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Public Act 103-0826 Public Act 0826 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY | Public Act 103-0826 | HB4634 Enrolled | LRB103 36124 LNS 66215 b |
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| AN ACT concerning regulation. | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, | represented in the General Assembly: | Section 5. The Public Utilities Act is amended by changing | Section 13-506.2 as follows: | (220 ILCS 5/13-506.2) | (Section scheduled to be repealed on December 31, 2026) | Sec. 13-506.2. Market regulation for competitive retail | services. | (a) Definitions. As used in this Section: | (1) "Electing Provider" means a telecommunications | carrier that is subject to either rate regulation pursuant | to Section 13-504 or Section 13-505 or alternative | regulation pursuant to Section 13-506.1 and that elects to | have the rates, terms, and conditions of its competitive | retail telecommunications services solely determined and | regulated pursuant to the terms of this Article. | (2) "Basic local exchange service" means either a | stand-alone residence network access line and per-call | usage or, for any geographic area in which such | stand-alone service is not offered, a stand-alone flat | rate residence network access line for which local calls | are not charged for frequency or duration. Extended Area |
| Service shall be included in basic local exchange service. | (3) "Existing customer" means a residential customer | who was subscribing to one of the optional packages | described in subsection (d) of this Section as of the | effective date of this amendatory Act of the 99th General | Assembly. A customer who was subscribing to one of the | optional packages on that date but stops subscribing | thereafter shall not be considered an "existing customer" | as of the date the customer stopped subscribing to the | optional package, unless the stoppage is temporary and | caused by the customer changing service address locations, | or unless the customer resumes subscribing and is eligible | to receive discounts on monthly telephone service under | the federal Lifeline program, 47 C.F.R. Part 54, Subpart | E. | (4) "New customer" means a residential customer who | was not subscribing to one of the optional packages | described in subsection (d) of this Section as of the | effective date of this amendatory Act of the 99th General | Assembly and who is eligible to receive discounts on | monthly telephone service under the federal Lifeline | program, 47 C.F.R. Part 54, Subpart E. | (b) Election for market regulation. Notwithstanding any | other provision of this Act, an Electing Provider may elect to | have the rates, terms, and conditions of its competitive | retail telecommunications services solely determined and |
| regulated pursuant to the terms of this Section by filing | written notice of its election for market regulation with the | Commission. The notice of election shall designate the | geographic area of the Electing Provider's service territory | where the market regulation shall apply, either on a | state-wide basis or in one or more specified Market Service | Areas ("MSA") or Exchange areas. An Electing Provider shall | not make an election for market regulation under this Section | unless it commits in its written notice of election for market | regulation to fulfill the conditions and requirements in this | Section in each geographic area in which market regulation is | elected. Immediately upon filing the notice of election for | market regulation, the Electing Provider shall be subject to | the jurisdiction of the Commission to the extent expressly | provided in this Section. | (c) Competitive classification. Market regulation shall be | available for competitive retail telecommunications services | as provided in this subsection. | (1) For geographic areas in which telecommunications | services provided by the Electing Provider were classified | as competitive either through legislative action or a | tariff filing pursuant to Section 13-502 prior to January | 1, 2010, and that are included in the Electing Provider's | notice of election pursuant to subsection (b) of this | Section, such services, and all recurring and nonrecurring | charges associated with, related to or used in connection |
| with such services, shall be classified as competitive | without further Commission review. For services classified | as competitive pursuant to this subsection, the | requirements or conditions in any order or decision | rendered by the Commission pursuant to Section 13-502 | prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the | 96th General Assembly, except for the commitments made by | the Electing Provider in such order or decision concerning | the optional packages required in subsection (d) of this | Section and basic local exchange service as defined in | this Section, shall no longer be in effect and no | Commission investigation, review, or proceeding under | Section 13-502 shall be continued, conducted, or | maintained with respect to such services, charges, | requirements, or conditions. If an Electing Provider has | ceased providing optional packages to customers pursuant | to subdivision (d)(8) of this Section, the commitments | made by the Electing Provider in such order or decision | concerning the optional packages under subsection (d) of | this Section shall no longer be in effect and no | Commission investigation, review, or proceeding under | Section 13-502 shall be continued, conducted, or | maintained with respect to such packages. | (2) For those geographic areas in which residential | local exchange telecommunications services have not been | classified as competitive as of the effective date of this |
| amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, all | telecommunications services provided to residential and | business end users by an Electing Provider in the | geographic area that is included in its notice of election | pursuant to subsection (b) shall be classified as | competitive for purposes of this Article without further | Commission review. | (3) If an Electing Provider was previously subject to | alternative regulation pursuant to Section 13-506.1 of | this Article, the alternative regulation plan shall | terminate in whole for all services subject to that plan | and be of no force or effect, without further Commission | review or action, when the Electing Provider's residential | local exchange telecommunications service in each MSA in | its telecommunications service area in the State has been | classified as competitive pursuant to either subdivision | (c)(1) or (c)(2) of this Section. | (4) The service packages described in Section 13-518 | shall be classified as competitive for purposes of this | Section if offered by an Electing Provider in a geographic | area in which local exchange telecommunications service | has been classified as competitive pursuant to either | subdivision (c)(1) or (c)(2) of this Section. | (5) Where a service, or its functional equivalent, or | a substitute service offered by a carrier that is not an | Electing Provider or the incumbent local exchange carrier |
| for that area is also being offered by an Electing | Provider for some identifiable class or group of customers | in an exchange, group of exchanges, or some other clearly | defined geographical area, the service offered by a | carrier that is not an Electing Provider or the incumbent | local exchange carrier for that area shall be classified | as competitive without further Commission review. | (6) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, | retail telecommunications services classified as | competitive pursuant to Section 13-502 or subdivision | (c)(5) of this Section shall have their rates, terms, and | conditions solely determined and regulated pursuant to the | terms of this Section in the same manner and to the same | extent as the competitive retail telecommunications | services of an Electing Provider, except that subsections | (d), (g), and (j) of this Section shall not apply to a | carrier that is not an Electing Provider or to the | competitive telecommunications services of a carrier that | is not an Electing Provider. The access services of a | carrier that is not an Electing Provider shall remain | subject to Section 13-900.2. The requirements in | subdivision (e)(3) of this Section shall not apply to | retail telecommunications services classified as | competitive pursuant to Section 13-502 or subdivision | (c)(5) of this Section, except that, upon request from the | Commission, the telecommunications carrier providing |
| competitive retail telecommunications services shall | provide a report showing the number of credits and | exemptions for the requested time period. | (d) Consumer choice safe harbor options. | (1) Subject to subdivision (d)(8) of this Section, an | Electing Provider in each of the MSA or Exchange areas | classified as competitive pursuant to subdivision (c)(1) | or (c)(2) of this Section shall offer to all residential | customers who choose to subscribe the following optional | packages of services priced at the same rate levels in | effect on January 1, 2010: | (A) A basic package, which shall consist of a | stand-alone residential network access line and 30 | local calls. If the Electing Provider offers a | stand-alone residential access line and local usage on | a per call basis, the price for the basic package shall | be the Electing Provider's applicable price in effect | on January 1, 2010 for the sum of a residential access | line and 30 local calls, additional calls over 30 | calls shall be provided at the current per call rate. | However, this basic package is not required if | stand-alone residential network access lines or | per-call local usage are not offered by the Electing | Provider in the geographic area on January 1, 2010 or | if the Electing Provider has not increased its | stand-alone network access line and local usage rates, |
