102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB0050

 

Introduced 1/29/2021, by Sen. Rachelle Crowe

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
220 ILCS 5/3-105  from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 3-105

    Amends the Public Utilities Act. Changes the definition of "public utility" to exclude commercial natural gas cooperatives. Provides that for a commercial natural gas cooperative to qualify and be recognized by the Illinois Commerce Commission, the properties that receive retail natural gas service from each commercial natural gas cooperative: (i) shall not have a public utility-owned natural gas transportation pipeline located within the properties at the time of commencement of service; (ii) shall comprise of not less than 500 acres and not more than 2,500 acres, which territory does not need to be contiguous; and (iii) shall be used exclusively for non-residential purposes. Effective July 1, 2021.


LRB102 04264 SPS 14282 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB0050LRB102 04264 SPS 14282 b

1    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Public Utilities Act is amended by changing
5Section 3-105 as follows:
 
6    (220 ILCS 5/3-105)  (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 3-105)
7    Sec. 3-105. Public utility.
8    (a) "Public utility" means and includes, except where
9otherwise expressly provided in this Section, every
10corporation, company, limited liability company, association,
11joint stock company or association, firm, partnership or
12individual, their lessees, trustees, or receivers appointed by
13any court whatsoever that owns, controls, operates or manages,
14within this State, directly or indirectly, for public use, any
15plant, equipment or property used or to be used for or in
16connection with, or owns or controls any franchise, license,
17permit or right to engage in:
18        (1) the production, storage, transmission, sale,
19    delivery or furnishing of heat, cold, power, electricity,
20    water, or light, except when used solely for
21    communications purposes;
22        (2) the disposal of sewerage; or
23        (3) the conveyance of oil or gas by pipe line.

 

 

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1    (b) "Public utility" does not include, however:
2        (1) public utilities that are owned and operated by
3    any political subdivision, public institution of higher
4    education or municipal corporation of this State, or
5    public utilities that are owned by such political
6    subdivision, public institution of higher education, or
7    municipal corporation and operated by any of its lessees
8    or operating agents;
9        (2) water companies which are purely mutual concerns,
10    having no rates or charges for services, but paying the
11    operating expenses by assessment upon the members of such
12    a company and no other person;
13        (3) electric cooperatives as defined in Section 3-119;
14        (4) the following natural gas cooperatives:
15            (A) residential and commercial natural gas
16        cooperatives that are not-for-profit corporations
17        established for the purpose of administering and
18        operating, on a cooperative basis, the furnishing of
19        natural gas to residences and commercial enterprises
20        for the benefit of their members who are residential
21        consumers of natural gas. For entities qualifying as
22        residential natural gas cooperatives and recognized by
23        the Illinois Commerce Commission as such, the State
24        shall guarantee legally binding contracts entered into
25        by residential natural gas cooperatives for the
26        express purpose of acquiring natural gas supplies for

 

 

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1        their members. The Illinois Commerce Commission shall
2        establish rules and regulations providing for such
3        guarantees. The total liability of the State in
4        providing all such guarantees shall not at any time
5        exceed $1,000,000, nor shall the State provide such a
6        guarantee to a residential natural gas cooperative for
7        more than 3 consecutive years. For a commercial
8        natural gas cooperative to qualify and be recognized
9        by the Illinois Commerce Commission, the properties
10        that receive retail natural gas service from each
11        commercial natural gas cooperative: (i) shall not have
12        a public utility-owned natural gas transportation
13        pipeline located within the properties at the time of
14        commencement of service; (ii) shall comprise of not
15        less than 500 acres and not more than 2,500 acres,
16        which territory does not need to be contiguous; and
17        (iii) shall be used exclusively for non-residential
18        purposes; and
19            (B) natural gas cooperatives that are
20        not-for-profit corporations operated for the purpose
21        of administering, on a cooperative basis, the
22        furnishing of natural gas for the benefit of their
23        members and that, prior to 90 days after the effective
24        date of this amendatory Act of the 94th General
25        Assembly, either had acquired or had entered into an
26        asset purchase agreement to acquire all or

 

 

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1        substantially all of the operating assets of a public
2        utility or natural gas cooperative with the intention
3        of operating those assets as a natural gas
4        cooperative;
5        (5) sewage disposal companies which provide sewage
6    disposal services on a mutual basis without establishing
7    rates or charges for services, but paying the operating
8    expenses by assessment upon the members of the company and
9    no others;
10        (6) (blank);
11        (7) cogeneration facilities, small power production
12    facilities, and other qualifying facilities, as defined in
13    the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act and regulations
14    promulgated thereunder, except to the extent State
15    regulatory jurisdiction and action is required or
16    authorized by federal law, regulations, regulatory
17    decisions or the decisions of federal or State courts of
18    competent jurisdiction;
19        (8) the ownership or operation of a facility that
20    sells compressed natural gas at retail to the public for
21    use only as a motor vehicle fuel and the selling of
22    compressed natural gas at retail to the public for use
23    only as a motor vehicle fuel;
24        (9) alternative retail electric suppliers as defined
25    in Article XVI; and
26        (10) the Illinois Power Agency.

 

 

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1    (c) An entity that furnishes the service of charging
2electric vehicles does not and shall not be deemed to sell
3electricity and is not and shall not be deemed a public utility
4notwithstanding the basis on which the service is provided or
5billed. If, however, the entity is otherwise deemed a public
6utility under this Act, or is otherwise subject to regulation
7under this Act, then that entity is not exempt from and remains
8subject to the otherwise applicable provisions of this Act.
9The installation, maintenance, and repair of an electric
10vehicle charging station shall comply with the requirements of
11subsection (a) of Section 16-128 and Section 16-128A of this
12Act.
13    For purposes of this subsection, the term "electric
14vehicles" has the meaning ascribed to that term in Section 10
15of the Electric Vehicle Act.
16(Source: P.A. 97-1128, eff. 8-28-12.)
 
17    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect July 1,
182021.