated as a  separate  violation
16    for  the  purpose  of  levying  a  fine or penalty under this
17    Section.  The period for which the fine or penalty  shall  be
18    levied  shall commence on the day that the Commission finds a
19    knowing violation first to have occurred and  shall  continue
20    until the violation is corrected.
21        (220 ILCS 5/13-512 new)
22        (This Section is scheduled to be repealed July 1, 1999.)
23        Sec.  13-512.  Rules;  review.  The Commission shall have
24    general rulemaking  authority  to  make  rules  necessary  to
25    enforce this Article.  However, not later than 270 days after
26    the  effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997, and every
27    2 years thereafter, the Commission  shall  review  all  rules
28    issued  under  this  Article  that apply to the operations or
29    activities of any telecommunications carrier.  The Commission
30    shall, after notice and hearing, repeal or modify any rule it
31    determines to be no longer necessary in the  public  interest
32    as  the  result of effective competition between providers of
                            -13-               LRB9005036JSgc
 1    telecommunications services.
 2        (220 ILCS 5/13-513 new)
 3        (This Section is scheduled to be repealed July 1, 1999.)
 4        Sec.  13-513.  Waiver  of  rules.   A  telecommunications
 5    carrier may petition for waiver of the application of a  rule
 6    issued  pursuant  to  this  Act.   The  burden  of  proof  in
 7    establishing  the  right  to  a  waiver  shall  be  upon  the
 8    petitioner.   The petition shall include a demonstration that
 9    the waiver would not harm consumers and would not impede  the
10    development  or operation of a competitive market.  Upon such
11    demonstration, the Commission may waive the application of  a
12    rule, but not the application of a provision of this Act. The
13    Commission  may  conduct  an investigation of the petition on
14    its own motion or at the request of  a  potentially  affected
15    person.   If  no investigation is conducted, the waiver shall
16    be deemed granted 30 days after the petition is filed.
17        (220 ILCS 5/13-514 new)
18        (This Section is scheduled to be repealed July 1, 1999.)
19        Sec. 13-514.  Enforcement of access  and  interconnection
20    agreements.
21        (a)  The  Commission shall provide a timely and effective
22    means of enforcing the access and interconnection  agreements
23    entered  into  pursuant  to    Section  252  of  the  federal
24    Telecommunications Act of  1996.
25        (b)  As used in this Section:
26        "Party"  or  "Parties",  unless  specifically  set  forth
27    otherwise,       means   signatories   to   an   access   and
28    interconnection agreement that  is the subject of a complaint
29    brought pursuant to this Act.
30        "Incumbent LEC" has the same meaning  as that found in 47
31    U.S.C., Section 251 (h) of the    Telecommunications  Act  of
32    1996,  except  that  it  shall  include any  affiliates of an
                            -14-               LRB9005036JSgc
 1    incumbent LEC that are telecommunications carriers.
 2        (c)  The Commission is authorized to  approve  and  shall
 3    enforce  access and interconnection  agreements negotiated or
 4    arbitrated pursuant to 47  U.S.C., Section 252(e)(1),  as  if
 5    these  agreements  were  approved  under Illinois law.  These
 6    agreements shall comply with the procedures and  practices of
 7    this Act.
 8        (d)(1)  Unless the Commission and the  parties  otherwise
 9    mutually   agree, the Commission shall use the procedures set
10    forth  in  this  subsection  for  the  review  of  complaints
11    concerning access and interconnection agreements.
12             (A)  The complaint shall be  filed  with  the  Chief
13        Clerk  of  the  Commission  and shall be served upon  the
14        respondent, the   Executive  Director,  and  the  General
15        Counsel of the Commission at the time of filing.
16             (B)  Discovery  may  commence upon the filing of the
17        complaint and responses to discovery must be  provided to
18        the requestor within 7 days after a request is made.
19             (C)  An answer and any other responsive pleading  to
20        the complaint shall be  filed  with  the  Commission  and
21        served  in  hand  at the  same time upon the complainant,
22        the Executive Director, and the General Counsel of    the
23        Commission  within  7  days  after  the date on which the
24        complaint is filed.
25             (D)  A prehearing conference shall  be  held  within
26        10  calendar  days after the date on which the  complaint
27        is filed.
28             (E)  A determination as to  reasonable  grounds  for
29        the complaint and, if appropriate, a directive for  legal
30        notice of a hearing shall be made within 15 calendar days
31        after the  date on which the complaint is filed, together
32        with  a determination of whether provisional relief under
33        Section 13-516 shall lie.
34             (F)  The hearing shall commence within  30  days  of
                            -15-               LRB9005036JSgc
 1        the  date  on which the complaint is filed.   The hearing
 2        may  be  conducted  by  a  Hearing  Examiner  or  by   an
 3        arbitrator.   Parties  and  the Commission staff shall be
 4        entitled to present  evidence and legal argument in  oral
 5        or  written   form as deemed appropriate by the presiding
 6        official.  A written decision including reasons  for  the
 7        disposition  of  the  complaint  shall be  filed with the
 8        Commission within 50 days after the  date  on  which  the
 9        complaint  is  filed,  and  the Commission shall issue an
10        order within   70  days  after  the  date  on  which  the
11        complaint is filed.
