103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2023 and 2024
HB5021

 

Introduced 2/8/2024, by Rep. Janet Yang Rohr

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
See Index

    Creates the Municipal and Cooperative Electric Utility Planning and Transparency Act. Sets forth legislative findings and objectives. Provides that beginning on November 1, 2024, and every 3 years thereafter on November 1, all electric cooperatives with members in the State, municipal power agencies, and municipalities shall file with the Illinois Power Agency an integrated resource plan. Includes provisions regarding the purposes and available resources for the integrated resource plan and rulemaking powers of the Agency. Requires the Agency to maintain a list of qualified experts or expert consulting firms for the purpose of developing integrated resource plans. Sets forth meeting requirements for an electric cooperative and publishing and posting requirements for specific information related to an electric cooperative. Amends the Open Meetings Act. Provides that a public body may hold closed meetings to consider the operation by a municipality of a municipal utility or the operation of a municipal power agency or municipal natural gas agency when the discussion involves certain topics. Amends the Illinois Municipal Code. Allows any additional municipality which operates an electric utility system to join a municipal power agency consistent with the bylaws of the municipal power agency, and upon payment of any termination obligations. Outlines a number of requirements for a municipal power agency. Makes other changes. Amends the Public Utilities Act. In a provision regarding net electricity metering, defines "electricity provider" and "electric utility". Makes other changes. Amends the Eminent Domain Act. Provides that for all acquisitions where the property, or any right or interest in property, is to be used for utility purposes, and where the condemning authority is an entity required to submit an integrated resource plan under the Municipal and Cooperative Electric Utility Planning and Transparency Act, the rebuttable presumption that such acquisition of that property is primarily for the benefit, use, or enjoyment of the public and necessary for a public purpose shall only apply if the most recent integrated resource plan filed by the condemning authority identified the facility or articulated a need for a facility similar capacity and type to the facility for which the property or right or interest is sought. Effective immediately.


LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB5021LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 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 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Municipal and Cooperative Electric Utility Planning and
6Transparency Act.
 
7    Section 5. Legislative findings and objectives. The
8General Assembly finds:
9        (1) Municipal and cooperative electric utilities
10    provide electricity to more than 1,000,000 State
11    residents.
12        (2) These utilities are managed by elected officials,
13    elected board members, or their appointees. Due to their
14    governance structures, municipal and cooperative electric
15    utilities are exempt from certain regulatory requirements
16    and oversight under State and federal law.
17        (3) State residents who are served by these utilities,
18    and who pay rates for electricity set by these utilities,
19    often lack access to important information about these
20    utilities' generation portfolios, procurement, management
21    practices, and budgets. Because democratic elections by
22    member-ratepayers or customers are the ultimate guarantor
23    of the integrity and cost-effectiveness of these

 

 

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1    utilities' operations, access to this information is
2    crucial to ensuring management of these utilities is
3    prudent and responsive.
4        (4) Good utility practice entails long-term planning
5    on the part of a utility, including anticipating
6    retirement of existing generation resources, planning new
7    generation build or purchase well in advance of any
8    capacity shortfall, and developing rigorous estimates of
9    future load to inform procurement, construction, and
10    retirement decisions.
11        (5) In many other states, integrated resource planning
12    processes have been used to avoid capacity shortfalls,
13    minimize ratepayer costs, and increase public
14    participation in and knowledge of electric generation
15    portfolio choices, even where the planning utility is not
16    otherwise subject to rate approval by the state.
17        (6) It is in the best interests of State electricity
18    customers and member-ratepayers that electricity is
19    provided by a portfolio of generation and storage
20    resources and demand-side programs that minimizes both
21    cost and environmental impacts and that long-term utility
22    planning can and should facilitate the achievement of such
23    portfolios.
24        (7) With the enactment of the Inflation Reduction Act
25    of 2022, municipal and cooperative electric utilities have
26    access to a variety of federal funding streams designed to

 

 

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1    facilitate transition from fossil fuel to renewable
2    generation. Consistent with Congress's intent, municipal
3    and cooperative electric utilities should perform a
4    comprehensive analysis of their existing portfolio and
5    have a duty, as utility managers, to identify
6    opportunities to minimize member-ratepayer and customer
7    costs.
8        (8) To ensure utilities minimize ratepayer costs,
9    maximize opportunities for transition from fossil fuels to
10    renewable resources, and to increase transparency and
11    democratic participation, it is important that municipal
12    and cooperative electric utilities participate in an
13    integrated resource planning process with public
14    participation and Illinois Power Agency oversight.
 
15    Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
16    "Agency" means the Illinois Power Agency.
17    "Demand-side program" means a program implemented by or on
18behalf of a utility to reduce retail customer consumption
19(MWh) or shift the time of consumption of energy (MW) from end
20users, including energy efficiency programs, demand response
21programs, and programs for the promotion or aggregation of
22distributed generation.
23    "Electric cooperative" has the meaning given to that term
24in Section 3-119 of the Public Utilities Act.
25    "Generation resource" means a facility for the generation

 

 

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1of electricity.
2    "Municipal power agency" has the meaning given to that
3term in Section 11-119.1-3 of the Illinois Municipal Code.
4    "Municipality" has the meaning given to that term in
5Section 11-119.1-3 of the Illinois Municipal Code.
6    "Renewable generation resource" means a resource for
7generating electricity that uses wind, solar, or geothermal
8energy.
9    "Storage resource" means a commercially available
10technology that uses mechanical, chemical, or thermal
11processes to store energy and deliver the stored energy as
12electricity for use at a later time and is capable of being
13controlled by the distribution or transmission entity managing
14it, to enable and optimize the safe and reliable operation of
15the electric system.
16    "Utility" means a municipal power agency, municipality, or
17electric cooperative.
 
18    Section 15. Purpose and contents of integrated resource
19plan.
20    (a) Beginning on November 1, 2024, and every 3 years
21thereafter on November 1, all electric cooperatives with
22members in this State, municipal power agencies, and
23municipalities shall file with the Agency an integrated
24resource plan, except that municipalities and electric
25cooperatives that are members of, and have a full requirements

 

 

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1contract with, a municipal power agency or electric
2cooperative subject to this Act may file a statement adopting
3such other utility's integrated resource plan.
4    (b) The purposes of the integrated resource plan are to
5provide a comprehensive description of the utility's current
6portfolio of electrical generation, storage, demand-side
7programs, and transmission resources, to forecast future load
8changes to facilitate prudent planning with respect to
9resource procurement and retirement, to determine what
10resource portfolio will meet ratepayers' needs while
11minimizing cost and environmental impact, and to articulate
12steps the utility will take to reduce customer costs and
13environmental impacts through changes to its current
14generation portfolio through construction, procurement,
15retirement, or demand-side programs.
16    (c) As part of the integrated resource plan development
17process, a utility shall consider all resources reasonably
18available or reasonably likely to be available during the
19relevant time period to satisfy the demand for electricity
20services for a 20-year planning period, taking into account
21both supply-side and demand-side electric power resources.
22    (d) An integrated resource plan shall include, at a
23minimum:
24        (1) A list of all electricity generation facilities
25    owned by the utility, in whole or in part. For each such
26    facility, the integrated resource plan shall report:

 

 

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1            (A) general location;
2            (B) ownership information, if ownership is shared
3        with another entity;
4            (C) type of fuel;
5            (D) the date of commercial operation;
6            (E) expected useful life;
7            (F) expected retirement date for any resource
8        expected to retire within the next 10 years, and an
9        explanation of the reason for the retirement;
10            (G) nameplate and peak available capacity;
11            (H) total MWh generated at the facility during the
12        previous calendar year;
13            (I) the date on which the facility is anticipated
14        to be fully depreciated; and
15            (J) any compliance obligations, or compliance
16        obligations expected to apply within the next 10
17        years, and any proposed or anticipated expenditures
18        intended to meet those obligations.
19        (2) A list of all power purchase agreements to which
20    the utility is a party, whether as purchaser or seller,
21    including the counterparty, general location and type of
22    generation resource providing power per the agreement,
23    date on which the agreement was entered into, duration of
24    the agreement, and the energy and capacity terms of the
25    agreement.
26        (3) A list of any sale transactions of any energy or

 

 

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1    capacity to any purchaser.
2        (4) A list of any demand-side programs and total
3    distributed generation.
4        (5) A narrative description of all existing
5    transmission facilities owned by the utility, in whole or
6    in part, that identifies any transmission constraints or
7    critical contingencies, and identification of the regional
8    transmission organization, if any, which exercises
9    operational control over the transmission facility.
10        (6) A list of all capital expenditures exceeding
11    $1,000,000 in the previous calendar year that includes a
12    brief description of the expenditure, the total amount
13    expended, and whether the expenditure was required to
14    conform with State or federal law, rule, or regulation;
15        (7) A description of all transmission costs,
16    disaggregated by expenditure, that identifies all capital
17    expenditures on physical infrastructure and contracts for
18    rights costing greater than $1,000,000 over the term of
19    the agreement.
20        (8) A copy of the most recent FERC Form 1 filed by the
21    utility. If no such FERC Form 1 has been filed, the utility
22    shall complete a FERC Form 1 for the prior calendar year.
23        (9) A range of load forecasts for the 5-year planning
24    period that includes hourly data representing a high-load,
25    low-load, and expected-load scenario for all retail
26    customers, consistent with the requirements of paragraph

 

 

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1    (1) of subsection (d) of Section 16-111.5 of the Public
2    Utilities Act and any associated rules or regulations.
3    Such forecasts shall include:
4            (A) all underlying assumptions;
5            (B) an hourly load analysis consistent with the
6        requirements of paragraph (1) of subsection (b) of
7        Section 16-111.5 of the Public Utilities Act;
8            (C) analysis of the impact of any demand-side
9        programs, consistent with paragraph (2) of subsection
10        (b) of Section 16-111.5 of the Public Utilities Act;
11            (D) any reserve margin or other obligations placed
12        on the utility by regional transmission organizations
13        to which it is a member; and
14            (E) to the extent the information is available, an
15        assessment of the accuracy of any past load forecasts
16        submitted pursuant to this Section and an explanation
17        of any deviation of greater than 10% in either
18        direction from the forecasted load.
19        (10) The results of an all-source request for
20    proposals for generation resources and capacity contracts.
21        (11) A 5-year action plan for meeting the forecasted
22    load that minimizes customer cost and adverse
23    environmental impacts. As part of the action plan, the
24    utility shall:
25            (A) Identify any generation or storage resources
26        anticipated to be removed from service in the 5 years

 

 

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1        following the date on which the integrated resource
2        plan is submitted.
3            (B) Determine whether given forecasted load growth
4        or unit retirements, or both, the utility will need to
5        procure additional capacity and energy, and provide a
6        quantitative estimate of any such gap between
7        forecasted load and supply-side resources.
8            (C) Provide a narrative description of the
9        utility's process for evaluating possible resources to
10        secure this additional capacity and energy.
11            (D) Provide a narrative description of the
12        utility's processes for assessing the present economic
13        value of existing generation and state whether,
14        consistent with this methodology, any currently
15        operating units, if any, could be replaced by other
16        resources at lower cost to ratepayers.
17            (E) Identify a preferred portfolio of generation,
18        storage, and demand-side programs that, in the
19        utility's judgment, meets its forecasted load while
20        minimizing the ratepayer cost and environmental
21        impacts to the extent reasonably achievable in the 5
22        years covered by the action plan. The portfolio shall
23        incorporate any capacity or other reliability
24        requirements of any regional transmission organization
25        of which the utility is a member.
26            (F) If the preferred portfolio includes the

 

 

