State of Illinois
92nd General Assembly
Legislation

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92_HB4667enr

 
HB4667 Enrolled                                LRB9212076JSpc

 1        AN ACT in relation to utilities.

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

 4        Section  5.  The  Public  Utilities  Act  is  amended  by
 5    changing  Sections  19-105,  19-110,  19-115,  and 19-120 and
 6    adding Sections 7-208, 7-209, 19-125, 19-130, and  19-135  as
 7    follows:

 8        (220 ILCS 5/7-208 new)
 9        Sec. 7-208.  HVAC affiliate marketing.
10        (a)  "HVAC affiliate" means all affiliated interests of a
11    gas   utility  that  provide  heating,  ventilating,  or  air
12    conditioning  services  to  customers  within   the   service
13    territory of the affiliated gas utility.
14        (b)  When   an   HVAC  affiliate  advertises  or  markets
15    heating, ventilating, or air  conditioning  services  to  the
16    public,  it  shall  include a disclaimer that, if audible, is
17    conspicuous and if  printed  is  of  sufficient  size  to  be
18    clearly legible, and that states:
19        (Insert  name  of  affiliate)  is an affiliate of (insert
20    name of gas utility) and is not  regulated  by  the  Illinois
21    Commerce  Commission.  Customers  are  not  required  to  buy
22    products or services from (insert name of affiliate) in order
23    to receive the same quality of service from the gas utility.
24        (c)  The  requirements  in  subsection  (b)  apply to all
25    forms  of  advertising  and  marketing,  including,  but  not
26    limited to, print, television, radio,  internet,  telephonic,
27    bill inserts, and newsletters.

28        (220 ILCS 5/7-209 new)
29        Sec.  7-209.  Marketing  limitation;  gas utilities. If a
30    gas utility has an HVAC affiliate, the prohibition  contained
 
HB4667 Enrolled            -2-                 LRB9212076JSpc
 1    in  this Section applies to the employees of the gas utility.
 2    While a gas utility employee is responding to a service  call
 3    related  to  services provided under tariffs on file with the
 4    Illinois Commerce Commission, the employee of the gas utility
 5    is  prohibited  from  marketing  the  services  of  an   HVAC
 6    affiliate;  provided,  however,  the gas utility employee may
 7    refer the customer to the telephone directory in response  to
 8    specific   requests   for  referrals.  If  a  customer's  gas
 9    appliance or gas service has  been  disconnected  due  to  an
10    emergency  situation that requires immediate attention, a gas
11    utility  employee  may  provide  to  that  customer  a  list,
12    including  contact  phone   numbers,   that   includes   HVAC
13    affiliates  and non-affiliated entities that provide heating,
14    ventilating, or air conditioning services.

15        (220 ILCS 5/19-105)
16        Sec. 19-105.  Definitions.   For  the  purposes  of  this
17    Article, the following terms shall be defined as set forth in
18    this Section.
19        "Alternative    gas   supplier"   means   every   person,
20    cooperative,  corporation,  municipal  corporation,  company,
21    association,  joint  stock  company  or  association,   firm,
22    partnership,  individual,  or  other  entity,  their lessees,
23    trustees, or receivers appointed by   any  court  whatsoever,
24    that  offers  gas  for  sale, lease, or in exchange for other
25    value received to one or more customers, or that  engages  in
26    the  furnishing  of  gas  to one or more customers, and shall
27    include affiliated interests of  a  gas  utility,  resellers,
28    aggregators  and  marketers,  but  shall  not include (i) gas
29    utilities (or any agent of the gas utility to the extent  the
30    gas  utility  provides tariffed services to customers through
31    an agent); (ii) public utilities that are owned and  operated
32    by  any  political  subdivision, public institution of higher
33    education or municipal corporation of this State,  or  public
 