| including Extended Area Service rates, since January | 1, 2010. | (B) An extra package, which shall consist of | residential basic local exchange network access line | and unlimited local calls. The price for the extra | package shall be the Electing Provider's applicable | price in effect on January 1, 2010 for a residential | access line with unlimited local calls. | (C) A plus package, which shall consist of | residential basic local exchange network access line, | unlimited local calls, and the customer's choice of 2 | vertical services offered by the Electing Provider. | The term "vertical services" as used in this | subsection, includes, but is not limited to, call | waiting, call forwarding, 3-way calling, caller ID, | call tracing, automatic callback, repeat dialing, and | voicemail. The price for the plus package shall be the | Electing Provider's applicable price in effect on | January 1, 2010 for the sum of a residential access | line with unlimited local calls and 2 times the | average price for the vertical features included in | the package. | (2) Subject to subdivision (d)(8) of this Section, for | those geographic areas in which local exchange | telecommunications services were classified as competitive | on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th |
| General Assembly, an Electing Provider in each such MSA or | Exchange area shall be subject to the same terms and | conditions as provided in commitments made by the Electing | Provider in connection with such previous competitive | classifications, which shall apply with equal force under | this Section, except as follows: (i) the limits on price | increases on the optional packages required by this | Section shall be extended consistent with subsection | (d)(1) of this Section and (ii) the price for the extra | package required by subsection (d)(1)(B) shall be reduced | by one dollar from the price in effect on January 1, 2010. | In addition, if an Electing Provider obtains a competitive | classification pursuant to subsection (c)(1) and (c)(2), | the price for the optional packages shall be determined in | such area in compliance with subsection (d)(1), except the | price for the plus package required by subsection (d)(1) | (C) shall be the lower of the price for such area or the | price of the plus package in effect on January 1, 2010 for | areas classified as competitive pursuant to subsection | (c)(1). | (3) To the extent that the requirements in Section | 13-518 applied to a telecommunications carrier prior to | the effective date of this Section and that | telecommunications carrier becomes an Electing Provider in | accordance with the provisions of this Section, the | requirements in Section 13-518 shall cease to apply to |
| that Electing Provider in those geographic areas included | in the Electing Provider's notice of election pursuant to | subsection (b) of this Section. | (4) Subject to subdivision (d)(8) of this Section, an | Electing Provider shall make the optional packages | required by this subsection and stand-alone residential | network access lines and local usage, where offered, | readily available to the public by providing information, | in a clear manner, to residential customers. Information | shall be made available on a website, and an Electing | Provider shall provide notification to its customers every | 6 months, provided that notification may consist of a bill | page message that provides an objective description of the | safe harbor options that includes a telephone number and | website address where the customer may obtain additional | information about the packages from the Electing Provider. | The optional packages shall be offered on a monthly basis | with no term of service requirement. An Electing Provider | shall allow online electronic ordering of the optional | packages and stand-alone residential network access lines | and local usage, where offered, on its website in a manner | similar to the online electronic ordering of its other | residential services. | (5) Subject to subdivision (d)(8) of this Section, an | Electing Provider shall comply with the Commission's | existing rules, regulations, and notices in Title 83, Part |
| 735 of the Illinois Administrative Code when offering or | providing the optional packages required by this | subsection (d) and stand-alone residential network access | lines. | (6) Subject to subdivision (d)(8) of this Section, an | Electing Provider shall provide to the Commission | semi-annual subscribership reports as of June 30 and | December 31 that contain the number of its customers | subscribing to each of the consumer choice safe harbor | packages required by subsection (d)(1) of this Section and | the number of its customers subscribing to retail | residential basic local exchange service as defined in | subsection (a)(2) of this Section. The first semi-annual | reports shall be made on April 1, 2011 for December 31, | 2010, and on September 1, 2011 for June 30, 2011, and | semi-annually on April 1 and September 1 thereafter. Such | subscribership information shall be accorded confidential | and proprietary treatment upon request by the Electing | Provider. | (7) The Commission shall have the power, after notice | and hearing as provided in this Article, upon complaint or | upon its own motion, to take corrective action if the | requirements of this Section are not complied with by an | Electing Provider. | (8) On and after the effective date of this amendatory | Act of the 99th General Assembly, an Electing Provider |
