93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2003 and 2004
HB4190


 
Introduced 1/23/2004, by Marlow H. Colvin
 
SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 		













New Act










    Creates the Good Samaritan Initiative Act.  Requires the Illinois Commerce Commission to adopt a rule that allows for the reconnection of low-income Illinois residents to their gas and electric utility services. Effective immediately.



















LRB093 15950 AMC 41573 b




















FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
















 


 


A BILL FOR









 














HB4190

LRB093 15950 AMC 41573 b









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    AN ACT concerning public utilities.

 
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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 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Good 
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Samaritan Initiative Act.
 
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    Section 5. Findings. The General Assembly finds and 
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declares the following:

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        (1) During the winter heating season some low-income 
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    Illinois citizens, because of limited financial resources, 
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    have had their gas or electric service disconnected because 
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    they are unable to pay their bills and who, because of 
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    arrearages, have been unable to have these services 
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    restored.
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        (2) The Illinois Commerce Commission has a 
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    responsibility to protect the public's health and welfare.
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        (3) Too many low-income Illinois citizens enter each 
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    winter without utility service.
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        (4) This constitutes a continuing emergency.

 
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    Section 10. Good Samaritan Initiative. The Illinois 
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Commerce Commission shall, after notice and opportunity for 
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hearing, adopt a rule that allows for the reconnection of 
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low-income Illinois residents to their gas and electric utility 
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services.  The rule shall, at a minimum, contain all of the 
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following:
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        (1) Reconnection pursuant to rule shall be limited to 
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    residential natural gas or electric utility customers who 
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    have arrearages and who are LIHEAP eligible.
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        (2) Except as otherwise stated, all natural gas and 
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    electric utilities regulated by the Commission shall 
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    reconnect any residential natural gas or electric utility 
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    customers who have arrearage and who are LIHEAP eligible if 
 


 









HB4190
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LRB093 15950 AMC 41573 b







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    they pay the relevant utility a reconnection charge of no 
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    more than $250.  The $250 includes any security deposit a 
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    utility may require.
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        (3) Residential natural gas or electric utility 
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    customers who have had their gas or electric service 
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    disconnected for a fraudulent practice shall have that 
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    service reconnected upon the payment for the amount of 
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    service obtained fraudulently plus any tariffed 
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    investigation fee and a reconnection charge of no more than 
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    $250.  The $250 includes any security deposit a utility may 
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    require.
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        (4) All natural gas and electric utilities regulated by 
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    the Commission shall be subject to the reconnection rule 
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    from December 1 to March 31.
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        (5) Any reconnection pursuant to this rule must take 
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    place within 2 calendar days of payment of the reconnection 
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    charge.
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        (6) Funds for payment of the reconnection charge 
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    authorized by items (2) and (3) may come in whole or in 
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    part from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program or 
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    other energy assistance program.
 

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