HB4667 Enrolled            -3-                 LRB9212076JSpc
 1    utilities  that  are owned by a political subdivision, public
 2    institution of higher education, or municipal corporation and
 3    operated by any of its lessees  or  operating  agents;  (iii)
 4    residential  natural gas cooperatives that are not-for-profit
 5    corporations established for the purpose of administering and
 6    operating, on a cooperative basis, the furnishing of  natural
 7    gas  to  residences  for the benefit of their members who are
 8    residential consumers of natural gas; and (iv) the  ownership
 9    or  operation of a facility that sells compressed natural gas
10    at retail to the public for use only as a motor vehicle  fuel
11    and  the  selling  of compressed natural gas at retail to the
12    public for use only as a motor vehicle fuel.
13        "Gas utility" means  a  public  utility,  as  defined  in
14    Section  3-105  of  this  Act, that has a franchise, license,
15    permit, or right to furnish or  sell  gas  or  transportation
16    services to customers within a service area.
17        "Residential  customer" means a customer who receives gas
18    utility service  for  household  purposes  distributed  to  a
19    dwelling  of  2  or  fewer  units  which  is  billed  under a
20    residential  rate  or  gas  utility  service  for   household
21    purposes  distributed  to  a  dwelling unit or units which is
22    billed under a  residential  rate  and  is  registered  by  a
23    separate meter for each dwelling unit.
24        "Service area" means (i) the geographic area within which
25    a  gas  utility  was  lawfully  entitled  to  provide  gas to
26    customers as of the effective date of this amendatory Act  of
27    the  92nd  General Assembly and includes (ii) the location of
28    any customer to which the gas utility was lawfully  providing
29    gas utility services on such effective date.
30        "Small commercial customer" means a nonresidential retail
31    customer  of  a  natural gas utility who is identified by the
32    alternative gas supplier, prior to becoming a customer of the
33    alternative gas supplier, as consuming 5,000 or fewer  therms
34    of  natural  gas  during the previous year; provided that any
 
HB4667 Enrolled            -4-                 LRB9212076JSpc
 1    alternative  gas  supplier  may  remove  the  customer   from
 2    designation  as a "small commercial customer" if the customer
 3    consumes more  than  5,000  therms  of  natural  gas  in  any
 4    calendar  year  after  becoming a customer of the alternative
 5    gas supplier.
 6        "Tariffed service" means a service provided to  customers
 7    by  a  gas  utility  as defined by its rates on file with the
 8    Commission pursuant to the provisions of Article IX  of  this
 9    Act.
10        "Transportation  services"  means those services provided
11    by the gas utility  that  are  necessary  in  order  for  the
12    storage, transmission and distribution systems to function so
13    that  customers located in the gas utility's service area can
14    receive gas from suppliers other than  the  gas  utility  and
15    shall  include,  without  limitation,  standard  metering and
16    billing services.
17    (Source: P.A. 92-529, eff. 2-8-02.)

18        (220 ILCS 5/19-110)
19        Sec. 19-110.  Certification of alternative gas suppliers.
20        (a)  The provisions of this Section shall apply  only  to
21    alternative   gas  suppliers  serving  or  seeking  to  serve
22    residential or small commercial customers  and  only  to  the
23    extent  such  alternative  gas  suppliers provide services to
24    residential or small commercial customers.
25        (b)  An  alternative   gas   supplier   must   obtain   a
26    certificate  of  service  authority  from  the  Commission in
27    accordance with this Section before serving any  customer  or
28    other  user  located  in  this  State.   An  alternative  gas
29    supplier  may  request,  and  the  Commission  may  grant,  a
30    certificate  of service authority for the entire State or for
31    a  specified  geographic  area  of  the  State.   A   person,
32    corporation,  or  other  entity  acting as an alternative gas
33    supplier on the effective date of this amendatory Act of  the
 