| shall continue to offer and provide the optional packages | described in this subsection (d) to existing customers and | new customers. On and after July 1, 2017, an Electing | Provider may immediately stop offering the optional | packages described in this subsection (d) and, upon | providing two notices to affected customers and to the | Commission, may stop providing the optional packages | described in this subsection (d) to all customers who | subscribe to one of the optional packages. The first | notice shall be provided at least 90 days before the date | upon which the Electing Provider intends to stop providing | the optional packages, and the second notice must be | provided at least 30 days before that date. The first | notice shall not be provided prior to July 1, 2017. Each | notice must identify the date on which the Electing | Provider intends to stop providing the optional packages, | at least one alternative service available to the | customer, and a telephone number by which the customer may | contact a service representative of the Electing Provider. | After July 1, 2017 with respect to new customers, and upon | the expiration of the second notice period with respect to | customers who were subscribing to one of the optional | packages, subdivisions (d)(1), (d)(2), (d)(4), (d)(5), | (d)(6), and (d)(7) of this Section shall not apply to the | Electing Provider. Notwithstanding any other provision of | this Article, an Electing Provider that has ceased |
| providing the optional packages under this subdivision | (d)(8) is not subject to Section 13-301(1)(c) of this Act. | Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, and | subject to subdivision (d)(7) of this Section, the | Commission's authority over the discontinuance of the | optional packages described in this subsection (d) by an | Electing Provider shall be governed solely by this | subsection (d)(8). | (e) Service quality and customer credits for basic local | exchange service. | (1) An Electing Provider shall meet the following | service quality standards in providing basic local | exchange service, which for purposes of this subsection | (e), includes both basic local exchange service and any | consumer choice safe harbor options that may be required | by subsection (d) of this Section. | (A) Install basic local exchange service within 5 | business days after receipt of an order from the | customer unless the customer requests an installation | date that is beyond 5 business days after placing the | order for basic service and to inform the customer of | the Electing Provider's duty to install service within | this timeframe. If installation of service is | requested on or by a date more than 5 business days in | the future, the Electing Provider shall install | service by the date requested. |
| (B) Restore basic local exchange service for the | customer within 30 hours after receiving notice that | the customer is out of service. | (C) Keep all repair and installation appointments | for basic local exchange service if a customer | premises visit requires a customer to be present. The | appointment window shall be either a specific time or, | at a maximum, a 4-hour time block during evening, | weekend, and normal business hours. | (D) Inform a customer when a repair or | installation appointment requires the customer to be | present. | (2) Customers shall be credited by the Electing | Provider for violations of basic local exchange service | quality standards described in subdivision (e)(1) of this | Section. The credits shall be applied automatically on the | statement issued to the customer for the next monthly | billing cycle following the violation or following the | discovery of the violation. The next monthly billing cycle | following the violation or the discovery of the violation | means the billing cycle immediately following the billing | cycle in process at the time of the violation or discovery | of the violation, provided the total time between the | violation or discovery of the violation and the issuance | of the credit shall not exceed 60 calendar days. The | Electing Provider is responsible for providing the credits |
| and the customer is under no obligation to request such | credits. The following credits shall apply: | (A) If an Electing Provider fails to repair an | out-of-service condition for basic local exchange | service within 30 hours, the Electing Provider shall | provide a credit to the customer. If the service | disruption is for more than 30 hours, but not more than | 48 hours, the credit must be equal to a pro-rata | portion of the monthly recurring charges for all basic | local exchange services disrupted. If the service | disruption is for more than 48 hours, but not more than | 72 hours, the credit must be equal to at least 33% of | one month's recurring charges for all local services | disrupted. If the service disruption is for more than | 72 hours, but not more than 96 hours, the credit must | be equal to at least 67% of one month's recurring | charges for all basic local exchange services | disrupted. If the service disruption is for more than | 96 hours, but not more than 120 hours, the credit must | be equal to one month's recurring charges for all | basic local exchange services disrupted. For each day | or portion thereof that the service disruption | continues beyond the initial 120-hour period, the | Electing Provider shall also provide an additional | credit of $20 per calendar day. | (B) If an Electing Provider fails to install basic |
