HB5633eng 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB5633 Engrossed LRB098 18448 RPS 53585 b

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 the heading of Article XX and Sections 19-130, 20-101, 20-102, and 20-110 as follows:

(220 ILCS 5/19-130)

Sec. 19-130. Commission study and report. The Commission's Office of Retail Market Development shall prepare an annual report regarding the development of competitive retail natural gas markets in Illinois. The Office shall monitor existing competitive conditions in Illinois, identify barriers to retail competition for all customer classes, and actively explore and propose to the Commission and to the General Assembly solutions to overcome identified barriers. Solutions proposed by the Office to promote retail competition must also promote safe, reliable, and affordable natural gas service.

On or before October 1 of each year, beginning in 2015, the Director shall submit a report to the Commission, the General Assembly, and the Governor, that includes The report shall be approved by the Commission and be filed by July 1 of each odd year with the Joint Committee on Legislative Support Services of the General Assembly and the Governor and shall be publicly available. The report shall include, at a minimum, the following information:

(1) an analysis of the status and development of the retail natural gas market in the State of Illinois; and

(2) a discussion of any identified barriers to the development of competitive retail natural gas markets in Illinois and proposed solutions to overcome identified barriers; and

(3) any other information the Office Commission considers significant in assessing the development of natural gas markets in the State of Illinois.

To aid in preparation of its annual report, as well in its assessment of barriers to the development of competitive retail natural gas markets and proposed solutions to overcome those barriers, the Commission's Office of Retail Market Development shall gather input from all interested parties as well as from other bureaus within the Commission.

(Source: P.A. 97-223, eff. 1-1-12.)

(220 ILCS 5/Art. XX heading)

ARTICLE XX. CONSUMER RETAIL ELECTRIC COMPETITION

(Source: P.A. 94-1095, eff. 2-2-07.)

(220 ILCS 5/20-101)

Sec. 20-101. This Article may be cited as the Consumer Retail Electric Competition Act of 2006.

(Source: P.A. 94-1095, eff. 2-2-07.)

(220 ILCS 5/20-102)

Sec. 20-102. Findings and intent.

(a) Competitive A competitive wholesale electricity and natural gas markets market alone will not deliver the full benefits of competition to Illinois consumers. For Illinois consumers to receive products, prices, and terms tailored to meet their needs, a competitive wholesale markets electricity market must be closely linked to a competitive retail electric and competitive retail natural gas markets market.

(b) To date, as a result of the Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997, thousands of large Illinois commercial and industrial consumers have experienced the benefits of a competitive retail electricity market. Alternative electric retail suppliers actively compete to supply electricity to large Illinois commercial and industrial consumers with attractive prices, terms, and conditions.

(c) A competitive retail electric market does not yet exist for residential and small commercial consumers. As a result, millions of residential and small commercial consumers in Illinois are faced with escalating heating and power bills and are unable to shop for alternatives to the rates demanded by the State's incumbent electric utilities.

(d) The General Assembly reiterates its findings from the Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997 that the Illinois Commerce Commission should promote the development of an effectively competitive retail electricity market that operates efficiently and benefits all Illinois consumers.

(e) The General Assembly also finds that consumers of retail natural gas would benefit from market opening solutions and competitive choices.

(Source: P.A. 94-1095, eff. 2-2-07.)

(220 ILCS 5/20-110)

Sec. 20-110. Office of Retail Market Development. Within 90 days after February 2, 2007 (the effective date of Public Act 94-1095) this amendatory Act of the 94th General Assembly, subject to appropriation, the Commission shall establish an Office of Retail Market Development and employ on its staff a Director of Retail Market Development to oversee the Office. The Director shall have authority to employ or otherwise retain at least 2 professionals dedicated to the task of actively seeking out ways to promote retail competition in Illinois to benefit all Illinois consumers.

The Office shall actively seek input from all interested parties and shall develop a thorough understanding and critical analyses of the tools and techniques used to promote retail competition in other states.

The Office shall monitor existing competitive conditions in Illinois, identify barriers to retail competition for all customer classes, and actively explore and propose to the Commission and to the General Assembly solutions to overcome identified barriers. The Director may include municipal aggregation of customers and creating and designing customer choice programs as tools for retail market development. Solutions proposed by the Office to promote retail competition must also promote safe, reliable, and affordable electric and natural gas service.

On or before June 30 of each year, the Director shall submit a report to the Commission, the General Assembly, and the Governor, that details specific accomplishments achieved by the Office in the prior 12 months in promoting retail electric and retail natural gas competition and that suggests administrative and legislative action necessary to promote further improvements in retail electric competition.

(Source: P.A. 94-1095, eff. 2-2-07.)

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