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1        construction of new generation or storage resources or
2        transmission facilities, identify the preferred site
3        for all new construction of generation, storage, or
4        transmission facilities.
5            (G) If the utility states that it intends to
6        remove a generation resource from service, include in
7        the integrated resource plan a statement describing
8        the utility's plan to minimize economic impacts to
9        workers due to facility retirement. This statement
10        shall include a description of:
11                (i) the utility's efforts to collaborate with
12            the workers and their designated representatives,
13            if any;
14                (ii) a transition timeline or date certain on
15            which such a transition timeline shall be made
16            available to ensure certainty for workers;
17                (iii) the utility's efforts to protect pension
18            benefits and extend or replace health insurance,
19            life insurance, and other employment benefits;
20                (iv) all training and skill development
21            programs to be made available for workers who will
22            see their employment reduced or eliminated as a
23            result of the retirement; and
24                (v) any agreements with local governments
25            regarding continuing tax or other transfer
26            payments following the facility's retirement

 

 

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1            intended to minimize the impact on local services.
2            (H) Describe any anticipated capital expenditures
3        in excess of $1,000,000 at existing generation
4        facilities and the reason for such expenditures.
5        (12) A description of all models and methodologies
6    used in performing the integrated resource planning
7    process. The utility shall provide to the Agency, upon
8    request, reasonable access to any computer models used in
9    the analysis and workpapers, in electronic form, relied on
10    in preparation of the report.
11    (e) As part of all integrated resource plans submitted in
122024, the utility shall identify all programs, grants, loans,
13or tax benefits for which the utility is eligible pursuant to
14the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, and state whether the
15utility has applied for or otherwise used the program, grant,
16loan, or tax benefit. If the utility has not yet applied for or
17utilized the benefit, the utility shall state whether it
18intends to do so.
19    (f) Each utility shall submit, as part of its integrated
20resource plan, a least cost plan for constructing or procuring
21renewable energy resources to meet a minimum percentage of its
22load for all retail customers as follows: 25% by June 1, 2026,
23increasing by at least 3% each delivery year thereafter to at
24least 40% by the 2030 delivery year, and continuing at no less
25than 40% for each delivery year thereafter.
26    (g) Beginning in 2031, each utility shall submit, as part

 

 

HB5021- 12 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1of its integrated resource plan, a least cost plan for
2supplying 100% of its total projected load through renewable
3generation resources in combination with storage resources and
4demand-side programs by 2045. This least cost plan shall
5provide for the retirement of all coal and gas generation
6resources by January 1, 2045.
7    (h) The Agency may adopt rules establishing additional
8requirements as to the form and content of integrated resource
9plans, including, but not limited to, specifying forecast
10methodologies.
 
11    Section 20. Stakeholder process. Prior to the submission
12of an integrated resource plan, a municipality, municipal
13power agency, or electric cooperative required to submit an
14integrated resource plan shall hold at least 2 stakeholders
15meetings open to all ratepayers and members of the public.
16Notice of the meetings shall be sent to all customers not less
17than 30 days prior to the meeting. During the meetings the
18utility shall describe its processes for developing the
19integrated resource plan and its core assumptions and
20constraints, present its proposed preferred portfolio, and
21describe any planned retirements, capital expenditures on
22existing generation resources likely to exceed $1,000,000, and
23planned construction. Each meeting shall allow time for public
24comment and the utility shall provide attendees with a means
25of providing public comment in writing following the meeting.
 

 

 

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1    Section 25. Procedures for submission of integrated
2resource plan.
3    (a) Each municipality, municipal power agency, and
4electric cooperative shall submit its integrated resource
5plan, as set forth in this Act, to the Agency by October 1 of
6the calendar year.
7    (b) The Agency may request further information from the
8utility. Any such requests shall be made in writing. If the
9Agency requests additional information, the utility shall
10provide responses no later than 15 days following the request.
11    (c) The Agency shall facilitate public comment on the
12integrated resource plan, as follows:
13        (1) upon submission of the integrated resource plan,
14    the Agency shall post the integrated resource plan
15    publicly on its website. The plan shall remain publicly
16    accessible for at least 60 days.
17        (2) the utility shall hold at least 2 public meetings,
18    one in person and one remotely, where it shall make a
19    representative available to address questions about the
20    resource plan. The meetings shall be held no sooner than
21    15 days, and no later than 45 days, after the integrated
22    resource plan is made available to the public.
23        (3) the Agency shall accept public comments on the
24    integrated resource plan for 60 days following its public
25    posting via website, email, or mail. The Agency may extend

 

 

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1    this public comment period by an additional 60 days upon
2    request by members of the public; and
3        (4) after the conclusion of the public comment period,
4    as determined by the Agency, the Agency shall transmit
5    copies of all public comments received to the utility.
6    (d) The utility shall review public comments and provide
7responses that reasonably address all issues or questions
8raised by such comments. The utility may modify its integrated
9resource plan in response to these comments. The utility shall
10prepare a document with responses to public comments and
11submit this response document to the Agency no later than 90
12days after receiving the comments from the agency. This
13response document shall be posted publicly on the Agency's
14website along with the original integrated resource plan, as
15submitted, and any revisions made by the utility in response
16to public comments.
17    (e) The Agency shall maintain public access to all
18integrated resource plans submitted pursuant to this Act,
19accessible through the Agency's website, for no less than 10
20years following each integrated resource plan's initial
21submission.
 
22    Section 30. Use of independent expert.
23    (a) The Agency shall maintain a list of qualified experts
24or expert consulting firms for the purpose of developing
25integrated resource plans on behalf of municipalities,

 

 

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1municipal power agencies, and cooperatives. In order to
2qualify an expert or expert consulting firm must have:
3        (1) direct previous experience assembling power supply
4    plans or portfolios for utilities;
5        (2) an advanced degree in economics, mathematics,
6    engineering, risk management, or a related area of study;
7        (3) 10 years of experience in the electricity sector;
8        (4) expertise in wholesale electricity market rules,
9    including those established by the federal Energy
10    Regulatory Commission and regional transmission
11    organizations; and
12        (5) adequate resources to perform and fulfill the
13    required functions and responsibilities.
14    (b) The Agency may assemble the list as part of the process
15for developing a list of qualified experts for experts to
16develop procurement plans, as set forth in subsection (a) of
17Section 1-75 of the Illinois Power Agency Act.
18    (c) The Agency shall provide affected utilities and other
19interested parties with the lists of qualified experts or
20expert consulting firms identified through the request for
21qualifications processes that are under consideration to
22prepare the integrated resource plan on behalf of the utility.
23The Agency shall also provide each qualified expert's or
24expert consulting firm's response to the request for
25qualifications. A utility shall, within 5 business days,
26notify the Agency in writing if it objects to any experts or

 

 

HB5021- 16 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1expert consulting firms on the lists. Objections shall be
2based on:
3        (1) the failure to satisfy qualification criteria;
4        (2) the identification of a conflict of interest; or
5        (3) the evidence of inappropriate bias for or against
6    potential bidders or the affected utilities.
7    The Agency shall remove experts or expert consulting firms
8from the lists within 10 days if there is a reasonable basis
9for an objection and provide the updated lists to the affected
10utilities and other interested parties. If the Agency fails to
11remove an expert or expert consulting firm from the list, the
12objecting utility may withdraw its application and develop its
13integrated resource plan without agency assistance.
14    (d) A utility required to submit an integrated resource
15plan may elect to rely on an expert or expert consulting firm
16selected by the Agency to develop the plan and conduct
17stakeholder processes.
18    (e) A utility may submit a request to the Agency, not less
19than 6 months prior to the date on which the integrated
20resource plan is due, for such an expert or expert consulting
21firm.
22    (f) Upon receipt of such a request, the Agency shall issue
23requests for proposals to the qualified experts on the list
24assembled as set forth in subsections (a) through (c) to
25develop an integrated resource plan for that utility. The
26Agency shall select an expert or expert consulting firm to

 

 

HB5021- 17 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1develop the integrated resource plan on behalf of the utility
2based on the proposals submitted.
3    (g) Subject to appropriation, if a utility elects to rely
4on an expert or expert consulting firm selected by the Agency,
590% of the costs assessed by the expert for development of the
6integrated resource plan shall be paid by the Agency, up to
7$250,000, and the remainder paid by the utility.
 
8    Section 35. Electric cooperatives member access.
9    (a) As used in this Section, "meeting" has the meaning
10given to that term in Section 1.02 of the Open Meetings Act.
11    (b) As used in this Section, except for subsection (j),
12"member" includes all members of an electric cooperative in
13accordance with the cooperative's bylaws. Where a generation
14and transmission electric cooperative's members are electric
15cooperatives rather than individuals, members of those
16member-cooperatives are members of the generation and
17transmission electric cooperative for purposes of this
18Section. As used in subsection (j), "member" includes only
19members of an electric cooperative with individual members.
20    (c) All meetings of an electric cooperative shall be open
21to all members, except that a cooperative, by a two-thirds
22affirmative vote of the board members present, may go into
23executive session for consideration of documents or
24information deemed to be confidential for legal, commercial,
25or personnel purposes.

 

 

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1        (1) Before a board of directors convenes in executive
2    session, the board shall announce the general topic of the
3    executive session.
4        (2) Notice of all meetings of an electric cooperative
5    shall be posted on the website of the electric cooperative
6    at least 15 days prior to the meeting. Minutes of all
7    meetings of an electric cooperative shall be posted on the
8    website of the electric cooperative as soon as they have
9    been approved and shall remain posted for at least one
10    year after the date of the meeting. Upon request of a
11    member, the electric cooperative shall make minutes of any
12    meeting held after the effective date of this Act
13    available. Minutes shall include the votes of each member
14    of the board on all items for which approval was not
15    unanimous.
16        (3) At every regular meeting of the governing body of
17    an electric cooperative, members of the cooperative shall
18    be given an opportunity to address the board on any matter
19    concerning the policies and businesses of the cooperative.
20    The board may place reasonable, viewpoint-neutral
21    restrictions on the amount and duration of member comment.
22    (d) Each electric cooperative shall post on its website
23its current rates. The electric cooperative shall keep and
24make available to any member, upon request, all financial
25audits of the electric cooperative conducted in the last 3
26fiscal years.

 

 

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1    (e) Each electric cooperative shall adopt and post a
2written policy governing the election of directors on its
3website. The electric cooperative shall provide notice of the
4policy at the time a person becomes a member, as a bill insert
5at least once per year, and on request. The policy shall
6contain true and complete information on the following:
7        (1) Who is entitled to vote in an election, including
8    how member-cooperatives may vote.
9        (2) How a member may obtain and cast a ballot.
10        (3) How a member may become a candidate for the board
11    or any other elected leadership positions.
12    (f) At least 60 days before each board election, the
13electric cooperative shall post a list of candidates and
14deadline to return ballots on its website and leave the
15information posted until the election has concluded. The same
16information shall be included as part of a bill insert for a
17billing cycle occurring at no more than 60 but no fewer than 15
18days prior to the deadline to return ballots.
19    (g) Each candidate for a position on the board of
20directors who has qualified under the electric cooperative's
21bylaws is entitled to receive a membership list in electronic
22format upon receipt and verification of any candidacy
23requirements. The membership list must include the names and
24addresses of all members as they appear in the electric
25cooperative's records.
 

 

 

HB5021- 20 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1    Section 40. Conflict of interest disclosures.
2    (a) Each electric cooperative, municipality, and municipal
3power agency shall adopt, and post publicly on its website,
4written policies concerning:
5        (1) The compensation provided to a director on the
6    board of directors, including information on any
7    authorized per diem amounts, and the values of other
8    benefits, services, or goods that a director receives.
9        (2) The disclosure of any gifts received by a director
10    in excess of a de minimis amount.
11        (3) The requirements and procedures for a director on
12    the board of directors to disclose in writing any
13    conflicts of interest. At a minimum, the policy must
14    require disclosure when a decision before the board could
15    provide directly and as a proximate result of the decision
16    a financial or other material benefit to:
17            (A) The director, if the benefit is unique to that
18        director and not shared by similarly situated
19        cooperative members.
20            (B) A parent, grandparent, spouse, partner in a
21        civil union, child, or sibling of the director, if the
22        benefit is unique to that director and not shared by
23        similarly situated cooperative members.
24            (C) An entity in which the director is an officer
25        or director or has a financial interest not shared by
26        similarly situated cooperative members.

