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90_HB3153
220 ILCS 5/13-301 from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-301
220 ILCS 5/13-301.1 from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-301.1
Amends the Public Utilities Act. Makes technical changes
in Sections concerning the Universal Telephone Service
Assistance Program.
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1 AN ACT to amend the Public Utilities Act by changing
2 Sections 13-301 and 13-301.1.
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 13-301 and 13-301.1 as follows:
7 (220 ILCS 5/13-301) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-301)
8 (Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2001)
9 Sec. 13-301. Consistent with the findings and policy
10 established in paragraph (a) of Section 13-102 and paragraph
11 (a) of Section 13-103, and in order to ensure the attainment
12 of such policies, the Commerce Commission shall:
13 (a) participate in all federal programs intended to
14 preserve or extend universal telecommunications service,
15 unless such programs would place cost burdens on Illinois
16 customers of telecommunications services in excess of the
17 benefits they would receive through participation, provided,
18 however, the Commission shall not approve or permit the
19 imposition of any surcharge or other fee designed to
20 subsidize or provide a waiver for subscriber line charges;
21 and shall report on such programs together with an assessment
22 of their adequacy and the advisability of participating
23 therein in its annual report to the General Assembly, or more
24 often as necessary;
25 (b) establish a program to monitor the level of
26 telecommunications subscriber connection within each exchange
27 in Illinois, and shall report the results of such monitoring
28 and any actions it has taken or recommends be taken to
29 maintain and increase such levels in its annual report to the
30 General Assembly, or more often if necessary;
31 (c) order all telecommunications carriers offering or
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1 providing local exchange telecommunications service to
2 propose low-cost or budget service tariffs and any other rate
3 design or pricing mechanisms designed to facilitate customer
4 access to such telecommunications service, and shall after
5 notice and hearing, implement any such proposals which it
6 finds likely to achieve such purpose;
7 (d) investigate the necessity and feasibility of
8 establishing a fund from which telecommunications carriers
9 offering or providing local exchange telecommunications
10 service, whose costs of providing such service exceed the
11 average cost of providing such service in Illinois, could
12 receive revenues intended to mitigate the price impact on
13 customers resulting from the high or rising cost of such
14 service; and shall include the results and findings of such
15 investigation together with any recommendations for
16 legislative action in its first annual report to the General
17 Assembly in 1986;
18 (e) Any telecommunications carrier providing local
19 exchange telecommunications service which offers to its local
20 exchange customers a choice of two or more local exchange
21 telecommunications service offerings shall provide, to any
22 such customer requesting it, once a year without charge, a
23 report describing which local exchange telecommunications
24 service offering would result in the lowest bill for such
25 customer's local exchange service, based on such customer's
26 calling pattern and usage for the previous 6 months. At
27 least once a year, each such carrier shall provide a notice
28 to each of its local exchange telecommunications service
29 customers describing the availability of this report and the
30 specific procedures by which customers may receive it. Such
31 report shall only be available to current and future
32 customers who have received at least 6 months of continuous
33 local exchange service from such carrier.
34 (Source: P.A. 87-445.)
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1 (220 ILCS 5/13-301.1) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-301.1)
2 (Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2001)
3 (Text of Section before amendment by P.A. 90-372)
4 Sec. 13-301.1. Universal Telephone Service Assistance
5 Program.
6 (a) The Commerce Commission shall by rule or regulation
7 establish a Universal Telephone Service Assistance Program
8 for low income residential customers. The program shall
9 provide for a reduction of access line charges, a reduction
10 of connection charges, or any other alternative to increase
11 accessibility to telephone service that the Commission deems
12 advisable subject to the availability of funds for the
13 program as provided in subsection (b). The Commission shall
14 establish eligibility requirements for benefits under the
15 program.
16 (b) The Commission shall require by rule or regulation
17 that each telecommunications carrier providing local exchange
18 telecommunications services notify its customers that if the
19 customer wishes to participate in the funding of the
20 Universal Telephone Service Assistance Program he may do so
21 by electing to contribute, on a monthly basis, a fixed amount
22 that will be included in the customer's monthly bill. The
23 customer may cease contributing at any time upon providing
24 notice to the telecommunications carrier providing local
25 exchange telecommunications services. The notice shall state
26 that any contribution made will not reduce the customer's
27 bill for telecommunications services. Failure to remit the
28 amount of increased payment will reduce the contribution
29 accordingly. The Commission shall specify the monthly fixed
30 amount or amounts that customers wishing to contribute to the
31 funding of the Universal Telephone Service Assistance Program
32 may choose from in making their contributions. Every
33 telecommunications carrier providing local exchange
34 telecommunications services shall remit the amounts
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1 contributed in accordance with the terms of the Universal
2 Telephone Service Assistance Program.
3 (c) The Commission shall promulgate the rules and
4 regulations necessary to implement the provisions of this
5 Section no later than 180 days after the effective date of
6 this amendatory Act of 1991.
7 (Source: P.A. 87-750.)
8 (Text of Section after amendment by P.A. 90-372)
9 Sec. 13-301.1. Universal Telephone Service Assistance
10 Program.
11 (a) The Commerce Commission shall by rule or regulation
12 establish a Universal Telephone Service Assistance Program
13 for low income residential customers. The program shall
14 provide for a reduction of access line charges, a reduction
15 of connection charges, or any other alternative to increase
16 accessibility to telephone service that the Commission deems
17 advisable subject to the availability of funds for the
18 program as provided in subsection (b). The Commission shall
19 establish eligibility requirements for benefits under the
20 program.
21 (b) The Commission shall require by rule or regulation
22 that each telecommunications carrier providing local exchange
23 telecommunications services notify its customers that if the
24 customer wishes to participate in the funding of the
25 Universal Telephone Service Assistance Program he may do so
26 by electing to contribute, on a monthly basis, a fixed amount
27 that will be included in the customer's monthly bill. The
28 customer may cease contributing at any time upon providing
29 notice to the telecommunications carrier providing local
30 exchange telecommunications services. The notice shall state
31 that any contribution made will not reduce the customer's
32 bill for telecommunications services. Failure to remit the
33 amount of increased payment will reduce the contribution
34 accordingly. The Commission shall specify the monthly fixed
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1 amount or amounts that customers wishing to contribute to the
2 funding of the Universal Telephone Service Assistance Program
3 may choose from in making their contributions. Every
4 telecommunications carrier providing local exchange
5 telecommunications services shall remit the amounts
6 contributed in accordance with the terms of the Universal
7 Telephone Service Assistance Program.
8 (Source: P.A. 87-750; 90-372, eff. 7-1-98.)