HB1033 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB095 08715 MJR 28898 b

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
HB1033

Introduced 2/8/2007, by Rep. Julie Hamos - Elaine Nekritz - Karen May

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

220 ILCS 5/13-904 new

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Prohibits line item surcharges other than federal, State, or local government mandates on phone bills from wireless telecommunications services. Requires any such charges to be separately identified and accurately assessed to end users. Effectively immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 5. The Public Utilities Act is amended by adding Section 13-904 as follows:

(220 ILCS 5/13-904 new)

Sec. 13-904. Wireless telecommunications services billing requirements.

(a) In this Section:

"Rate plan charges" includes all charges assessed by a telecommunications carrier to an end user for the provision of wireless telecommunications services to the end user, including:

(1) charges for accessing the carrier's network, or the network of another carrier whose network the end user has accessed, and on behalf of which the billing carrier engages in billing and collection;

(2) charges for actual usage; and

(3) charges for optional services and features selected by the end user.

"Line item" means a discrete charge identified separately on an end user's telephone bill.

(b) In this Section, "wireless telecommunications services" has the same meaning ascribed to that term in 47 C.F.R. 1.907. With respect to wireless telecommunications services, all telecommunications carriers must provide itemized bills to end users that include only rate plan charges and line items and that clearly describe in plain language the services and products for which charges are imposed.

(c) With respect to wireless telecommunications services, no telecommunications carrier shall include any line item on an end user's bill that has not been mandated or expressly authorized by federal, State, or local law, rule, or regulation.

(d) Any line item specifying recovery of costs associated with a federal, State, or local government mandate or express federal, State, or local government authorization:

(1) must state the specific charge and identify the law, rule, or regulation for which the charge is assessed;

(2) must accurately reflect the amount assessed to the telecommunications carrier pursuant to the federal, State, or local government mandate, or through express authorization of federal, State, or local law, rule, or regulation, and, if assessed to the end user, (i) must be assessed in an amount proportionate to the end user's share of the assessment and (ii) must not, when aggregated across all end users, exceed the actual cost of the mandate to the telecommunications carrier;

(3) must not be aggregated with other charges; and

(4) must not include any other costs not provided for in this Section.

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