 

 

HB5021- 21 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1    (b) Each electric cooperative shall disclose on its
2website all lobbying activities as defined by Section 2 of the
3Lobbyist Registration Act and the amount of expenditures on
4such activities on an annual basis. Where the electric
5cooperative is a member of a trade association or other
6organization that engages in lobbying activities, the electric
7cooperative shall post the amount of dues or other
8expenditures paid by the cooperative to such an organization
9and what percentage of the organization or association's
10budget is spent on lobbying activities.
 
11    Section 45. The Open Meetings Act is amended by changing
12Section 2 as follows:
 
13    (5 ILCS 120/2)  (from Ch. 102, par. 42)
14    Sec. 2. Open meetings.
15    (a) Openness required. All meetings of public bodies shall
16be open to the public unless excepted in subsection (c) and
17closed in accordance with Section 2a.
18    (b) Construction of exceptions. The exceptions contained
19in subsection (c) are in derogation of the requirement that
20public bodies meet in the open, and therefore, the exceptions
21are to be strictly construed, extending only to subjects
22clearly within their scope. The exceptions authorize but do
23not require the holding of a closed meeting to discuss a
24subject included within an enumerated exception.

 

 

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1    (c) Exceptions. A public body may hold closed meetings to
2consider the following subjects:
3        (1) The appointment, employment, compensation,
4    discipline, performance, or dismissal of specific
5    employees, specific individuals who serve as independent
6    contractors in a park, recreational, or educational
7    setting, or specific volunteers of the public body or
8    legal counsel for the public body, including hearing
9    testimony on a complaint lodged against an employee, a
10    specific individual who serves as an independent
11    contractor in a park, recreational, or educational
12    setting, or a volunteer of the public body or against
13    legal counsel for the public body to determine its
14    validity. However, a meeting to consider an increase in
15    compensation to a specific employee of a public body that
16    is subject to the Local Government Wage Increase
17    Transparency Act may not be closed and shall be open to the
18    public and posted and held in accordance with this Act.
19        (2) Collective negotiating matters between the public
20    body and its employees or their representatives, or
21    deliberations concerning salary schedules for one or more
22    classes of employees.
23        (3) The selection of a person to fill a public office,
24    as defined in this Act, including a vacancy in a public
25    office, when the public body is given power to appoint
26    under law or ordinance, or the discipline, performance or

 

 

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1    removal of the occupant of a public office, when the
2    public body is given power to remove the occupant under
3    law or ordinance.
4        (4) Evidence or testimony presented in open hearing,
5    or in closed hearing where specifically authorized by law,
6    to a quasi-adjudicative body, as defined in this Act,
7    provided that the body prepares and makes available for
8    public inspection a written decision setting forth its
9    determinative reasoning.
10        (4.5) Evidence or testimony presented to a school
11    board regarding denial of admission to school events or
12    property pursuant to Section 24-24 of the School Code,
13    provided that the school board prepares and makes
14    available for public inspection a written decision setting
15    forth its determinative reasoning.
16        (5) The purchase or lease of real property for the use
17    of the public body, including meetings held for the
18    purpose of discussing whether a particular parcel should
19    be acquired.
20        (6) The setting of a price for sale or lease of
21    property owned by the public body.
22        (7) The sale or purchase of securities, investments,
23    or investment contracts. This exception shall not apply to
24    the investment of assets or income of funds deposited into
25    the Illinois Prepaid Tuition Trust Fund.
26        (8) Security procedures, school building safety and

 

 

HB5021- 24 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1    security, and the use of personnel and equipment to
2    respond to an actual, a threatened, or a reasonably
3    potential danger to the safety of employees, students,
4    staff, the public, or public property.
5        (9) Student disciplinary cases.
6        (10) The placement of individual students in special
7    education programs and other matters relating to
8    individual students.
9        (11) Litigation, when an action against, affecting or
10    on behalf of the particular public body has been filed and
11    is pending before a court or administrative tribunal, or
12    when the public body finds that an action is probable or
13    imminent, in which case the basis for the finding shall be
14    recorded and entered into the minutes of the closed
15    meeting.
16        (12) The establishment of reserves or settlement of
17    claims as provided in the Local Governmental and
18    Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act, if otherwise the
19    disposition of a claim or potential claim might be
20    prejudiced, or the review or discussion of claims, loss or
21    risk management information, records, data, advice or
22    communications from or with respect to any insurer of the
23    public body or any intergovernmental risk management
24    association or self insurance pool of which the public
25    body is a member.
26        (13) Conciliation of complaints of discrimination in

 

 

HB5021- 25 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1    the sale or rental of housing, when closed meetings are
2    authorized by the law or ordinance prescribing fair
3    housing practices and creating a commission or
4    administrative agency for their enforcement.
5        (14) Informant sources, the hiring or assignment of
6    undercover personnel or equipment, or ongoing, prior or
7    future criminal investigations, when discussed by a public
8    body with criminal investigatory responsibilities.
9        (15) Professional ethics or performance when
10    considered by an advisory body appointed to advise a
11    licensing or regulatory agency on matters germane to the
12    advisory body's field of competence.
13        (16) Self evaluation, practices and procedures or
14    professional ethics, when meeting with a representative of
15    a statewide association of which the public body is a
16    member.
17        (17) The recruitment, credentialing, discipline or
18    formal peer review of physicians or other health care
19    professionals, or for the discussion of matters protected
20    under the federal Patient Safety and Quality Improvement
21    Act of 2005, and the regulations promulgated thereunder,
22    including 42 C.F.R. Part 3 (73 FR 70732), or the federal
23    Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of
24    1996, and the regulations promulgated thereunder,
25    including 45 C.F.R. Parts 160, 162, and 164, by a
26    hospital, or other institution providing medical care,

 

 

HB5021- 26 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1    that is operated by the public body.
2        (18) Deliberations for decisions of the Prisoner
3    Review Board.
4        (19) Review or discussion of applications received
5    under the Experimental Organ Transplantation Procedures
6    Act.
7        (20) The classification and discussion of matters
8    classified as confidential or continued confidential by
9    the State Government Suggestion Award Board.
10        (21) Discussion of minutes of meetings lawfully closed
11    under this Act, whether for purposes of approval by the
12    body of the minutes or semi-annual review of the minutes
13    as mandated by Section 2.06.
14        (22) Deliberations for decisions of the State
15    Emergency Medical Services Disciplinary Review Board.
16        (23) The operation by a municipality of a municipal
17    utility or the operation of a municipal power agency or
18    municipal natural gas agency when the discussion involves
19    (i) trade secrets, (ii) ongoing contract negotiations or
20    results of a request for proposals relating to the
21    purchase, sale, or delivery of electricity or natural gas
22    from nonaffiliate entities, or (iii) information
23    prohibited from disclosure by a regional transmission
24    organization to ensure the integrity of competitive
25    markets contracts relating to the purchase, sale, or
26    delivery of electricity or natural gas or (ii) the results

 

 

HB5021- 27 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1    or conclusions of load forecast studies.
2        (24) Meetings of a residential health care facility
3    resident sexual assault and death review team or the
4    Executive Council under the Abuse Prevention Review Team
5    Act.
6        (25) Meetings of an independent team of experts under
7    Brian's Law.
8        (26) Meetings of a mortality review team appointed
9    under the Department of Juvenile Justice Mortality Review
10    Team Act.
11        (27) (Blank).
12        (28) Correspondence and records (i) that may not be
13    disclosed under Section 11-9 of the Illinois Public Aid
14    Code or (ii) that pertain to appeals under Section 11-8 of
15    the Illinois Public Aid Code.
16        (29) Meetings between internal or external auditors
17    and governmental audit committees, finance committees, and
18    their equivalents, when the discussion involves internal
19    control weaknesses, identification of potential fraud risk
20    areas, known or suspected frauds, and fraud interviews
21    conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing
22    standards of the United States of America.
23        (30) Those meetings or portions of meetings of a
24    fatality review team or the Illinois Fatality Review Team
25    Advisory Council during which a review of the death of an
26    eligible adult in which abuse or neglect is suspected,

 

 

HB5021- 28 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1    alleged, or substantiated is conducted pursuant to Section
2    15 of the Adult Protective Services Act.
3        (31) Meetings and deliberations for decisions of the
4    Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board under the Firearm
5    Concealed Carry Act.
6        (32) Meetings between the Regional Transportation
7    Authority Board and its Service Boards when the discussion
8    involves review by the Regional Transportation Authority
9    Board of employment contracts under Section 28d of the
10    Metropolitan Transit Authority Act and Sections 3A.18 and
11    3B.26 of the Regional Transportation Authority Act.
12        (33) Those meetings or portions of meetings of the
13    advisory committee and peer review subcommittee created
14    under Section 320 of the Illinois Controlled Substances
15    Act during which specific controlled substance prescriber,
16    dispenser, or patient information is discussed.
17        (34) Meetings of the Tax Increment Financing Reform
18    Task Force under Section 2505-800 of the Department of
19    Revenue Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois.
20        (35) Meetings of the group established to discuss
21    Medicaid capitation rates under Section 5-30.8 of the
22    Illinois Public Aid Code.
23        (36) Those deliberations or portions of deliberations
24    for decisions of the Illinois Gaming Board in which there
25    is discussed any of the following: (i) personal,
26    commercial, financial, or other information obtained from

 

 

HB5021- 29 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1    any source that is privileged, proprietary, confidential,
2    or a trade secret; or (ii) information specifically
3    exempted from the disclosure by federal or State law.
4        (37) Deliberations for decisions of the Illinois Law
5    Enforcement Training Standards Board, the Certification
6    Review Panel, and the Illinois State Police Merit Board
7    regarding certification and decertification.
8        (38) Meetings of the Ad Hoc Statewide Domestic
9    Violence Fatality Review Committee of the Illinois
10    Criminal Justice Information Authority Board that occur in
11    closed executive session under subsection (d) of Section
12    35 of the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Act.
13        (39) Meetings of the regional review teams under
14    subsection (a) of Section 75 of the Domestic Violence
15    Fatality Review Act.
16        (40) Meetings of the Firearm Owner's Identification
17    Card Review Board under Section 10 of the Firearm Owners
18    Identification Card Act.
19    (d) Definitions. For purposes of this Section:
20    "Employee" means a person employed by a public body whose
21relationship with the public body constitutes an
22employer-employee relationship under the usual common law
23rules, and who is not an independent contractor.
24    "Public office" means a position created by or under the
25Constitution or laws of this State, the occupant of which is
26charged with the exercise of some portion of the sovereign

 

 

HB5021- 30 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1power of this State. The term "public office" shall include
2members of the public body, but it shall not include
3organizational positions filled by members thereof, whether
4established by law or by a public body itself, that exist to
5assist the body in the conduct of its business.
6    "Quasi-adjudicative body" means an administrative body
7charged by law or ordinance with the responsibility to conduct
8hearings, receive evidence or testimony and make
9determinations based thereon, but does not include local
10electoral boards when such bodies are considering petition
11challenges.
12    (e) Final action. No final action may be taken at a closed
13meeting. Final action shall be preceded by a public recital of
14the nature of the matter being considered and other
15information that will inform the public of the business being
16conducted.
17(Source: P.A. 102-237, eff. 1-1-22; 102-520, eff. 8-20-21;
18102-558, eff. 8-20-21; 102-813, eff. 5-13-22; 103-311, eff.
197-28-23.)
 
20    Section 50. The Illinois Municipal Code is amended by
21changing Sections 11-119.1-4 and 11-119.1-10 and by adding
22Section 11-119.1-5.5 as follows:
 
23    (65 ILCS 5/11-119.1-4)  (from Ch. 24, par. 11-119.1-4)
24    Sec. 11-119.1-4. Municipal Power Agencies.