| local exchange service as required under subdivision | (e)(1) of this Section, the Electing Provider shall | waive 50% of any installation charges, or in the | absence of an installation charge or where | installation is pursuant to the Link Up program, the | Electing Provider shall provide a credit of $25. If an | Electing Provider fails to install service within 10 | business days after the service application is placed, | or fails to install service within 5 business days | after the customer's requested installation date, if | the requested date was more than 5 business days after | the date of the order, the Electing Provider shall | waive 100% of the installation charge, or in the | absence of an installation charge or where | installation is provided pursuant to the Link Up | program, the Electing Provider shall provide a credit | of $50. For each day that the failure to install | service continues beyond the initial 10 business days, | or beyond 5 business days after the customer's | requested installation date, if the requested date was | more than 5 business days after the date of the order, | the Electing Provider shall also provide an additional | credit of $20 per calendar day until the basic local | exchange service is installed. | (C) If an Electing Provider fails to keep a | scheduled repair or installation appointment when a |
| customer premises visit requires a customer to be | present as required under subdivision (e)(1) of this | Section, the Electing Provider shall credit the | customer $25 per missed appointment. A credit required | by this subdivision does not apply when the Electing | Provider provides the customer notice of its inability | to keep the appointment no later than 8:00 pm of the | day prior to the scheduled date of the appointment. | (D) Credits required by this subsection do not | apply if the violation of a service quality standard: | (i) occurs as a result of a negligent or | willful act on the part of the customer; | (ii) occurs as a result of a malfunction of | customer-owned telephone equipment or inside | wiring; | (iii) occurs as a result of, or is extended | by, an emergency situation as defined in 83 Ill. | Adm. Code 732.10; | (iv) is extended by the Electing Provider's | inability to gain access to the customer's | premises due to the customer missing an | appointment, provided that the violation is not | further extended by the Electing Provider; | (v) occurs as a result of a customer request | to change the scheduled appointment, provided that | the violation is not further extended by the |
| Electing Provider; | (vi) occurs as a result of an Electing | Provider's right to refuse service to a customer | as provided in Commission rules; or | (vii) occurs as a result of a lack of | facilities where a customer requests service at a | geographically remote location, where a customer | requests service in a geographic area where the | Electing Provider is not currently offering | service, or where there are insufficient | facilities to meet the customer's request for | service, subject to an Electing Provider's | obligation for reasonable facilities planning. | (3) Each Electing Provider shall provide to the | Commission on a quarterly basis and in a form suitable for | posting on the Commission's website in conformance with | the rules adopted by the Commission and in effect on April | 1, 2010, a public report that includes the following data | for basic local exchange service quality of service: | (A) With regard to credits due in accordance with | subdivision (e)(2)(A) as a result of out-of-service | conditions lasting more than 30 hours: | (i) the total dollar amount of any customer | credits paid; | (ii) the number of credits issued for repairs | between 30 and 48 hours; |
| (iii) the number of credits issued for repairs | between 49 and 72 hours; | (iv) the number of credits issued for repairs | between 73 and 96 hours; | (v) the number of credits used for repairs | between 97 and 120 hours; | (vi) the number of credits issued for repairs | greater than 120 hours; and | (vii) the number of exemptions claimed for | each of the categories identified in subdivision | (e)(2)(D). | (B) With regard to credits due in accordance with | subdivision (e)(2)(B) as a result of failure to | install basic local exchange service: | (i) the total dollar amount of any customer | credits paid; | (ii) the number of installations after 5 | business days; | (iii) the number of installations after 10 | business days; | (iv) the number of installations after 11 | business days; and | (v) the number of exemptions claimed for each | of the categories identified in subdivision | (e)(2)(D). | (C) With regard to credits due in accordance with |
| subdivision (e)(2)(C) as a result of missed | appointments: | (i) the total dollar amount of any customer | credits paid; | (ii) the number of any customers receiving | credits; and | (iii) the number of exemptions claimed for | each of the categories identified in subdivision | (e)(2)(D). | (D) The Electing Provider's annual report required | by this subsection shall also include, for | informational reporting, the performance data | described in subdivisions (e)(2)(A), (e)(2)(B), and | (e)(2)(C), and trouble reports per 100 access lines | calculated using the Commission's existing applicable | rules and regulations for such measures, including the | requirements for service standards established in this | Section. | (4) It is the intent of the General Assembly that the | service quality rules and customer credits in this | subsection (e) of this Section and other enforcement | mechanisms, including fines and penalties authorized by | Section 13-305, shall apply on a nondiscriminatory basis | to all Electing Providers. Accordingly, notwithstanding | any provision of any service quality rules promulgated by | the Commission, any alternative regulation plan adopted by |