HB4667 Enrolled            -5-                 LRB9212076JSpc
 1    92nd  General Assembly shall have 180 days from the effective
 2    date of this amendatory Act of the 92nd General  Assembly  to
 3    comply  with  the  requirements  of  this Section in order to
 4    continue to operate as an alternative gas supplier.
 5        (c)  An alternative gas supplier seeking a certificate of
 6    service authority shall file with the Commission  a  verified
 7    application containing information showing that the applicant
 8    meets  the requirements of this Section.  The alternative gas
 9    supplier shall publish  notice  of  its  application  in  the
10    official State newspaper within 10 days following the date of
11    its  filing.   No later than 45 days after the application is
12    properly filed  with  the  Commission,  and  such  notice  is
13    published,  the  Commission shall issue its order granting or
14    denying the application.
15        (d)  An  application  for  a   certificate   of   service
16    authority  shall  identify  the  area  or  areas in which the
17    applicant intends to offer service and the types of  services
18    it   intends   to  offer.   Applicants  that  seek  to  serve
19    residential or small commercial customers within a geographic
20    area that is smaller than a gas utility's service area  shall
21    submit  evidence  demonstrating  that the designation of this
22    smaller area does not violate Section 19-115.   An  applicant
23    may   state   in   its   application  for  certification  any
24    limitations that will be imposed on the number  of  customers
25    or maximum load to be served.
26        (e)  The  Commission  shall  grant  the application for a
27    certificate of service authority if it makes the findings set
28    forth in this subsection based on  the  verified  application
29    and such other information as the applicant may submit.
30             (1)  That    the    applicant   possess   sufficient
31        technical,  financial,  and  managerial   resources   and
32        abilities  to  provide  the  service for which it seeks a
33        certificate of service  authority.   In  determining  the
34        level  of  technical, financial, and managerial resources
 
HB4667 Enrolled            -6-                 LRB9212076JSpc
 1        and abilities which the applicant must  demonstrate,  the
 2        Commission  shall consider the characteristics, including
 3        the size and financial sophistication  of  the  customers
 4        that  the  applicant  seeks  to serve, and shall consider
 5        whether  the  applicant  seeks  to  provide   gas   using
 6        property, plant, and equipment that it owns, controls, or
 7        operates.
 8             (2)  That   the   applicant  will  comply  with  all
 9        applicable federal, State, regional, and industry  rules,
10        policies,   practices,   and   procedures  for  the  use,
11        operation, and maintenance of the safety, integrity,  and
12        reliability of the gas transmission system.
13             (3)  That   the  applicant  will  comply  with  such
14        informational or reporting requirements as the Commission
15        may by rule establish.
16             (4)  That the area to be served by the applicant and
17        any limitations it proposes on the number of customers or
18        maximum amount of load to be served meet  the  provisions
19        of  Section 19-115, provided, that if the applicant seeks
20        to serve an area smaller than the service area of  a  gas
21        utility  or  proposes  other limitations on the number of
22        customers or maximum amount of load  to  be  served,  the
23        Commission  can  extend  the  time for considering such a
24        certificate request by up to 90 days,  and  can  schedule
25        hearings on such a request.
26             (5)  That  the  applicant will comply with all other
27        applicable laws and rules.
28        (f)  The  Commission  shall   have   the   authority   to
29    promulgate rules to carry out the provisions of this Section.
30    Within  30  days  after the effective date of this amendatory
31    Act of the 92nd General Assembly, the Commission shall  adopt
32    an emergency rule or rules applicable to the certification of
33    those gas suppliers that seek to serve residential customers.
34    Within  180 days of the effective date of this amendatory Act
 
HB4667 Enrolled            -7-                 LRB9212076JSpc
 1    of the 92nd General  Assembly,  the  Commission  shall  adopt
 2    rules  that  specify  criteria  which,  if  met  by  any such
 3    alternative gas supplier, shall constitute the  demonstration
 4    of   technical,   financial,  and  managerial  resources  and
 5    abilities  to  provide  service  required  by  item  (1)   of
 6    subsection (e) of this Section, such as a requirement to post
 7    a  bond  or  letter  of  credit, from a responsible surety or
 8    financial institution, of sufficient size for the nature  and
 9    scope  of  the  services  to  be  provided,  demonstration of
10    adequate insurance for the scope and nature of  the  services
11    to  be provided, and experience in providing similar services
12    in other jurisdictions.
13    (Source: P.A. 92-529, eff. 2-8-02.)