 

 

HB5021- 31 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1    A. Any 2 or more municipalities, contiguous or
2noncontiguous, and which operate an electric utility system,
3may form a municipal power agency by the execution of an agency
4agreement authorized by an ordinance adopted by the governing
5body of each municipality. The agency agreement may state:
6        (1) that the municipal power agency is created and
7    incorporated under the provisions of this Division as a
8    body politic and corporate, municipal corporation and unit
9    of local government of the State of Illinois;
10        (2) the name of the agency and the date of its
11    establishment;
12        (3) that names of the municipalities which have
13    adopted the agency agreement and constitute the initial
14    members of the municipal power agency;
15        (4) the names and addresses of the persons initially
16    appointed in the ordinances adopting the agency agreement
17    to serve on the Board of Directors and act as the
18    representatives of the municipalities, respectively, in
19    the exercise of their powers as members;
20        (5) the limitations, if any, upon the terms of office
21    of the directors, provided that such directors shall
22    always be selected and vacancies in their offices declared
23    and filled by ordinances adopted by the governing body of
24    the respective municipalities;
25        (6) the location by city, village or incorporated town
26    in the State of Illinois of the principal office of the

 

 

HB5021- 32 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1    municipal power agency;
2        (7) provisions for the disposition, division or
3    distribution of obligations, property and assets of the
4    municipal power agency upon dissolution; and
5        (8) any other provisions for regulating the business
6    of the municipal power agency or the conduct of its
7    affairs which may be agreed to by the member
8    municipalities, consistent with this Division, including,
9    without limitation, any provisions for weighted voting
10    among the member municipalities or by the directors.
11    B. The presiding officer of the Board of Directors of any
12municipal power agency established pursuant to this Division
13or such other officer selected by the Board of Directors,
14within 3 months after establishment, shall file a certified
15copy of the agency agreement and a list of the municipalities
16which have adopted the agreement with the recorder of deeds of
17the county in which the principal office is located. The
18recorder of deeds shall record this certified copy and list
19and shall immediately transmit the certified copy and list to
20the Secretary of State, together with his certificate of
21recordation. The Secretary of State shall file these documents
22and issue his certificate of approval over his signature and
23the Great Seal of the State. The Secretary of State shall make
24and keep a register of municipal power agencies established
25under this Division.
26    C. Each municipality which becomes a member of the

 

 

HB5021- 33 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1municipal power agency shall appoint a representative to serve
2on the Board of Directors, which representative may be a
3member of the governing body of the municipality. Each
4appointment shall be made by the mayor, or president, subject
5to the confirmation of the governing body. The directors so
6appointed shall hold office for a term of 3 years, or until a
7successor has been duly appointed and qualified, except that
8the directors first appointed shall determine by lot at their
9initial meeting the respective directors which shall serve for
10a term of one, 2 or 3 years from the date of that meeting. A
11vacancy shall be filled for the balance of the unexpired term
12in the same manner as the original appointment.
13    The Board of Directors is the corporate authority of the
14municipal power agency and shall exercise all the powers and
15manage and control all of the affairs and property of the
16agency. The Board of Directors shall have full power to pass
17all necessary ordinances, resolutions, rules and regulations
18for the proper management and conduct of the business of the
19board, and for carrying into effect the objects for which the
20agency was established.
21    At the initial meeting of the Board of Directors to be held
22within 30 days after the date of establishment of the
23municipal power agency, the directors shall elect from their
24members a presiding officer to preside over the meetings of
25the Board of Directors and an alternative presiding officer
26and may elect an executive board. The Board of Directors shall

 

 

HB5021- 34 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1determine and designate in the agency's bylaws the titles for
2the presiding officers. The directors shall also elect a
3secretary and treasurer, who need not be directors. The board
4may select such other officers, employees and agents as deemed
5to be necessary, who need not be directors or residents of any
6of the municipalities which are members of the municipal power
7agency. The board may designate appropriate titles for all
8other officers, employees, and agents. All persons selected by
9the board shall hold their respective offices during the
10pleasure of the board, and give such bond as may be required by
11the board.
12    D. The bylaws of the municipal power agency, and any
13amendments thereto, shall be adopted by the Board of Directors
14by a majority vote (adjusted for weighted voting, if provided
15in the Agency Agreement) to provide the following:
16        (1) the conditions and obligations of membership, if
17    any;
18        (2) the manner and time of calling regular and special
19    meetings of the Board of Directors;
20        (3) the procedural rules of the Board of Directors;
21        (4) the composition, powers and responsibilities of
22    any committee or executive board;
23        (5) the rights and obligations of new members,
24    conditions for the termination of membership, including a
25    formula for the determination of required termination
26    payments, if any, and the disposition of rights and

 

 

HB5021- 35 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1    obligations upon termination of membership; and
2        (6) such other rules or provisions for regulating the
3    affairs of the municipal power agency as the board shall
4    determine to be necessary.
5    E. Every municipal power agency shall maintain an office
6in the State of Illinois to be known as its principal office.
7When a municipal power agency desires to change the location
8of such office, it shall file with the Secretary of State a
9certificate of change of location, stating the new address and
10the effective date of change. Meetings of the Board of
11Directors may be held at any place within the State of
12Illinois, designated by the Board of Directors, after notice.
13Unless otherwise provided by the bylaws, an act of the
14majority of the directors present at a meeting at which a
15quorum is present is the act of the Board of Directors.
16    F. The Board of Directors shall hold at least one meeting
17each year for the election of officers and for the transaction
18of any other business. Special meetings of the Board of
19Directors may be called for any purpose upon written request
20to the presiding officer of the Board of Directors or
21secretary to call the meeting. Such officer shall give notice
22of the meeting to be held not less than 10 days and not more
23than 60 days after receipt of such request. Unless the bylaws
24provide for a different percentage, a quorum for a meeting of
25the Board of Directors is a majority of all members then in
26office. All meetings of the board shall be held in compliance

 

 

HB5021- 36 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1with the provisions of "An Act in relation to meetings",
2approved July 11, 1957, as amended.
3    G. The agency agreement may be amended as proposed at any
4meeting of the Board of Directors for which notice, stating
5the purpose, shall be given to each director and, unless the
6bylaws prescribe otherwise, such amendment shall become
7effective when ratified by ordinances adopted by a majority of
8the governing bodies of the member municipalities. Each
9amendment, duly certified, shall be recorded and filed in the
10same manner as for the original agreement.
11    H. Each member municipality shall have full power and
12authority, subject to the provisions of its charter and laws
13regarding local finance, to appropriate money for the payment
14of the expenses of the municipal power agency and of its
15representative in exercising its functions as a member of the
16municipal power agency.
17    I. Any additional municipality which operates an electric
18utility system may join the municipal power agency, or any
19member municipality may withdraw therefrom consistent with the
20bylaws of the municipal power agency, and upon payment of any
21termination obligations as described in subsection D upon the
22approval by ordinance adopted by the governing body of the
23majority of the municipalities which are then members of the
24municipal power agency. Any new member shall agree to assume
25its proportionate share of the outstanding obligations of the
26municipal power agency and any member permitted to withdraw

 

 

HB5021- 37 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1shall remain obligated to make payments under any outstanding
2contract or agreement with the municipal power agency or to
3comply with any exit or early termination provisions set forth
4in that contract or agreement. Any such change in membership
5shall be recorded and filed in the same manner as for the
6original agreement.
7    J. Any 2 or more municipal power agencies organized
8pursuant to this Division may consolidate to form a new
9municipal power agency when approved by ordinance adopted by
10the governing body of each municipality which is a member of
11the respective municipal power agency and by the execution of
12an agency agreement as provided in this Section.
13(Source: P.A. 96-204, eff. 1-1-10.)
 
14    (65 ILCS 5/11-119.1-5.5 new)
15    Sec. 11-119.1-5.5. Agency records, budgets, and quarterly
16reports.
17    (a) A municipal power agency shall keep accurate accounts
18and records of its assets, liabilities, revenues, and
19expenditures in accordance with generally accepted accounting
20principles. Such accounts and records shall include, but are
21not limited to, depreciation, operating and maintenance
22expenses for all generation and transmission assets, fuel
23costs, cost and revenue from the purchase or sale of
24environmental compliance credits, revenue from energy,
25capacity, and ancillary market sales, all payments received

 

 

HB5021- 38 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1from member municipalities, membership dues or other payments
2made to trade associations or industry organizations, and
3lobbying expenditures. Such records shall be audited on an
4annual basis by an independent auditor using generally
5accepted auditing standards and shall include contents as set
6forth in Section 8-8-5, and shall be filed with the
7Comptroller as described by Section 8-8-7.
8    (b) A municipal power agency shall, on an annual basis,
9prepare one-year and 5-year budgets that include all revenues
10and expenses, including, but not limited to, those categories
11described in subsection (a). As part of each one-year budget,
12the municipal power agency shall include a report identifying
13and explaining any variance from the previous annual budget of
145% or greater in any expenditure or revenue line item. Such
15budgets shall be provided to member municipalities no less
16than 60 days prior to any meeting of the municipal power agency
17during which action on the budget is or will be part of the
18agency agenda.
19    (c) The municipal power agency shall post, on a publicly
20available website, all one-year and 5-year budgets required
21under subsection (b) and the annual audited financial
22statements required under subsection (a).
23    (d) The municipal power agency shall make available, upon
24request to any of its member municipalities, access to all
25municipal power agency all records and accounts and all
26financial information relating to ownership and operation of

 

 

HB5021- 39 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1agency assets and the generation, procurement, and delivery of
2electricity to which the agency has access, including, but not
3limited to, unit scheduling information, market revenue and
4off-system sales data, and fuel and other variable cost
5information. Such information shall be provided in a timely
6manner and through reasonable means, and members shall be
7permitted to make copies of any documents retained solely by
8the agency. Such access shall be provided without regard to
9any nondisclosure agreement that has been or may be adopted by
10the municipal power agency.
11    (e) The municipal power agency shall prepare, on a
12quarterly basis, a report to its member municipalities
13describing all expenditures made for the purpose of lobbying,
14as both terms are defined by Section 2 of the Lobbyist
15Registration Act, and a brief summary of the topics and
16positions on which lobbying activities were undertaken. Where
17the municipal power agency is a member of an organization or
18trade association that expends some or all of membership dues
19on lobbying activities, the municipal power agency shall
20include in this report the amount of those membership dues,
21what proportion of those dues were spent on lobbying
22activities, and the topics and positions on which lobbying
23activities were undertaken by the organization or trade
24association of which the municipal power agency is a member.
 
25    (65 ILCS 5/11-119.1-10)  (from Ch. 24, par. 11-119.1-10)

 

 

HB5021- 40 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1    Sec. 11-119.1-10. Exercise of powers. A municipal power
2agency may exercise any and all of the powers enumerated in
3this Division, except the power of eminent domain, without the
4consent and approval of the Illinois Commerce Commission. The
5exercise of the power of eminent domain by a municipal power
6agency shall be subject to the consent and approval of the
7Illinois Commerce Commission in the same manner and to the
8same extent as public utilities under the Public Utilities
9Act, including the issuance of a certificate of public
10convenience and necessity as provided for in Section 8-406 of
11that Act. During the consideration of any petition for
12authority to exercise the power of eminent domain the Illinois
13Commerce Commission shall evaluate and give due consideration
14to whether the project for which eminent domain is sought is
15part of the preferred portfolio as described in subsection (d)
16of Section 15 of the Municipal and Cooperative Electric
17Utility Planning and Transparency Act, or least cost plans for
18procuring renewable resources as described in subsections (f)
19and (g) of Section 20 of the Municipal and Cooperative
20Electric Utility Planning and Transparency Act and to the
21impact of the acquisition on farmlands in the State with the
22goal of preserving the land to the fullest extent reasonably
23possible.
24(Source: P.A. 90-416, eff. 1-1-98.)
 