| the Commission, or any other order of the Commission, any | Electing Provider that is subject to any other order of | the Commission and that violates or fails to comply with | the service quality standards promulgated pursuant to this | subsection (e) or any other order of the Commission shall | not be subject to any fines, penalties, customer credits, | or enforcement mechanisms other than such fines or | penalties or customer credits as may be imposed by the | Commission in accordance with the provisions of this | subsection (e) and Section 13-305, which are to be | generally applicable to all Electing Providers. The amount | of any fines or penalties imposed by the Commission for | failure to comply with the requirements of this subsection | (e) shall be an appropriate amount, taking into account, | at a minimum, the Electing Provider's gross annual | intrastate revenue; the frequency, duration, and | recurrence of the violation; and the relative harm caused | to the affected customers or other users of the network. | In imposing fines and penalties, the Commission shall take | into account compensation or credits paid by the Electing | Provider to its customers pursuant to this subsection (e) | in compensation for any violation found pursuant to this | subsection (e), and in any event the fine or penalty shall | not exceed an amount equal to the maximum amount of a civil | penalty that may be imposed under Section 13-305. | (5) An Electing Provider in each of the MSA or |
| Exchange areas classified as competitive pursuant to | subsection (c) of this Section shall fulfill the | requirements in subdivision (e)(3) of this Section for 3 | years after its notice of election becomes effective. | After such 3 years, the requirements in subdivision (e)(3) | of this Section shall not apply to such Electing Provider, | except that, upon request from the Commission, the | Electing Provider shall provide a report showing the | number of credits and exemptions for the requested time | period. | (f) Commission jurisdiction over competitive retail | telecommunications services. Except as otherwise expressly | stated in this Section, the Commission shall thereafter have | no jurisdiction or authority over any aspect of competitive | retail telecommunications service of an Electing Provider in | those geographic areas included in the Electing Provider's | notice of election pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section | or of a retail telecommunications service classified as | competitive pursuant to Section 13-502 or subdivision (c)(5) | of this Section, heretofore subject to the jurisdiction of the | Commission, including but not limited to, any requirements of | this Article related to the terms, conditions, rates, quality | of service, availability, classification or any other aspect | of any competitive retail telecommunications services. No | telecommunications carrier shall commit any unfair or | deceptive act or practice in connection with any aspect of the |
| offering or provision of any competitive retail | telecommunications service. Nothing in this Article shall | limit or affect any provisions in the Consumer Fraud and | Deceptive Business Practices Act with respect to any unfair or | deceptive act or practice by a telecommunications carrier. | (g) Commission authority over access services upon | election for market regulation. | (1) As part of its Notice of Election for Market | Regulation, the Electing Provider shall reduce its | intrastate switched access rates to rates no higher than | its interstate switched access rates in 4 installments. | The first reduction must be made 30 days after submission | of its complete application for Notice of Election for | Market Regulation, and the Electing Provider must reduce | its intrastate switched access rates by an amount equal to | 33% of the difference between its current intrastate | switched access rates and its current interstate switched | access rates. The second reduction must be made no later | than one year after the first reduction, and the Electing | Provider must reduce its then current intrastate switched | access rates by an amount equal to 41% of the difference | between its then current intrastate switched access rates | and its then current interstate switched access rates. The | third reduction must be made no later than one year after | the second reduction, and the Electing Provider must | reduce its then current intrastate switched access rates |