12             (G)  If  the  Commission  determines that there is a
13        threat to competition or  to  the  public  interest,  the
14        Commission  may seek temporary, preliminary, or permanent
15        injunctive relief from a court of competent  jurisdiction
16        either prior to or after the hearing.
17             (H)  The Commission is authorized to obtain  outside
18        resources,  including,  but  not limited to,  arbitrators
19        and consultants, for the  purposes    of  conducting  the
20        hearings  authorized  by  this  Act.    Any arbitrator or
21        consultant obtained by the  Commission shall be  approved
22        by both parties to  the hearing.
23        (2)  A  party  shall  not    bring or defend a proceeding
24    brought under this  Section, or assert or controvert an issue
25    therein,  unless there is a non-frivolous basis for doing so.
26    By  presenting a pleading, written motion, or other paper  in
27    complaint  or  defense of the actions or inaction of a  party
28    under this Section a party is certifying to the    Commission
29    that to the best of that party's knowledge,  information, and
30    belief,  formed  after  a  reasonable  inquiry of the subject
31    matter of the complaint or  defense, that  the  complaint  or
32    defense  is  well  grounded    in law and fact, and under the
33    circumstances:
34             (A)  it is not being presented to harass  the  other
                            -16-               LRB9005036JSgc
 1        party,  cause unnecessary delay in the  implementation of
 2        the  interconnection  agreement,  or    create   needless
 3        increase in the cost of litigation  and;
 4             (B)  the   allegations   and   the   other   factual
 5        contentions have evidentiary support or, if  specifically
 6        so  identified,  are  likely to have  evidentiary support
 7        after reasonable opportunity  for  further  investigation
 8        or discovery.
 9        (3)  A  claim  under  this  Section  that  a  party is in
10    violation of item (2) of this subsection shall not effectuate
11    a  stay    of  the  underlying  proceeding.   Following   the
12    completion  of  the  underlying    proceeding, the Commission
13    shall  initiate  an    investigation  of  the  claim  brought
14    pursuant to  this Section that a party  is  in  violation  of
15    item  (2)  of  this  subsection  and  determine  whether  the
16    underlying    complaint  was  brought  in  violation  of this
17    Section.
18        (4)  If, after notice and a reasonable    opportunity  to
19    respond,   the   Commission   determines  that  item  (2)  of
20    subsection (d) has  been  violated,  the  Commission    shall
21    impose  appropriate  sanctions upon the party or parties that
22    have violated  item (2) of subsection (d) or are  responsible
23    for  the  violation.  The  sanctions  shall  be not less than
24    $100,000,  plus  the  amount  of  expenses  accrued  by   the
25    Commission   for conducting the hearing, plus the cost of the
26    prevailing party not in violation of item (2)  of  subsection
27    (d).
28        (e)  An  appeal  of  a  Commission Order made pursuant to
29    this  Section shall not effectuate a stay of the  access  and
30    interconnection  agreement or the effectiveness of the  Order
31    unless a court of competent jurisdiction  specifically  finds
32    that  the  party seeking the stay will  likely succeed on the
33    merits, that the party will  suffer irreparable harm  without
34    the stay, and that the  stay is in the public interest.
                            -17-               LRB9005036JSgc
 1        (220 ILCS 5/13-515 new)
 2        (This Section is scheduled to be repealed July 1, 1999.)
 3        Sec.  13-515.   Penalties  for violation of an access and
 4    interconnection agreement.
 5        (a)  Notwithstanding any other penalty,  fine,  or  other
 6    enforcement   remedy   provided   for   in   an   access  and
 7    interconnection  agreement or otherwise available at  law  or
 8    equity,    failure  by a telecommunications carrier to comply
 9    with  a term  of  an  access  and  interconnection  agreement
10    approved  by the  Commission is punishable by a civil penalty
11    of no less  than 1% of the party's annual intrastate revenues
12    per offense.   Each  day  of  a  continuing  offense  may  be
13    treated  as a  separate violation for purposes of levying any
14    penalty  under this Section.  The period for which  the  fine
15    shall   be   levied  shall  commence  on  the  day  that  the
16    Commission finds a knowing violation first to have   occurred
17    and shall continue until the violation is  corrected.