25    Section 55. The Public Utilities Act is amended by

 

 

HB5021- 41 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1changing Sections 16-107.5 and 17-500 as follows:
 
2    (220 ILCS 5/16-107.5)
3    Sec. 16-107.5. Net electricity metering.
4    (a) The General Assembly finds and declares that a program
5to provide net electricity metering, as defined in this
6Section, for eligible customers can encourage private
7investment in renewable energy resources, stimulate economic
8growth, enhance the continued diversification of Illinois'
9energy resource mix, and protect the Illinois environment.
10Further, to achieve the goals of this Act that robust options
11for customer-site distributed generation continue to thrive in
12Illinois, the General Assembly finds that a predictable
13transition must be ensured for customers between full net
14metering at the retail electricity rate to the distribution
15generation rebate described in Section 16-107.6.
16    (b) As used in this Section, (i) "community renewable
17generation project" shall have the meaning set forth in
18Section 1-10 of the Illinois Power Agency Act; (ii) "eligible
19customer" means a retail customer that owns, hosts, or
20operates, including any third-party owned systems, a solar,
21wind, or other eligible renewable electrical generating
22facility that is located on the customer's premises or
23customer's side of the billing meter and is intended primarily
24to offset the customer's own current or future electrical
25requirements; (iii) "electricity provider" means an electric

 

 

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1utility or alternative retail electric supplier; (iv)
2"eligible renewable electrical generating facility" means a
3generator, which may include the co-location of an energy
4storage system, that is interconnected under rules adopted by
5the Commission and is powered by solar electric energy, wind,
6dedicated crops grown for electricity generation, agricultural
7residues, untreated and unadulterated wood waste, livestock
8manure, anaerobic digestion of livestock or food processing
9waste, fuel cells or microturbines powered by renewable fuels,
10or hydroelectric energy; (v) "net electricity metering" (or
11"net metering") means the measurement, during the billing
12period applicable to an eligible customer, of the net amount
13of electricity supplied by an electricity provider to the
14customer or provided to the electricity provider by the
15customer or subscriber; (vi) "subscriber" shall have the
16meaning as set forth in Section 1-10 of the Illinois Power
17Agency Act; (vii) "subscription" shall have the meaning set
18forth in Section 1-10 of the Illinois Power Agency Act; (viii)
19"energy storage system" means commercially available
20technology that is capable of absorbing energy and storing it
21for a period of time for use at a later time, including, but
22not limited to, electrochemical, thermal, and
23electromechanical technologies, and may be interconnected
24behind the customer's meter or interconnected behind its own
25meter; and (ix) "future electrical requirements" means modeled
26electrical requirements upon occupation of a new or vacant

 

 

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1property, and other reasonable expectations of future
2electrical use, as well as, for occupied properties, a
3reasonable approximation of the annual load of 2 electric
4vehicles and, for non-electric heating customers, a reasonable
5approximation of the incremental electric load associated with
6fuel switching. The approximations shall be applied to the
7appropriate net metering tariff and do not need to be unique to
8each individual eligible customer. The utility shall submit
9these approximations to the Commission for review,
10modification, and approval; and (x) "electricity provider" and
11"electric utility" includes municipalities and municipal power
12agencies as defined in Section 11-119.3-1 of the Illinois
13Municipal Code and electric cooperatives as defined in Section
143-119 of this Act.
15    (c) A net metering facility shall be equipped with
16metering equipment that can measure the flow of electricity in
17both directions at the same rate.
18        (1) For eligible customers whose electric service has
19    not been declared competitive pursuant to Section 16-113
20    of this Act as of July 1, 2011 and whose electric delivery
21    service is provided and measured on a kilowatt-hour basis
22    and electric supply service is not provided based on
23    hourly pricing, this shall typically be accomplished
24    through use of a single, bi-directional meter. If the
25    eligible customer's existing electric revenue meter does
26    not meet this requirement, the electricity provider shall

 

 

HB5021- 44 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1    arrange for the local electric utility or a meter service
2    provider to install and maintain a new revenue meter at
3    the electricity provider's expense, which may be the smart
4    meter described by subsection (b) of Section 16-108.5 of
5    this Act.
6        (2) For eligible customers whose electric service has
7    not been declared competitive pursuant to Section 16-113
8    of this Act as of July 1, 2011 and whose electric delivery
9    service is provided and measured on a kilowatt demand
10    basis and electric supply service is not provided based on
11    hourly pricing, this shall typically be accomplished
12    through use of a dual channel meter capable of measuring
13    the flow of electricity both into and out of the
14    customer's facility at the same rate and ratio. If such
15    customer's existing electric revenue meter does not meet
16    this requirement, then the electricity provider shall
17    arrange for the local electric utility or a meter service
18    provider to install and maintain a new revenue meter at
19    the electricity provider's expense, which may be the smart
20    meter described by subsection (b) of Section 16-108.5 of
21    this Act.
22        (3) For all other eligible customers, until such time
23    as the local electric utility installs a smart meter, as
24    described by subsection (b) of Section 16-108.5 of this
25    Act, the electricity provider may arrange for the local
26    electric utility or a meter service provider to install

 

 

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1    and maintain metering equipment capable of measuring the
2    flow of electricity both into and out of the customer's
3    facility at the same rate and ratio, typically through the
4    use of a dual channel meter. If the eligible customer's
5    existing electric revenue meter does not meet this
6    requirement, then the costs of installing such equipment
7    shall be paid for by the customer.
8    (d) An electricity provider shall measure and charge or
9credit for the net electricity supplied to eligible customers
10or provided by eligible customers whose electric service has
11not been declared competitive pursuant to Section 16-113 of
12this Act as of July 1, 2011 and whose electric delivery service
13is provided and measured on a kilowatt-hour basis and electric
14supply service is not provided based on hourly pricing in the
15following manner:
16        (1) If the amount of electricity used by the customer
17    during the billing period exceeds the amount of
18    electricity produced by the customer, the electricity
19    provider shall charge the customer for the net electricity
20    supplied to and used by the customer as provided in
21    subsection (e-5) of this Section.
22        (2) If the amount of electricity produced by a
23    customer during the billing period exceeds the amount of
24    electricity used by the customer during that billing
25    period, the electricity provider supplying that customer
26    shall apply a 1:1 kilowatt-hour credit to a subsequent

 

 

HB5021- 46 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1    bill for service to the customer for the net electricity
2    supplied to the electricity provider. The electricity
3    provider shall continue to carry over any excess
4    kilowatt-hour credits earned and apply those credits to
5    subsequent billing periods to offset any
6    customer-generator consumption in those billing periods
7    until all credits are used or until the end of the
8    annualized period.
9        (3) At the end of the year or annualized over the
10    period that service is supplied by means of net metering,
11    or in the event that the retail customer terminates
12    service with the electricity provider prior to the end of
13    the year or the annualized period, any remaining credits
14    in the customer's account shall expire.
15    (d-5) An electricity provider shall measure and charge or
16credit for the net electricity supplied to eligible customers
17or provided by eligible customers whose electric service has
18not been declared competitive pursuant to Section 16-113 of
19this Act as of July 1, 2011 and whose electric delivery service
20is provided and measured on a kilowatt-hour basis and electric
21supply service is provided based on hourly pricing or
22time-of-use rates in the following manner:
23        (1) If the amount of electricity used by the customer
24    during any hourly period or time-of-use period exceeds the
25    amount of electricity produced by the customer, the
26    electricity provider shall charge the customer for the net

 

 

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1    electricity supplied to and used by the customer according
2    to the terms of the contract or tariff to which the same
3    customer would be assigned to or be eligible for if the
4    customer was not a net metering customer.
5        (2) If the amount of electricity produced by a
6    customer during any hourly period or time-of-use period
7    exceeds the amount of electricity used by the customer
8    during that hourly period or time-of-use period, the
9    energy provider shall apply a credit for the net
10    kilowatt-hours produced in such period. The credit shall
11    consist of an energy credit and a delivery service credit.
12    The energy credit shall be valued at the same price per
13    kilowatt-hour as the electric service provider would
14    charge for kilowatt-hour energy sales during that same
15    hourly period or time-of-use period. The delivery credit
16    shall be equal to the net kilowatt-hours produced in such
17    hourly period or time-of-use period times a credit that
18    reflects all kilowatt-hour based charges in the customer's
19    electric service rate, excluding energy charges.
20    (e) An electricity provider shall measure and charge or
21credit for the net electricity supplied to eligible customers
22whose electric service has not been declared competitive
23pursuant to Section 16-113 of this Act as of July 1, 2011 and
24whose electric delivery service is provided and measured on a
25kilowatt demand basis and electric supply service is not
26provided based on hourly pricing in the following manner:

 

 

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1        (1) If the amount of electricity used by the customer
2    during the billing period exceeds the amount of
3    electricity produced by the customer, then the electricity
4    provider shall charge the customer for the net electricity
5    supplied to and used by the customer as provided in
6    subsection (e-5) of this Section. The customer shall
7    remain responsible for all taxes, fees, and utility
8    delivery charges that would otherwise be applicable to the
9    net amount of electricity used by the customer.
10        (2) If the amount of electricity produced by a
11    customer during the billing period exceeds the amount of
12    electricity used by the customer during that billing
13    period, then the electricity provider supplying that
14    customer shall apply a 1:1 kilowatt-hour credit that
15    reflects the kilowatt-hour based charges in the customer's
16    electric service rate to a subsequent bill for service to
17    the customer for the net electricity supplied to the
18    electricity provider. The electricity provider shall
19    continue to carry over any excess kilowatt-hour credits
20    earned and apply those credits to subsequent billing
21    periods to offset any customer-generator consumption in
22    those billing periods until all credits are used or until
23    the end of the annualized period.
24        (3) At the end of the year or annualized over the
25    period that service is supplied by means of net metering,
26    or in the event that the retail customer terminates

 

 

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1    service with the electricity provider prior to the end of
2    the year or the annualized period, any remaining credits
3    in the customer's account shall expire.
4    (e-5) An electricity provider shall provide electric
5service to eligible customers who utilize net metering at
6non-discriminatory rates that are identical, with respect to
7rate structure, retail rate components, and any monthly
8charges, to the rates that the customer would be charged if not
9a net metering customer. An electricity provider shall not
10charge net metering customers any fee or charge or require
11additional equipment, insurance, or any other requirements not
12specifically authorized by interconnection standards
13authorized by the Commission, unless the fee, charge, or other
14requirement would apply to other similarly situated customers
15who are not net metering customers. The customer will remain
16responsible for all taxes, fees, and utility delivery charges
17that would otherwise be applicable to the net amount of
18electricity used by the customer. Subsections (c) through (e)
19of this Section shall not be construed to prevent an
20arms-length agreement between an electricity provider and an
21eligible customer that sets forth different prices, terms, and
22conditions for the provision of net metering service,
23including, but not limited to, the provision of the
24appropriate metering equipment for non-residential customers.
25    (f) Notwithstanding the requirements of subsections (c)
26through (e-5) of this Section, an electricity provider must

 

 

HB5021- 50 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1require dual-channel metering for customers operating eligible
2renewable electrical generating facilities to whom the
3provisions of neither subsection (d), (d-5), nor (e) of this
4Section apply. In such cases, electricity charges and credits
5shall be determined as follows:
6        (1) The electricity provider shall assess and the
7    customer remains responsible for all taxes, fees, and
8    utility delivery charges that would otherwise be
9    applicable to the gross amount of kilowatt-hours supplied
10    to the eligible customer by the electricity provider.
11        (2) Each month that service is supplied by means of
12    dual-channel metering, the electricity provider shall
13    compensate the eligible customer for any excess
14    kilowatt-hour credits at the electricity provider's
15    avoided cost of electricity supply over the monthly period
16    or as otherwise specified by the terms of a power-purchase
17    agreement negotiated between the customer and electricity
18    provider.
19        (3) For all eligible net metering customers taking
20    service from an electricity provider under contracts or
21    tariffs employing hourly or time-of-use rates, any monthly
22    consumption of electricity shall be calculated according
23    to the terms of the contract or tariff to which the same
24    customer would be assigned to or be eligible for if the
25    customer was not a net metering customer. When those same
26    customer-generators are net generators during any discrete