| by an amount equal to 50% of the difference between its | then current intrastate switched access rate and its then | current interstate switched access rates. The fourth | reduction must be made on or before June 30, 2013, and the | Electing Provider must reduce its intrastate switched | access rate to mirror its then current interstate switched | access rates and rate structure. Following the fourth | reduction, each Electing Provider must continue to set its | intrastate switched access rates to mirror its interstate | switched access rates and rate structure. For purposes of | this subsection, the rate for intrastate switched access | service means the composite, per-minute rate for that | service, including all applicable fixed and | traffic-sensitive charges, including, but not limited to, | carrier common line charges. | (2) Nothing in paragraph (1) of this subsection (g) | prohibits an Electing Provider from electing to offer | intrastate switched access service at rates lower than its | interstate switched access rates. | (3) The Commission shall have no authority to order an | Electing Provider to set its rates for intrastate switched | access at a level lower than its interstate switched | access rates. | (4) The Commission's authority under this subsection | (g) shall only apply to Electing Providers under Market | Regulation. The Commission's authority over switched |
| access services for all other carriers is retained under | Section 13-900.2 of this Act. | (h) Safety of service equipment and facilities. | (1) An Electing Provider shall furnish, provide, and | maintain such service instrumentalities, equipment, and | facilities as shall promote the safety, health, comfort, | and convenience of its patrons, employees, and public and | as shall be in all respects adequate, reliable, and | efficient without discrimination or delay. Every Electing | Provider shall provide service and facilities that are in | all respects environmentally safe. | (2) The Commission is authorized to conduct an | investigation of any Electing Provider or part thereof. | The investigation may examine the reasonableness, | prudence, or efficiency of any aspect of the Electing | Provider's operations or functions that may affect the | adequacy, safety, efficiency, or reliability of | telecommunications service. The Commission may conduct or | order an investigation only when it has reasonable grounds | to believe that the investigation is necessary to assure | that the Electing Provider is providing adequate, | efficient, reliable, and safe service. The Commission | shall, before initiating any such investigation, issue an | order describing the grounds for the investigation and the | appropriate scope and nature of the investigation, which | shall be reasonably related to the grounds relied upon by |
| the Commission in its order. | (i) (Blank). | (j) Application of Article VII. The provisions of Sections | 7-101, 7-102, 7-104, 7-204, 7-205, and 7-206 of this Act are | applicable to an Electing Provider offering or providing | retail telecommunications service, and the Commission's | regulation thereof, except that (1) the approval of contracts | and arrangements with affiliated interests required by | paragraph (3) of Section 7-101 shall not apply to such | telecommunications carriers provided that, except as provided | in item (2), those contracts and arrangements shall be filed | with the Commission; (2) affiliated interest contracts or | arrangements entered into by such telecommunications carriers | where the increased obligation thereunder does not exceed the | lesser of $5,000,000 or 5% of such carrier's prior annual | revenue from noncompetitive services are not required to be | filed with the Commission; and (3) any consent and approval of | the Commission required by Section 7-102 is not required for | the sale, lease, assignment, or transfer by any Electing | Provider of any property that is not necessary or useful in the | performance of its duties to the public. | (k) Notwithstanding other provisions of this Section, the | Commission retains its existing authority to enforce the | provisions, conditions, and requirements of the following | Sections of this Article: 13-101, 13-103, 13-201, 13-301, | 13-301.1, 13-301.2, 13-301.3, 13-303, 13-303.5, 13-304, |
| 13-305, 13-401, 13-401.1, 13-402, 13-403, 13-404, 13-404.1, | 13-404.2, 13-405, 13-406, 13-501, 13-501.5, 13-503, 13-505, | 13-509, 13-510, 13-512, 13-513, 13-514, 13-515, 13-516, | 13-519, 13-702, 13-703, 13-704, 13-705, 13-706, 13-707, | 13-709, 13-713, 13-801, 13-802.1, 13-804, 13-900, 13-900.1, | 13-900.2, 13-901, 13-902, and 13-903, which are fully and | equally applicable to Electing Providers and to | telecommunications carriers providing retail | telecommunications service classified as competitive pursuant | to Section 13-502 or subdivision (c)(5) of this Section | subject to the provisions of this Section. On the effective | date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly, the | following Sections of this Article shall cease to apply to | Electing Providers and to telecommunications carriers | providing retail telecommunications service classified as | competitive pursuant to Section 13-502 or subdivision (c)(5) | of this Section: 13-302, 13-405.1, 13-502, 13-502.5, 13-504, | 13-505.2, 13-505.3, 13-505.4, 13-505.5, 13-505.6, 13-506.1, | 13-507, 13-507.1, 13-508, 13-508.1, 13-517, 13-518, 13-601, | 13-701, and 13-712. | (Source: P.A. 99-6, eff. 6-29-15; 100-20, eff. 7-1-17; | 100-840, eff. 8-13-18 .) | (220 ILCS 5/13-301.1 rep.) | Section 10. The Public Utilities Act is amended by | repealing Section 13-301.1. |
Effective Date: 1/1/2025
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