18        (b)  An   incumbent   LEC   that  knowingly  and  without
19    reasonable  cause  fails   to   implement   an   access   and
20    interconnection  agreement or to comply with the requirements
21    of    an   access   and   interconnection   agreement   after
22    implementation, with the effect of  hindering competition and
23    competitors,  may  be  fined  up    to  $500,000,000  by  the
24    Commission.
25        (c)  In addition to any penalties imposed under this  Act
26    or otherwise, if at any  time  after  the  approval  of    an
27    interconnection  agreement, the Commission determines  that a
28    party to the agreement has breached or has  failed to comply,
29    conform, or adhere to any of the terms  of the agreement, the
30    Commission shall, after notice  and opportunity for  hearing,
31    issue  an  order setting forth the specific  actions required
32    to be taken  by  the  carrier  to    correct  the  breach  or
33    deficiency.  If the carrier found not to meet one or more  of
34    the  obligations  or  conditions   of   the      access   and
                            -18-               LRB9005036JSgc
 1    interconnection  agreement  is  an  incumbent  LEC  that   is
 2    authorized, due in part to implementation of  the  obligation
 3    or  condition, to provide interLATA  services, the Commission
 4    shall petition the  Federal  Communications    Commission  to
 5    suspend or revoke that authorization.
 6        (d)  Any  person  who  is  injured  in  its  business  or
 7    property  by  reason of a violation found under this  Section
 8    may  bring  a  civil  action  in  a  court  of      competent
 9    jurisdiction.   The  court  may  award  under  this  Section,
10    actual damages for a violation  under  this    Section,  plus
11    interest  on the damages from the date of  the violation.  In
12    addition to actual damages, the  court  may  impose  punitive
13    damages where a finding of  willful violation is made.
14        (220 ILCS 5/13-516 new)
15        (This Section is scheduled to be repealed July 1, 1999.)
16        Sec.   13-516.  Access   and   interconnection  agreement
17    violation; relief.
18        (a)  In the event any action or inaction by a party to an
19    access  and  interconnection  agreement  has  a   substantial
20    adverse   effect on the ability of the other party to provide
21    service  to  customers,  the  Commission  may   require   the
22    responding  party  to    act  or refrain from acting so as to
23    protect service to  customers pending a final  resolution  of
24    the  complaint.    Provisional relief may be granted, without
25    an  evidentiary hearing,  upon  a  verified  factual  showing
26    that  the  party  seeking  relief will likely succeed on  the
27    merits, that the party will suffer irreparable harm   in  its
28    ability  to  serve  customers  if  provisional relief  is not
29    granted, and that the relief is in the public  interest.
30        (b)  No  civil  penalty,  damages  or  interest  assessed
31    against  a  telecommunications  carrier  as  a  result  of  a
32    violation  referred to in this Act may be charged directly or
33    indirectly  to  its  customers.   A party assessed a  penalty
                            -19-               LRB9005036JSgc
 1    pursuant to this Act shall set forth the  penalty as part  of
 2    its annual report to its  shareholders.
 3        (c)  The  Commission  shall  assess  the  parties for the
 4    Commission's  costs  of  investigation  and  conduct  of  the
 5    proceedings, dividing the costs according to the   resolution
 6    of   the  complaint  brought  under  this  Act.     All  such
 7    assessments shall be paid  within  60  days  after  receiving
 8    notice  of the assessments from the  Commission, and interest
 9    at  the  statutory  rate  shall    accrue  thereafter.    The
10    Commission  is  authorized  to  apply to Circuit Court for an
11    order requiring payment.
12        (220 ILCS 5/13-517 new)
13        (This Section is scheduled to be repealed July 1, 1999.)
14        Sec. 13-517.  Retention of authority. Notwithstanding any
15    other provision of  this Act, the Commission shall retain all
16    existing  authority  to     supervise   the   activities   of
17    telecommunications  carriers,  and is authorized to supervise
18    the provision    of  interconnection,  services  and  network
19    elements by  incumbent LECs to other carriers.
20        (220 ILCS 5/13-803) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-803)
21        (This Section is scheduled to be repealed July 1, 1999.)
22        Sec.  13-803.   Repealer.  The provisions of this Article
23    XIII are repealed effective July 1, 2001 1999.
24    (Source: P.A. 86-1475; 87-821; 87-856.)
