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Public Act 095-0814
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| HB4838 Enrolled |
LRB095 18999 AMC 45171 b |
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AN ACT concerning regulation.
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Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
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represented in the General Assembly:
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Section 5. The Public Utilities Act is amended by changing |
Section 9-225 as follows:
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(220 ILCS 5/9-225) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 9-225)
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Sec. 9-225. (1) For the purposes of this Section:
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(a) "Advertising" means the commercial use, by an electric, |
or gas, water, or sewer utility,
of any media, including |
newspapers, printed matter, radio and television,
in order to |
transmit a message to a substantial number of members of the
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public or to such utility's consumers;
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(b) "Political advertising" means any advertising for the |
purpose of
influencing public opinion with respect to |
legislative, administrative or
electoral matters, or with |
respect to any controversial issue of public importance;
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(c) "Promotional advertising" means any advertising for |
the purpose of
encouraging any person to select or use the |
service or additional service
of a utility or the selection or |
installation of any appliance or equipment
designed to use such |
utility's service; and
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(d) "Goodwill or institutional advertising" means any |
advertising either
on a local or national basis designed |
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primarily to bring the utility's name
before the general public |
in such a way as to improve the image of the utility
or to |
promote controversial issues for the utility or the industry.
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(2) In any general rate increase requested by any gas, or |
electric, water, or sewer utility
company under the provisions |
of this Act, the Commission shall not consider,
for the purpose |
of determining any rate, charge or classification of costs,
any |
direct or indirect expenditures for promotional, political, |
institutional
or goodwill advertising, unless the Commission |
finds the advertising to
be in the best interest of the |
Consumer or authorized as provided pursuant
to subsection 3 of |
this Section.
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(3) The following categories of advertising shall be |
considered allowable
operating expenses for gas, or electric, |
water, or sewer utilities:
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(a) Advertising which informs consumers how they can |
conserve energy or water, or
can reduce peak demand for |
electric or gas energy, or reduce demand for water;
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(b) Advertising required by law or regulations, including |
advertising
required under Part I of Title II of the National |
Energy Conservation Policy Act;
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(c) Advertising regarding service interruptions, safety |
measures
or emergency conditions;
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(d) Advertising concerning employment opportunities with |
such utility;
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(e) Advertising which promotes the use of energy efficient |
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appliances,
equipment or services;
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(f) Explanations of existing or proposed rate schedules or |
notifications
of hearings thereon;
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(g) Advertising that identifies the location and operating |
hours of company
business offices;
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(h) Advertising which promotes the shifting of demand from |
peak to off-peak
hours or which encourages the off-peak usage |
of the service; and
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(i) "Other" categories of advertisements not includable in |
paragraphs
(a) through (h), but which are not political, |
promotional, institutional
or goodwill advertisements.
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(Source: P.A. 84-617.)
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Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon |
becoming law.
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