HB1438 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB095 07724 MJR 27882 b

95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2007 and 2008
HB1438

Introduced 2/21/2007, by Rep. David E. Miller

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

220 ILCS 5/8-207.5 new

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that notwithstanding existing administrative rules, discontinuance of service to residential service is prohibited for up to 90 days when discontinuance of service will aggravate an existing serious illness of any person that is a permanent resident of the premise where service is rendered if the customer complies with specified criteria. Effective 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 8-207.5 as follows:

(220 ILCS 5/8-207.5 new)

Sec. 8-207.5. Service for seriously ill customers. Notwithstanding existing administrative rules, discontinuance of service to residential service is prohibited for up to 90 days when discontinuance of service will aggravate an existing serious illness of any person that is a permanent resident of the premise where service is rendered if the customer complies with the requirements of this Section.

The illness must be certified to the utility by a registered physician or local board of health. The certification shall be in writing and shall include the name of the ill person, a statement that he or she is a resident of the premises in question, the name, business address, and telephone number of the certifying party, the nature of the illness, and period of time during which termination will aggravate the illness.

Initial certification by the certifying party may be by telephone if written certification is forwarded to the utility within 15 days.

Initial certification shall prohibit discontinuance of service for 60 days. Certification may be renewed by the customer for an additional 30 days by providing another certificate to the utility. Failure to renew the certificate shall entitle the utility to initiate discontinuance procedures.

The customer must enter into an agreement for the retirement of the unpaid balance of the account within the first 60 days and keep the current account paid during the period that the unpaid balance is to be retired. Notice of discontinuance of service sent to residential customers must include a notice in a form approved by the Commission.

In the event service is terminated within 30 days prior to certification of an illness by or for a qualifying resident, service shall be restored to that residence if a proper certification is thereafter made in accordance with this Section.

Any customer, regardless of connection status, that provides a certification by a doctor that the customer has a serious medical illness shall have service restored for no less than 30 days.

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