14        (220 ILCS 5/19-115)
15        Sec. 19-115.  Obligations of alternative gas suppliers.
16        (a)  The provisions of this Section shall apply  only  to
17    alternative   gas  suppliers  serving  or  seeking  to  serve
18    residential or small commercial customers  and  only  to  the
19    extent  such  alternative  gas  suppliers provide services to
20    residential or small commercial customers.
21        (b)  An alternative gas supplier shall:
22             (1)  comply with the requirements imposed on  public
23        utilities  by  Sections 8-201 through 8-207, 8-301, 8-505
24        and 8-507 of this Act, to the extent that these  Sections
25        have  application  to  the  services being offered by the
26        alternative gas supplier; and
27             (2)  continue to comply with  the  requirements  for
28        certification stated in Section 19-110.
29        (c)  An  alternative gas supplier shall obtain verifiable
30    authorization from a customer, in a form or  manner  approved
31    by  the  Commission,  before  the  customer  is switched from
32    another supplier.
33        (d)  No alternative gas supplier shall:
 
HB4667 Enrolled            -8-                 LRB9212076JSpc
 1             (1)  enter into or  employ  any  arrangements  which
 2        have  the  effect  of preventing any customer from having
 3        access to the  services  of  the  gas  utility  in  whose
 4        service area the customer is located; or
 5             (2)  charge customers for such access.
 6        (e)  An  alternative  gas  supplier  that is certified to
 7    serve residential or small commercial customers shall not:
 8             (1)  deny  service  to  a  customer  or   group   of
 9        customers  nor  establish  any  differences as to prices,
10        terms, conditions, services, products, facilities, or  in
11        any other respect, whereby such denial or differences are
12        based upon race, gender, or income; or
13             (2)  deny  service  based on locality, nor establish
14        any  unreasonable  difference  as   to   prices,   terms,
15        conditions,  services, products, or facilities as between
16        localities.
17        (f)  An alternative gas supplier shall  comply  with  the
18    following   requirements   with  respect  to  the  marketing,
19    offering, and provision of products or services:
20             (1)  Any marketing materials which  make  statements
21        concerning prices, terms, and conditions of service shall
22        contain information that adequately discloses the prices,
23        terms and conditions of the products or services.
24             (2)  Before  any  customer  is switched from another
25        supplier, the alternative gas  supplier  shall  give  the
26        customer  written  information that adequately discloses,
27        in plain language, the prices, terms, and  conditions  of
28        the  products  and services being offered and sold to the
29        customer.
30             (3)  The alternative gas supplier shall  provide  to
31        the customer:
32                  (A)  accurate,  timely,  and  itemized  billing
33             statements  that  describe the products and services
34             provided to the customer and their prices  and  that
 
HB4667 Enrolled            -9-                 LRB9212076JSpc
 1             specify  the  gas consumption amount and any service
 2             charges and taxes; provided that this item (f)(3)(A)
 3             does not apply to small commercial customers; and
 4                  (B)  an   additional   statement,   at    least
 5             annually,  that  adequately  discloses  the  average
 6             monthly prices, and the terms and conditions, of the
 7             products and services sold to the customer; provided
 8             that  this  item  (f)(3)(B)  does not apply to small
 9             commercial customers;.
10                  (C)  refunds  of  any  deposits  with  interest
11             within 30 days after  the  date  that  the  customer
12             changes gas suppliers or discontinues service if the
13             customer has satisfied all of his or her outstanding
14             financial   obligations   to   the  alternative  gas
15             supplier at an interest rate set by  the  Commission
16             which  shall  be  the  same  as that required of gas
17             utilities; and
18                  (D)  refunds,  in  a  timely  fashion,  of  all
19             undisputed overpayments upon  the  oral  or  written
20             request of the customer.
21        (g)  An  alternative  gas  supplier may limit the overall
22    size or availability of a service offering by specifying  one
23    or more of the following:
24             (1)  a  maximum  number  of  customers  and  maximum
25        amount of gas load to be served;
26             (2)  time  period  during which the offering will be
27        available; or
28             (3)  other comparable limitation, but not  including
29        the  geographic  locations  of  customers within the area
30        which the alternative gas  supplier  is  certificated  to
31        serve.
32        The  alternative  gas  supplier  shall file the terms and
33    conditions of such service offering including the  applicable
34    limitations  with  the Commission prior to making the service
 