 

 

HB5021- 51 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1    hourly or time-of-use period, the net kilowatt-hours
2    produced shall be valued at the same price per
3    kilowatt-hour as the electric service provider would
4    charge for retail kilowatt-hour sales during that same
5    time-of-use period.
6    (g) For purposes of federal and State laws providing
7renewable energy credits or greenhouse gas credits, the
8eligible customer shall be treated as owning and having title
9to the renewable energy attributes, renewable energy credits,
10and greenhouse gas emission credits related to any electricity
11produced by the qualified generating unit. The electricity
12provider may not condition participation in a net metering
13program on the signing over of a customer's renewable energy
14credits; provided, however, this subsection (g) shall not be
15construed to prevent an arms-length agreement between an
16electricity provider and an eligible customer that sets forth
17the ownership or title of the credits.
18    (h) Within 120 days after the effective date of this
19amendatory Act of the 95th General Assembly, the Commission
20shall establish standards for net metering and, if the
21Commission has not already acted on its own initiative,
22standards for the interconnection of eligible renewable
23generating equipment to the utility system. The
24interconnection standards shall address any procedural
25barriers, delays, and administrative costs associated with the
26interconnection of customer-generation while ensuring the

 

 

HB5021- 52 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1safety and reliability of the units and the electric utility
2system. The Commission shall consider the Institute of
3Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Standard 1547 and
4the issues of (i) reasonable and fair fees and costs, (ii)
5clear timelines for major milestones in the interconnection
6process, (iii) nondiscriminatory terms of agreement, and (iv)
7any best practices for interconnection of distributed
8generation.
9    (h-5) Within 90 days after the effective date of this
10amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, the Commission
11shall:
12        (1) establish an Interconnection Working Group. The
13    working group shall include representatives from electric
14    utilities, developers of renewable electric generating
15    facilities, other industries that regularly apply for
16    interconnection with the electric utilities,
17    representatives of distributed generation customers, the
18    Commission Staff, and such other stakeholders with a
19    substantial interest in the topics addressed by the
20    Interconnection Working Group. The Interconnection Working
21    Group shall address at least the following issues:
22            (A) cost and best available technology for
23        interconnection and metering, including the
24        standardization and publication of standard costs;
25            (B) transparency, accuracy and use of the
26        distribution interconnection queue and hosting

 

 

HB5021- 53 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1        capacity maps;
2            (C) distribution system upgrade cost avoidance
3        through use of advanced inverter functions;
4            (D) predictability of the queue management process
5        and enforcement of timelines;
6            (E) benefits and challenges associated with group
7        studies and cost sharing;
8            (F) minimum requirements for application to the
9        interconnection process and throughout the
10        interconnection process to avoid queue clogging
11        behavior;
12            (G) process and customer service for
13        interconnecting customers adopting distributed energy
14        resources, including energy storage;
15            (H) options for metering distributed energy
16        resources, including energy storage;
17            (I) interconnection of new technologies, including
18        smart inverters and energy storage;
19            (J) collect, share, and examine data on Level 1
20        interconnection costs, including cost and type of
21        upgrades required for interconnection, and use this
22        data to inform the final standardized cost of Level 1
23        interconnection; and
24            (K) such other technical, policy, and tariff
25        issues related to and affecting interconnection
26        performance and customer service as determined by the

 

 

HB5021- 54 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1        Interconnection Working Group.
2        The Commission may create subcommittees of the
3    Interconnection Working Group to focus on specific issues
4    of importance, as appropriate. The Interconnection Working
5    Group shall report to the Commission on recommended
6    improvements to interconnection rules and tariffs and
7    policies as determined by the Interconnection Working
8    Group at least every 6 months. Such reports shall include
9    consensus recommendations of the Interconnection Working
10    Group and, if applicable, additional recommendations for
11    which consensus was not reached. The Commission shall use
12    the report from the Interconnection Working Group to
13    determine whether processes should be commenced to
14    formally codify or implement the recommendations;
15        (2) create or contract for an Ombudsman to resolve
16    interconnection disputes through non-binding arbitration.
17    The Ombudsman may be paid in full or in part through fees
18    levied on the initiators of the dispute; and
19        (3) determine a single standardized cost for Level 1
20    interconnections, which shall not exceed $200.
21    (i) All electricity providers shall begin to offer net
22metering no later than April 1, 2008.
23    (j) An electricity provider shall provide net metering to
24eligible customers according to subsections (d), (d-5), and
25(e). Eligible renewable electrical generating facilities for
26which eligible customers registered for net metering before

 

 

HB5021- 55 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1January 1, 2025 shall continue to receive net metering
2services according to subsections (d), (d-5), and (e) of this
3Section for the lifetime of the system, regardless of whether
4those retail customers change electricity providers or whether
5the retail customer benefiting from the system changes. On and
6after January 1, 2025, any eligible customer that applies for
7net metering and previously would have qualified under
8subsections (d), (d-5), or (e) shall only be eligible for net
9metering as described in subsection (n).
10    (k) Each electricity provider shall maintain records and
11report annually to the Commission the total number of net
12metering customers served by the provider, as well as the
13type, capacity, and energy sources of the generating systems
14used by the net metering customers. Nothing in this Section
15shall limit the ability of an electricity provider to request
16the redaction of information deemed by the Commission to be
17confidential business information.
18    (l)(1) Notwithstanding the definition of "eligible
19customer" in item (ii) of subsection (b) of this Section, each
20electricity provider shall allow net metering as set forth in
21this subsection (l) and for the following projects, provided
22that only electric utilities serving more than 200,000
23customers as of January 1, 2021 shall provide net metering for
24projects that are eligible for subparagraph (C) of this
25paragraph (1) and have energized after the effective date of
26this amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly:

 

 

HB5021- 56 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1        (A) properties owned or leased by multiple customers
2    that contribute to the operation of an eligible renewable
3    electrical generating facility through an ownership or
4    leasehold interest of at least 200 watts in such facility,
5    such as a community-owned wind project, a community-owned
6    biomass project, a community-owned solar project, or a
7    community methane digester processing livestock waste from
8    multiple sources, provided that the facility is also
9    located within the utility's service territory;
10        (B) individual units, apartments, or properties
11    located in a single building that are owned or leased by
12    multiple customers and collectively served by a common
13    eligible renewable electrical generating facility, such as
14    an office or apartment building, a shopping center or
15    strip mall served by photovoltaic panels on the roof; and
16        (C) subscriptions to community renewable generation
17    projects, including community renewable generation
18    projects on the customer's side of the billing meter of a
19    host facility and partially used for the customer's own
20    load.
21    In addition, the nameplate capacity of the eligible
22renewable electric generating facility that serves the demand
23of the properties, units, or apartments identified in
24paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection (l) shall not exceed
255,000 kilowatts in nameplate capacity in total. Any eligible
26renewable electrical generating facility or community

 

 

HB5021- 57 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1renewable generation project that is powered by photovoltaic
2electric energy and installed after the effective date of this
3amendatory Act of the 99th General Assembly must be installed
4by a qualified person in compliance with the requirements of
5Section 16-128A of the Public Utilities Act and any rules or
6regulations adopted thereunder.
7    (2) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, an
8electricity provider shall provide credits for the electricity
9produced by the projects described in paragraph (1) of this
10subsection (l). The electricity provider shall provide credits
11that include at least energy supply, capacity, transmission,
12and, if applicable, the purchased energy adjustment on the
13subscriber's monthly bill equal to the subscriber's share of
14the production of electricity from the project, as determined
15by paragraph (3) of this subsection (l). For customers with
16transmission or capacity charges not charged on a
17kilowatt-hour basis, the electricity provider shall prepare a
18reasonable approximation of the kilowatt-hour equivalent value
19and provide that value as a monetary credit. The electricity
20provider shall submit these approximation methodologies to the
21Commission for review, modification, and approval.
22Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, customers on payment
23plans or participating in budget billing programs shall have
24credits applied on a monthly basis.
25    (3) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary and
26regardless of whether a subscriber to an eligible community

 

 

HB5021- 58 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1renewable generation project receives power and energy service
2from the electric utility or an alternative retail electric
3supplier, for projects eligible under paragraph (C) of
4subparagraph (1) of this subsection (l), electric utilities
5serving more than 200,000 customers as of January 1, 2021
6shall provide the monetary credits to a subscriber's
7subsequent bill for the electricity produced by community
8renewable generation projects. The electric utility shall
9provide monetary credits to a subscriber's subsequent bill at
10the utility's total price to compare equal to the subscriber's
11share of the production of electricity from the project, as
12determined by paragraph (5) of this subsection (l). For the
13purposes of this subsection, "total price to compare" means
14the rate or rates published by the Illinois Commerce
15Commission for energy supply for eligible customers receiving
16supply service from the electric utility, and shall include
17energy, capacity, transmission, and the purchased energy
18adjustment. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary,
19customers on payment plans or participating in budget billing
20programs shall have credits applied on a monthly basis. Any
21applicable credit or reduction in load obligation from the
22production of the community renewable generating projects
23receiving a credit under this subsection shall be credited to
24the electric utility to offset the cost of providing the
25credit. To the extent that the credit or load obligation
26reduction does not completely offset the cost of providing the

 

 

HB5021- 59 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1credit to subscribers of community renewable generation
2projects as described in this subsection, the electric utility
3may recover the remaining costs through its Multi-Year Rate
4Plan. All electric utilities serving 200,000 or fewer
5customers as of January 1, 2021 shall only provide the
6monetary credits to a subscriber's subsequent bill for the
7electricity produced by community renewable generation
8projects if the subscriber receives power and energy service
9from the electric utility. Alternative retail electric
10suppliers providing power and energy service to a subscriber
11located within the service territory of an electric utility
12not subject to Sections 16-108.18 and 16-118 shall provide the
13monetary credits to the subscriber's subsequent bill for the
14electricity produced by community renewable generation
15projects.
16    (4) If requested by the owner or operator of a community
17renewable generating project, an electric utility serving more
18than 200,000 customers as of January 1, 2021 shall enter into a
19net crediting agreement with the owner or operator to include
20a subscriber's subscription fee on the subscriber's monthly
21electric bill and provide the subscriber with a net credit
22equivalent to the total bill credit value for that generation
23period minus the subscription fee, provided the subscription
24fee is structured as a fixed percentage of bill credit value.
25The net crediting agreement shall set forth payment terms from
26the electric utility to the owner or operator of the community

 

 

HB5021- 60 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1renewable generating project, and the electric utility may
2charge a net crediting fee to the owner or operator of a
3community renewable generating project that may not exceed 2%
4of the bill credit value. Notwithstanding anything to the
5contrary, an electric utility serving 200,000 customers or
6fewer as of January 1, 2021 shall not be obligated to enter
7into a net crediting agreement with the owner or operator of a
8community renewable generating project.
9    (5) For the purposes of facilitating net metering, the
10owner or operator of the eligible renewable electrical
11generating facility or community renewable generation project
12shall be responsible for determining the amount of the credit
13that each customer or subscriber participating in a project
14under this subsection (l) is to receive in the following
15manner:
16        (A) The owner or operator shall, on a monthly basis,
17    provide to the electric utility the kilowatthours of
18    generation attributable to each of the utility's retail
19    customers and subscribers participating in projects under
20    this subsection (l) in accordance with the customer's or
21    subscriber's share of the eligible renewable electric
22    generating facility's or community renewable generation
23    project's output of power and energy for such month. The
24    owner or operator shall electronically transmit such
25    calculations and associated documentation to the electric
26    utility, in a format or method set forth in the applicable

 

 

