Illinois General Assembly - Illinois Compiled Statutes

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15 ILCS 205/6.5

(15 ILCS 205/6.5)

Sec. 6.5. Consumer Utilities Unit.

(a) The General Assembly finds that
the health, welfare, and prosperity of all Illinois citizens,
and the public's interest in adequate, safe, reliable, cost-effective electric, natural gas, water,
cable, video, and telecommunications services, requires effective public
representation by the Attorney General to protect the rights
and interests of the public in the provision of all elements
of electric, natural gas, water, cable, video, and telecommunications service both during and after
the
transition to a
competitive market, and that to ensure that the benefits of
competition in the provision of electric, natural gas, water, cable, video, and telecommunications
services to all
consumers are attained, there shall be created within the
Office of the Attorney General a Consumer Utilities Unit.

(b) As used in this Section:
"Electric services" means services sold by an electric
service provider.
"Electric service provider" shall mean anyone who sells,
contracts to sell, or markets electric power, generation,
distribution, transmission, or services (including
metering and billing) in connection therewith.  Electric
service providers shall include any electric utility and any
alternative retail electric supplier as defined in
Section 16-102 of the Public Utilities Act.

(b-5) As used in this Section: "Telecommunications services" means
services sold by a telecommunications carrier, as provided for in Section
13-203 of the Public Utilities Act.  "Telecommunications carrier" means anyone
who sells, contracts to sell, or markets telecommunications services, whether
noncompetitive or competitive, including access services, interconnection
services, or any services in connection therewith.  Telecommunications carriers
include any carrier as defined in Section 13-202 of the Public Utilities Act.

(b-10) As used in this Section, "natural gas services" means natural gas services sold by a "gas utility" or by an "alternative gas supplier", as those terms are defined in Section 19-105 of the Public Utilities Act.

(b-15) As used in this Section, "water services" means services sold by any corporation, company, limited liability company, association, joint stock company or association, firm, partnership, or individual, its lessees, trustees, or receivers appointed by any court and that owns, controls, operates, or manages within this State, directly or indirectly, for public use, any plant, equipment, or property used or to be used for or in connection with (i) the production, storage, transmission, sale, delivery, or furnishing of water or (ii) the treatment, storage, transmission, disposal, sale of services, delivery, or furnishing of sewage or sewage services.

(b-20)  As used in this Section,  "cable service and video service" means services sold by anyone who sells, contracts to sell, or markets cable services or video services  pursuant to a State-issued authorization under the Cable and Video Competition Law of 2007.

(c) There
is created within the Office of the Attorney General a
Consumer Utilities Unit, consisting of Assistant Attorneys
General appointed by the Attorney General, who, together with
such other staff as is deemed necessary by the Attorney
General, shall have the power and duty on behalf of the people
of the State to intervene in, initiate, enforce, and defend
all legal proceedings on matters relating to the provision,
marketing, and sale of electric, natural gas, water, cable, video,
and telecommunications service whenever the
Attorney
General determines that such action is necessary to promote or
protect the rights and interests of all Illinois citizens,
classes of customers, and users of electric, natural gas, water, cable, video, and telecommunications
services.

(d) In addition to the
investigative and enforcement powers available to the Attorney
General, including without limitation those under the Consumer
Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, the Illinois
Antitrust Act, and any other law of this State, the Attorney General shall be a party as a
matter of right to all proceedings, investigations, and
related matters involving the provision of electric, natural gas, water, cable, video, and telecommunications services
 before the Illinois Commerce
Commission, the courts, and other public bodies. Upon request, the Office of the Attorney General shall have access to and the use of all files, records,
data, and documents in the possession or control of
the
Commission. The Office of the Attorney General may use information obtained under this Section, including information that is designated as and that qualifies for confidential treatment, which information the Attorney General's office shall maintain as confidential, to be used for law enforcement
purposes only, which information may be shared with other law
enforcement officials.  Nothing in this
Section is intended to
take away or limit any of the powers the Attorney General has
pursuant to common law or other statutory law.

(Source: P.A. 99-6, eff. 6-29-15.)