HB4667 Enrolled            -10-                LRB9212076JSpc
 1    offering available to customers.
 2        (h)  Nothing  in  this  Section  shall  be  construed  as
 3    preventing an alternative gas supplier that is  an  affiliate
 4    of,  or  which  contracts  with,  (i)  an  industry  or trade
 5    organization or association, (ii) a  membership  organization
 6    or  association  that  exists  for  a  purpose other than the
 7    purchase of gas, or (iii)  another  organization  that  meets
 8    criteria established in a rule adopted by the Commission from
 9    offering  through the organization or association services at
10    prices, terms and conditions that are available solely to the
11    members of the organization or association.
12    (Source: P.A. 92-529, eff. 2-8-02.)

13        (220 ILCS 5/19-120)
14        Sec. 19-120.  Commission oversight of  services  provided
15    by gas suppliers.
16        (a)  The  provisions  of this Section shall apply only to
17    alternative  gas  suppliers  serving  or  seeking  to   serve
18    residential  or  small  commercial  customers and only to the
19    extent such alternative gas  suppliers  provide  services  to
20    residential or small commercial customers.
21        (b)  The Commission shall have jurisdiction in accordance
22    with the provisions of Article X of this Act to entertain and
23    dispose of any complaint against any alternative gas supplier
24    alleging that:
25             (1)  the alternative gas supplier has violated or is
26        in  nonconformance  with  any  applicable  provisions  of
27        Section 19-110 or Section 19-115;
28             (2)  an  alternative  gas  supplier  has  failed  to
29        provide  service  in  accordance  with  the  terms of its
30        contract or contracts with a customer or customers;
31             (3)  the alternative gas supplier has violated or is
32        in nonconformance with the transportation services tariff
33        of, or any of its agreements relating  to  transportation
 
HB4667 Enrolled            -11-                LRB9212076JSpc
 1        services  with,  the  gas  utility  or  municipal  system
 2        providing transportation services; or
 3             (4)  the  alternative  gas  supplier has violated or
 4        failed to comply with the requirements of Sections  8-201
 5        through 8-207, 8-301, 8-505, or 8-507 of this Act as made
 6        applicable to alternative gas suppliers.
 7        (c)  The Commission shall have authority after notice and
 8    hearing  held  on complaint or on the Commission's own motion
 9    to:
10             (1)  order an alternative gas supplier to cease  and
11        desist,  or  correct,  any violation of or nonconformance
12        with the provisions of Section 19-110 or 19-115;
13             (2)  impose financial penalties for violations of or
14        nonconformances with the provisions of Section 19-110  or
15        19-115,  not to exceed (i) $10,000 per occurrence or (ii)
16        $30,000 per day for those violations  or  nonconformances
17        which    continue   after   the   Commission   issues   a
18        cease-and-desist order; and
19             (3)  alter,   modify,   revoke,   or   suspend   the
20        certificate of service authority of  an  alternative  gas
21        supplier  for  substantial  or  repeated violations of or
22        nonconformances with the provisions of Section 19-110  or
23        19-115.
24        (d)  Nothing  in  this  Act  shall be construed to limit,
25    restrict, or mitigate in any way the power and  authority  of
26    the  State's  Attorneys  or  the  Attorney  General under the
27    Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.
28    (Source: P.A. 92-529, eff. 2-8-02.)