HB5021- 61 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1    tariff, on a monthly basis so that the electric utility
2    can reflect the monetary credits on customers' and
3    subscribers' electric utility bills. The electric utility
4    shall be permitted to revise its tariffs to implement the
5    provisions of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General
6    Assembly. The owner or operator shall separately provide
7    the electric utility with the documentation detailing the
8    calculations supporting the credit in the manner set forth
9    in the applicable tariff.
10        (B) For those participating customers and subscribers
11    who receive their energy supply from an alternative retail
12    electric supplier, the electric utility shall remit to the
13    applicable alternative retail electric supplier the
14    information provided under subparagraph (A) of this
15    paragraph (3) for such customers and subscribers in a
16    manner set forth in such alternative retail electric
17    supplier's net metering program, or as otherwise agreed
18    between the utility and the alternative retail electric
19    supplier. The alternative retail electric supplier shall
20    then submit to the utility the amount of the charges for
21    power and energy to be applied to such customers and
22    subscribers, including the amount of the credit associated
23    with net metering.
24        (C) A participating customer or subscriber may provide
25    authorization as required by applicable law that directs
26    the electric utility to submit information to the owner or

 

 

HB5021- 62 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1    operator of the eligible renewable electrical generating
2    facility or community renewable generation project to
3    which the customer or subscriber has an ownership or
4    leasehold interest or a subscription. Such information
5    shall be limited to the components of the net metering
6    credit calculated under this subsection (l), including the
7    bill credit rate, total kilowatthours, and total monetary
8    credit value applied to the customer's or subscriber's
9    bill for the monthly billing period.
10    (l-5) Within 90 days after the effective date of this
11amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, each electric
12utility subject to this Section shall file a tariff or tariffs
13to implement the provisions of subsection (l) of this Section,
14which shall, consistent with the provisions of subsection (l),
15describe the terms and conditions under which owners or
16operators of qualifying properties, units, or apartments may
17participate in net metering. The Commission shall approve, or
18approve with modification, the tariff within 120 days after
19the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 102nd General
20Assembly.
21    (m) Nothing in this Section shall affect the right of an
22electricity provider to continue to provide, or the right of a
23retail customer to continue to receive service pursuant to a
24contract for electric service between the electricity provider
25and the retail customer in accordance with the prices, terms,
26and conditions provided for in that contract. Either the

 

 

HB5021- 63 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1electricity provider or the customer may require compliance
2with the prices, terms, and conditions of the contract.
3    (n) On and after January 1, 2025, the net metering
4services described in subsections (d), (d-5), and (e) of this
5Section shall no longer be offered, except as to those
6eligible renewable electrical generating facilities for which
7retail customers are receiving net metering service under
8these subsections at the time the net metering services under
9those subsections are no longer offered; those systems shall
10continue to receive net metering services described in
11subsections (d), (d-5), and (e) of this Section for the
12lifetime of the system, regardless of if those retail
13customers change electricity providers or whether the retail
14customer benefiting from the system changes. The electric
15utility serving more than 200,000 customers as of January 1,
162021 is responsible for ensuring the billing credits continue
17without lapse for the lifetime of systems, as required in
18subsection (o). Those retail customers that begin taking net
19metering service after the date that net metering services are
20no longer offered under such subsections shall be subject to
21the provisions set forth in the following paragraphs (1)
22through (3) of this subsection (n):
23        (1) An electricity provider shall charge or credit for
24    the net electricity supplied to eligible customers or
25    provided by eligible customers whose electric supply
26    service is not provided based on hourly pricing in the

 

 

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1    following manner:
2            (A) If the amount of electricity used by the
3        customer during the monthly billing period exceeds the
4        amount of electricity produced by the customer, then
5        the electricity provider shall charge the customer for
6        the net kilowatt-hour based electricity charges
7        reflected in the customer's electric service rate
8        supplied to and used by the customer as provided in
9        paragraph (3) of this subsection (n).
10            (B) If the amount of electricity produced by a
11        customer during the monthly billing period exceeds the
12        amount of electricity used by the customer during that
13        billing period, then the electricity provider
14        supplying that customer shall apply a 1:1
15        kilowatt-hour energy or monetary credit kilowatt-hour
16        supply charges to the customer's subsequent bill. The
17        customer shall choose between 1:1 kilowatt-hour or
18        monetary credit at the time of application. For the
19        purposes of this subsection, "kilowatt-hour supply
20        charges" means the kilowatt-hour equivalent values for
21        energy, capacity, transmission, and the purchased
22        energy adjustment, if applicable. Notwithstanding
23        anything to the contrary, customers on payment plans
24        or participating in budget billing programs shall have
25        credits applied on a monthly basis. The electricity
26        provider shall continue to carry over any excess

 

 

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1        kilowatt-hour or monetary energy credits earned and
2        apply those credits to subsequent billing periods. For
3        customers with transmission or capacity charges not
4        charged on a kilowatt-hour basis, the electricity
5        provider shall prepare a reasonable approximation of
6        the kilowatt-hour equivalent value and provide that
7        value as a monetary credit. The electricity provider
8        shall submit these approximation methodologies to the
9        Commission for review, modification, and approval.
10            (C) (Blank).
11        (2) An electricity provider shall charge or credit for
12    the net electricity supplied to eligible customers or
13    provided by eligible customers whose electric supply
14    service is provided based on hourly pricing in the
15    following manner:
16            (A) If the amount of electricity used by the
17        customer during any hourly period exceeds the amount
18        of electricity produced by the customer, then the
19        electricity provider shall charge the customer for the
20        net electricity supplied to and used by the customer
21        as provided in paragraph (3) of this subsection (n).
22            (B) If the amount of electricity produced by a
23        customer during any hourly period exceeds the amount
24        of electricity used by the customer during that hourly
25        period, the energy provider shall calculate an energy
26        credit for the net kilowatt-hours produced in such

 

 

HB5021- 66 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1        period, and shall apply that credit as a monetary
2        credit to the customer's subsequent bill. The value of
3        the energy credit shall be calculated using the same
4        price per kilowatt-hour as the electric service
5        provider would charge for kilowatt-hour energy sales
6        during that same hourly period and shall also include
7        values for capacity and transmission. For customers
8        with transmission or capacity charges not charged on a
9        kilowatt-hour basis, the electricity provider shall
10        prepare a reasonable approximation of the
11        kilowatt-hour equivalent value and provide that value
12        as a monetary credit. The electricity provider shall
13        submit these approximation methodologies to the
14        Commission for review, modification, and approval.
15        Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, customers on
16        payment plans or participating in budget billing
17        programs shall have credits applied on a monthly
18        basis.
19        (3) An electricity provider shall provide electric
20    service to eligible customers who utilize net metering at
21    non-discriminatory rates that are identical, with respect
22    to rate structure, retail rate components, and any monthly
23    charges, to the rates that the customer would be charged
24    if not a net metering customer. An electricity provider
25    shall charge the customer for the net electricity supplied
26    to and used by the customer according to the terms of the

 

 

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1    contract or tariff to which the same customer would be
2    assigned or be eligible for if the customer was not a net
3    metering customer. An electricity provider shall not
4    charge net metering customers any fee or charge or require
5    additional equipment, insurance, or any other requirements
6    not specifically authorized by interconnection standards
7    authorized by the Commission, unless the fee, charge, or
8    other requirement would apply to other similarly situated
9    customers who are not net metering customers. The customer
10    remains responsible for the gross amount of delivery
11    services charges, supply-related charges that are kilowatt
12    based, and all taxes and fees related to such charges. The
13    customer also remains responsible for all taxes and fees
14    that would otherwise be applicable to the net amount of
15    electricity used by the customer. Paragraphs (1) and (2)
16    of this subsection (n) shall not be construed to prevent
17    an arms-length agreement between an electricity provider
18    and an eligible customer that sets forth different prices,
19    terms, and conditions for the provision of net metering
20    service, including, but not limited to, the provision of
21    the appropriate metering equipment for non-residential
22    customers. Nothing in this paragraph (3) shall be
23    interpreted to mandate that a utility that is only
24    required to provide delivery services to a given customer
25    must also sell electricity to such customer.
26    (o) Within 90 days after the effective date of this

 

 

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1amendatory Act of the 102nd General Assembly, each electric
2utility subject to this Section shall file a tariff, which
3shall, consistent with the provisions of this Section, propose
4the terms and conditions under which a customer may
5participate in net metering. The tariff for electric utilities
6serving more than 200,000 customers as of January 1, 2021
7shall also provide a streamlined and transparent bill
8crediting system for net metering to be managed by the
9electric utilities. The terms and conditions shall include,
10but are not limited to, that an electric utility shall manage
11and maintain billing of net metering credits and charges
12regardless of if the eligible customer takes net metering
13under an electric utility or alternative retail electric
14supplier. The electric utility serving more than 200,000
15customers as of January 1, 2021 shall process and approve all
16net metering applications, even if an eligible customer is
17served by an alternative retail electric supplier; and the
18utility shall forward application approval to the appropriate
19alternative retail electric supplier. Eligibility for net
20metering shall remain with the owner of the utility billing
21address such that, if an eligible renewable electrical
22generating facility changes ownership, the net metering
23eligibility transfers to the new owner. The electric utility
24serving more than 200,000 customers as of January 1, 2021
25shall manage net metering billing for eligible customers to
26ensure full crediting occurs on electricity bills, including,

 

 

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1but not limited to, ensuring net metering crediting begins
2upon commercial operation date, net metering billing transfers
3immediately if an eligible customer switches from an electric
4utility to alternative retail electric supplier or vice versa,
5and net metering billing transfers between ownership of a
6valid billing address. All transfers referenced in the
7preceding sentence shall include transfer of all banked
8credits. All electric utilities serving 200,000 or fewer
9customers as of January 1, 2021 shall manage net metering
10billing for eligible customers receiving power and energy
11service from the electric utility to ensure full crediting
12occurs on electricity bills, ensuring net metering crediting
13begins upon commercial operation date, net metering billing
14transfers immediately if an eligible customer switches from an
15electric utility to alternative retail electric supplier or
16vice versa, and net metering billing transfers between
17ownership of a valid billing address. Alternative retail
18electric suppliers providing power and energy service to
19eligible customers located within the service territory of an
20electric utility serving 200,000 or fewer customers as of
21January 1, 2021 shall manage net metering billing for eligible
22customers to ensure full crediting occurs on electricity
23bills, including, but not limited to, ensuring net metering
24crediting begins upon commercial operation date, net metering
25billing transfers immediately if an eligible customer switches
26from an electric utility to alternative retail electric

 

 

HB5021- 70 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1supplier or vice versa, and net metering billing transfers
2between ownership of a valid billing address.
3(Source: P.A. 102-662, eff. 9-15-21.)
 
4    (220 ILCS 5/17-500)
5    Sec. 17-500. Jurisdiction. Except as provided in the
6Electric Supplier Act, the Illinois Municipal Code, the
7Municipal and Cooperative Electric Utility Planning and
8Transparency Act, and this Article XVII, the Commission, or
9any other agency or subdivision thereof of the State of
10Illinois or any private entity shall have no jurisdiction over
11any electric cooperative or municipal system regardless of
12whether any election or elections as provided for herein have
13been made, and all control regarding an electric cooperative
14or municipal system shall be vested in the electric
15cooperative's board of directors or trustees or the applicable
16governing body of the municipal system.
17(Source: P.A. 90-561, eff. 12-16-97.)
 