25        Section 95.  The Illinois Antitrust  Act  is  amended  by
26    changing Section 5 as follows:
27        (740 ILCS 10/5) (from Ch. 38, par. 60-5)
28        Sec.  5.  No provisions of this Act shall be construed to
29    make illegal:
30        (1)  the activities  of  any  labor  organization  or  of
                            -20-               LRB9005036JSgc
 1    individual members thereof which are directed solely to labor
 2    objectives  which are legitimate under the laws of either the
 3    State of Illinois or the United States;
 4        (2)  the activities of any agricultural or  horticultural
 5    cooperative    organization,    whether    incorporated    or
 6    unincorporated,  or  of individual members thereof, which are
 7    directed   solely   to   objectives   of   such   cooperative
 8    organizations which are legitimate under the laws  of  either
 9    the State of Illinois or the United States;
10        (3)  the    activities   of   any   public   utility   or
11    telecommunications carrier, as defined  in  Section  Sections
12    3-105  and  13-202 of the Public Utilities Act, to the extent
13    that such activities are subject to the jurisdiction  of  the
14    Illinois   Commerce  Commission,  or  to  the  activities  of
15    telephone mutual concerns referred to in  Section  13-202  of
16    the Public Utilities Act to the extent such activities relate
17    to  the  providing  and  maintenance  of telephone service to
18    owners and customers;
19        (4)  the activities (including, but not limited  to,  the
20    making  of  or  participating  in joint underwriting or joint
21    reinsurance arrangement) of  any  insurer,  insurance  agent,
22    insurance  broker,  independent  insurance adjuster or rating
23    organization to the extent that such activities  are  subject
24    to  regulation  by  the  Director  of Insurance of this State
25    under, or are permitted or are authorized by,  the  Insurance
26    Code or any other law of this State;
27        (5)  the  religious  and  charitable  activities  of  any
28    not-for-profit corporation, trust or organization established
29    exclusively for religious or charitable purposes, or for both
30    purposes;
31        (6)  the  activities  of  any  not-for-profit corporation
32    organized  to  provide  telephone  service  on  a  mutual  or
33    co-operative  basis  or  electrification  on  a  co-operative
34    basis, to the extent such activities relate to the  marketing
                            -21-               LRB9005036JSgc
 1    and distribution of telephone or electrical service to owners
 2    and customers;
 3        (7)  the  activities engaged in by securities dealers who
 4    are (i) licensed by the State of Illinois or (ii) members  of
 5    the  National  Association  of  Securities  Dealers  or (iii)
 6    members of any National Securities Exchange  registered  with
 7    the  Securities  and Exchange Commission under the Securities
 8    Exchange Act of 1934, as amended,  in  the  course  of  their
 9    business   of  offering,  selling,  buying  and  selling,  or
10    otherwise trading in or underwriting  securities,  as  agent,
11    broker,   or   principal,  and  activities  of  any  National
12    Securities   Exchange   so    registered,    including    the
13    establishment of commission rates and schedules of charges;
14        (8)  the activities of any board of trade designated as a
15    "contract  market"  by  the  Secretary  of Agriculture of the
16    United States pursuant to Section 5 of the Commodity Exchange
17    Act, as amended;
18        (9)  the activities of any motor carrier,  rail  carrier,
19    or  common  carrier  by  pipeline, as defined in The Illinois
20    Commercial Transportation Law of The Illinois  Vehicle  Code,
21    as  amended, to the extent that such activities are permitted
22    or authorized by the Act or are subject to regulation by  the
23    Illinois Commerce Commission;
24        (10)  the activities of any state or national bank to the
25    extent  that  such  activities are regulated or supervised by
26    officers of the state or federal government under the banking
27    laws of this State or the United States;
28        (11)  the activities of any state or federal savings  and
29    loan  association  to  the  extent  that  such activities are
30    regulated or supervised by officers of the state  or  federal
31    government  under  the savings and loan laws of this State or
32    the United States;
33        (12)  the activities  of  any  bona  fide  not-for-profit
34    association, society or board, of attorneys, practitioners of
                            -22-               LRB9005036JSgc
 1    medicine,  architects,  engineers,  land  surveyors  or  real
 2    estate  brokers  licensed  and  regulated by an agency of the
 3    State of Illinois, in  recommending  schedules  of  suggested
 4    fees,  rates  or  commissions for use solely as guidelines in
 5    determining charges for professional and technical services;
 6        (13)  Conduct involving trade  or  commerce  (other  than
 7    import trade or import commerce) with foreign nations unless:
 8        (a)  such   conduct   has   a  direct,  substantial,  and
 9    reasonably foreseeable effect:
10        (i)  on trade or commerce which is not trade or  commerce
11    with  foreign  nations, or on import trade or import commerce
12    with foreign nations; or
13        (ii)  on export trade or  export  commerce  with  foreign
14    nations  of a person engaged in such trade or commerce in the
15    United States; and
16        (b)  such  effect  gives  rise  to  a  claim  under   the
17    provisions of this Act, other than this subsection (13).
18        (c)  If  this  Act applies to conduct referred to in this
19    subsection (13) only because of the provisions  of  paragraph
20    (a)(ii),  then  this Act shall apply to such conduct only for
21    injury to export business in the United States which  affects
22    this State; or
23        (14)  the  activities  of  a  unit of local government or
24    school district and the activities of the  employees,  agents
25    and  officers  of  a  unit  of  local  government  or  school
26    district.
27    (Source: P.A. 85-553.)
28        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
29    becoming law.

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