29        (220 ILCS 5/19-125 new)
30        Sec. 19-125.  Consumer education.
31        (a)  The Commission shall make available upon request and
32    at no charge, and shall make available to the public  on  the
33    Internet through the State of Illinois World Wide Web site:
 
HB4667 Enrolled            -12-                LRB9212076JSpc
 1             (1)  a   list   of  all  certified  alternative  gas
 2        suppliers  serving  residential  and   small   commercial
 3        customers  within  the  service  area of each gas utility
 4        including, in the case of the Internet, computer links to
 5        available web sites  of  the  certified  alternative  gas
 6        suppliers;
 7             (2)  a   list   of  all  certified  alternative  gas
 8        suppliers  serving  residential   or   small   commercial
 9        customers that have been found in the last 3 years by the
10        Commission  pursuant  to Section 10-108 to have failed to
11        provide service in accordance with this Act;
12             (3)  guidelines to assist customers  in  determining
13        which gas supplier is most appropriate for each customer;
14        and
15             (4)  Internet links to providers of information that
16        enables  customers  to compare prices and services of gas
17        utilities and alternative gas suppliers, if and when that
18        information is available.
19        (b)  In any service area  where  customers  are  able  to
20    choose  their  natural  gas  supplier,  the  Commission shall
21    require gas utilities and alternative gas suppliers to inform
22    customers of how they may contact the Commission in order  to
23    obtain information about the customer choice program.

24        (220 ILCS 5/19-130 new)
25        Sec.  19-130.  Commission study and report.  Beginning in
26    2003, and ending in 2007, the  Commission  shall  prepare  an
27    annual  report  regarding  the  development  of  natural  gas
28    markets  in Illinois.  The report shall be filed by July 1 of
29    each year with the Joint  Committee  on  Legislative  Support
30    Services  of  the General Assembly and the Governor and shall
31    be  publicly  available.  The  report  shall  include,  at  a
32    minimum, the following information:
33             (1)  the aggregate annual demand of  retail  natural
 
HB4667 Enrolled            -13-                LRB9212076JSpc
 1        gas  customers  in the State of Illinois in the preceding
 2        calendar year;
 3             (2)  the total annual therms delivered and  sold  to
 4        retail  customers  in  the  State of Illinois by each gas
 5        utility  and  each  alternative  gas  supplier   in   the
 6        preceding calendar year;
 7             (3)  the  percentage of therms delivered and sold to
 8        customers in the  State  of  Illinois  in  the  preceding
 9        calendar  year  by  each gas utility and each alternative
10        gas supplier;
11             (4)  the total number of customers in the  State  of
12        Illinois  served  in  the preceding calendar year by each
13        gas utility and each alternative gas supplier;
14             (5)  an analysis of the status  and  development  of
15        the  retail  natural gas market in the State of Illinois;
16        and
17             (6)  any other information the Commission  considers
18        significant  in  assessing the development of gas markets
19        in the State of Illinois.

20        (220 ILCS 5/19-135 new)
21        Sec. 19-135.  Single billing.  It is the  intent  of  the
22    General Assembly that in any service area where customers are
23    able  to  choose their natural gas supplier, a single billing
24    option shall be offered to customers for  both  the  services
25    provided  by  the  alternative  gas supplier and the delivery
26    services provided by the gas utility.  A  gas  utility  shall
27    file  a tariff pursuant to Article IX of this Act that allows
28    alternative  gas  suppliers  to   issue   single   bills   to
29    residential  and  small  commercial  customers  for  both the
30    services provided by the alternative  gas  supplier  and  the
31    delivery  services  provided by the gas utility to customers;
32    provided that if a form of single billing is being offered in
33    a gas utility's service area on the effective  date  of  this
 
HB4667 Enrolled            -14-                LRB9212076JSpc
 1    amendatory  Act  of  the  92nd General Assembly, that form of
 2    single billing  shall  remain  in  effect  unless  and  until
 3    otherwise ordered by the Commission.

 4        Section  99.  Effective date.  This Act takes effect upon
 5    becoming law.

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