18    Section 60. The Eminent Domain Act is amended by changing
19Section 5-5-5 as follows:
 
20    (735 ILCS 30/5-5-5)
21    Sec. 5-5-5. Exercise of the power of eminent domain;
22public use; blight.
23    (a) In addition to all other limitations and requirements,

 

 

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1a condemning authority may not take or damage property by the
2exercise of the power of eminent domain unless it is for a
3public use, as set forth in this Section.
4    (a-5) Subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) of this
5Section do not apply to the acquisition of property under the
6O'Hare Modernization Act. A condemning authority may exercise
7the power of eminent domain for the acquisition or damaging of
8property under the O'Hare Modernization Act as provided for by
9law in effect prior to the effective date of this Act.
10    (a-10) Subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) of this
11Section do not apply to the acquisition or damaging of
12property in furtherance of the goals and objectives of an
13existing tax increment allocation redevelopment plan. A
14condemning authority may exercise the power of eminent domain
15for the acquisition of property in furtherance of an existing
16tax increment allocation redevelopment plan as provided for by
17law in effect prior to the effective date of this Act.
18    As used in this subsection, "existing tax increment
19allocation redevelopment plan" means a redevelopment plan that
20was adopted under the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment
21Act (Article 11, Division 74.4 of the Illinois Municipal Code)
22prior to April 15, 2006 and for which property assembly costs
23were, before that date, included as a budget line item in the
24plan or described in the narrative portion of the plan as part
25of the redevelopment project, but does not include (i) any
26additional area added to the redevelopment project area on or

 

 

HB5021- 72 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1after April 15, 2006, (ii) any subsequent extension of the
2completion date of a redevelopment plan beyond the estimated
3completion date established in that plan prior to April 15,
42006, (iii) any acquisition of property in a conservation area
5for which the condemnation complaint is filed more than 12
6years after the effective date of this Act, or (iv) any
7acquisition of property in an industrial park conservation
8area.
9    As used in this subsection, "conservation area" and
10"industrial park conservation area" have the same meanings as
11under Section 11-74.4-3 of the Illinois Municipal Code.
12    (b) If the exercise of eminent domain authority is to
13acquire property for public ownership and control, then the
14condemning authority must prove that (i) the acquisition of
15the property is necessary for a public purpose and (ii) the
16acquired property will be owned and controlled by the
17condemning authority or another governmental entity.
18    (c) Except when the acquisition is governed by subsection
19(b) or is primarily for one of the purposes specified in
20subsection (d), (e), or (f) and the condemning authority
21elects to proceed under one of those subsections, if the
22exercise of eminent domain authority is to acquire property
23for private ownership or control, or both, then the condemning
24authority must prove by clear and convincing evidence that the
25acquisition of the property for private ownership or control
26is (i) primarily for the benefit, use, or enjoyment of the

 

 

HB5021- 73 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1public and (ii) necessary for a public purpose.
2    An acquisition of property primarily for the purpose of
3the elimination of blight is rebuttably presumed to be for a
4public purpose and primarily for the benefit, use, or
5enjoyment of the public under this subsection.
6    Any challenge to the existence of blighting factors
7alleged in a complaint to condemn under this subsection shall
8be raised within 6 months of the filing date of the complaint
9to condemn, and if not raised within that time the right to
10challenge the existence of those blighting factors shall be
11deemed waived.
12    Evidence that the Illinois Commerce Commission has granted
13a certificate or otherwise made a finding of public
14convenience and necessity for an acquisition of property (or
15any right or interest in property) for private ownership or
16control (including, without limitation, an acquisition for
17which the use of eminent domain is authorized under the Public
18Utilities Act, the Telephone Company Act, or the Electric
19Supplier Act) to be used for utility purposes creates a
20rebuttable presumption that such acquisition of that property
21(or right or interest in property) is (i) primarily for the
22benefit, use, or enjoyment of the public and (ii) necessary
23for a public purpose.
24    In the case of an acquisition of property (or any right or
25interest in property) for private ownership or control to be
26used for utility, pipeline, or railroad purposes for which no

 

 

HB5021- 74 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1certificate or finding of public convenience and necessity by
2the Illinois Commerce Commission is required, evidence that
3the acquisition is one for which the use of eminent domain is
4authorized under one of the following laws creates a
5rebuttable presumption that the acquisition of that property
6(or right or interest in property) is (i) primarily for the
7benefit, use, or enjoyment of the public and (ii) necessary
8for a public purpose:
9        (1) the Public Utilities Act,
10        (2) the Telephone Company Act,
11        (3) the Electric Supplier Act,
12        (4) the Railroad Terminal Authority Act,
13        (5) the Grand Avenue Railroad Relocation Authority
14    Act,
15        (6) the West Cook Railroad Relocation and Development
16    Authority Act,
17        (7) Section 4-505 of the Illinois Highway Code,
18        (8) Section 17 or 18 of the Railroad Incorporation
19    Act,
20        (9) Section 18c-7501 of the Illinois Vehicle Code.
21    (d) If the exercise of eminent domain authority is to
22acquire property for private ownership or control and if the
23primary basis for the acquisition is the elimination of blight
24and the condemning authority elects to proceed under this
25subsection, then the condemning authority must: (i) prove by a
26preponderance of the evidence that acquisition of the property

 

 

HB5021- 75 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1for private ownership or control is necessary for a public
2purpose; (ii) prove by a preponderance of the evidence that
3the property to be acquired is located in an area that is
4currently designated as a blighted area or conservation area
5under an applicable statute; (iii) if the existence of blight
6or blighting factors is challenged in an appropriate motion
7filed within 6 months after the date of filing of the complaint
8to condemn, prove by a preponderance of the evidence that the
9required blighting factors existed in the area so designated
10(but not necessarily in the particular property to be
11acquired) at the time of the designation under item (ii) or at
12any time thereafter; and (iv) prove by a preponderance of the
13evidence at least one of the following:
14        (A) that it has entered into an express written
15    agreement in which a private person or entity agrees to
16    undertake a development project within the blighted area
17    that specifically details the reasons for which the
18    property or rights in that property are necessary for the
19    development project;
20        (B) that the exercise of eminent domain power and the
21    proposed use of the property by the condemning authority
22    are consistent with a regional plan that has been adopted
23    within the past 5 years in accordance with Section 5-14001
24    of the Counties Code or Section 11-12-6 of the Illinois
25    Municipal Code or with a local land resource management
26    plan adopted under Section 4 of the Local Land Resource

 

 

HB5021- 76 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1    Management Planning Act; or
2        (C) that (1) the acquired property will be used in the
3    development of a project that is consistent with the land
4    uses set forth in a comprehensive redevelopment plan
5    prepared in accordance with the applicable statute
6    authorizing the condemning authority to exercise the power
7    of eminent domain and is consistent with the goals and
8    purposes of that comprehensive redevelopment plan, and (2)
9    an enforceable written agreement, deed restriction, or
10    similar encumbrance has been or will be executed and
11    recorded against the acquired property to assure that the
12    project and the use of the property remain consistent with
13    those land uses, goals, and purposes for a period of at
14    least 40 years, which execution and recording shall be
15    included as a requirement in any final order entered in
16    the condemnation proceeding.
17    The existence of an ordinance, resolution, or other
18official act designating an area as blighted is not prima
19facie evidence of the existence of blight. A finding by the
20court in a condemnation proceeding that a property or area has
21not been proven to be blighted does not apply to any other case
22or undermine the designation of a blighted area or
23conservation area or the determination of the existence of
24blight for any other purpose or under any other statute,
25including without limitation under the Tax Increment
26Allocation Redevelopment Act (Article 11, Division 74.4 of the

 

 

HB5021- 77 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1Illinois Municipal Code).
2    Any challenge to the existence of blighting factors
3alleged in a complaint to condemn under this subsection shall
4be raised within 6 months of the filing date of the complaint
5to condemn, and if not raised within that time the right to
6challenge the existence of those blighting factors shall be
7deemed waived.
8    (e) If the exercise of eminent domain authority is to
9acquire property for private ownership or control and if the
10primary purpose of the acquisition is one of the purposes
11specified in item (iii) of this subsection and the condemning
12authority elects to proceed under this subsection, then the
13condemning authority must prove by a preponderance of the
14evidence that: (i) the acquisition of the property is
15necessary for a public purpose; (ii) an enforceable written
16agreement, deed restriction, or similar encumbrance has been
17or will be executed and recorded against the acquired property
18to assure that the project and the use of the property remain
19consistent with the applicable purpose specified in item (iii)
20of this subsection for a period of at least 40 years, which
21execution and recording shall be included as a requirement in
22any final order entered in the condemnation proceeding; and
23(iii) the acquired property will be one of the following:
24        (1) included in the project site for a residential
25    project, or a mixed-use project including residential
26    units, where not less than 20% of the residential units in

 

 

HB5021- 78 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1    the project are made available, for at least 15 years, by
2    deed restriction, long-term lease, regulatory agreement,
3    extended use agreement, or a comparable recorded
4    encumbrance, to low-income households and very low-income
5    households, as defined in Section 3 of the Illinois
6    Affordable Housing Act;
7        (2) used primarily for public airport, road, parking,
8    or mass transportation purposes and sold or leased to a
9    private party in a sale-leaseback, lease-leaseback, or
10    similar structured financing;
11        (3) owned or used by a public utility or electric
12    cooperative for utility purposes;
13        (4) owned or used by a railroad for passenger or
14    freight transportation purposes;
15        (5) sold or leased to a private party that operates a
16    water supply, waste water, recycling, waste disposal,
17    waste-to-energy, or similar facility;
18        (6) sold or leased to a not-for-profit corporation
19    whose purposes include the preservation of open space, the
20    operation of park space, and similar public purposes;
21        (7) used as a library, museum, or related facility, or
22    as infrastructure related to such a facility;
23        (8) used by a private party for the operation of a
24    charter school open to the general public; or
25        (9) a historic resource, as defined in Section 3 of
26    the Illinois State Agency Historic Resources Preservation

 

 

HB5021- 79 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1    Act, a landmark designated as such under a local
2    ordinance, or a contributing structure within a local
3    landmark district listed on the National Register of
4    Historic Places, that is being acquired for purposes of
5    preservation or rehabilitation.
6    (f) If the exercise of eminent domain authority is to
7acquire property for public ownership and private control and
8if the primary purpose of the acquisition is one of the
9purposes specified in item (iii) of this subsection and the
10condemning authority elects to proceed under this subsection,
11then the condemning authority must prove by a preponderance of
12the evidence that: (i) the acquisition of the property is
13necessary for a public purpose; (ii) the acquired property
14will be owned by the condemning authority or another
15governmental entity; and (iii) the acquired property will be
16controlled by a private party that operates a business or
17facility related to the condemning authority's operation of a
18university, medical district, hospital, exposition or
19convention center, mass transportation facility, or airport,
20including, but not limited to, a medical clinic, research and
21development center, food or commercial concession facility,
22social service facility, maintenance or storage facility,
23cargo facility, rental car facility, bus facility, taxi
24facility, flight kitchen, fixed based operation, parking
25facility, refueling facility, water supply facility, and
26railroad tracks and stations.

 

 

HB5021- 80 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1    (f-5) For all acquisitions governed by subsection (c)
2where the property, or any right or interest in property, is to
3be used for utility purposes, and where the condemning
4authority is an entity required to submit an integrated
5resource plan under the Municipal and Cooperative Electric
6Utility Planning and Transparency Act, the rebuttable
7presumption described in subsection (c) shall only apply if
8the most recent integrated resource plan filed by the
9condemning authority identified the facility or articulated a
10need for a facility of similar capacity and type to the
11facility for which the property or right or interest is
12sought.
13    (g) This Article is a limitation on the exercise of the
14power of eminent domain, but is not an independent grant of
15authority to exercise the power of eminent domain.
16(Source: P.A. 94-1055, eff. 1-1-07.)
 
17    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
18becoming law.

 

 

HB5021- 81 -LRB103 36729 LNS 66839 b

1 INDEX
2 Statutes amended in order of appearance
3    New Act
4    5 ILCS 120/2from Ch. 102, par. 42
5    65 ILCS 5/11-119.1-4from Ch. 24, par. 11-119.1-4
6    65 ILCS 5/11-119.1-5.5 new
7    65 ILCS 5/11-119.1-10from Ch. 24, par. 11-119.1-10
8    220 ILCS 5/16-107.5
9    220 ILCS 5/17-500
10    735 ILCS 30/5-5-5