Public Act 093-0881
 		





SB2907 Enrolled
LRB093 15217 WGH 40813 b






    AN ACT concerning consumer protection.

 
    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 4-601 as follows:
 
    (220 ILCS 5/4-601  new)
    Sec. 4-601. Consumer protection laws.

    (a) The General Assembly finds that consumer protection is 
vital to the health, safety, and welfare of Illinois consumers.
    (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
Commission and its staff shall:
        (1) work cooperatively with law enforcement 
    authorities, including the Attorney General and State's 
    Attorneys, in their enforcement of consumer protection 
    laws, including the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business 
    Practices Act;
        (2) provide any materials or documents already in the 
    Commission's possession requested by the
Attorney General 
    or a State's Attorney pertaining to the
enforcement of 
    consumer protection laws; any materials or documents that 
    are proprietary shall not be made public unless the 
    designation as proprietary has been removed by a court or 
    legal body of competent jurisdiction, or the agreement of 
    the parties; and
        (3) upon written request, forward any complaints 
    regarding alleged violations of any consumer protection 
    law to the Attorney General and the State's Attorney of the 
    appropriate county or counties.
    (c) Subject to subdivision (1) of Section 10b of the 
Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, the 
Attorney General and the State's Attorney of any county shall 
have available all remedies and authority granted to them by 
the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act.
 The 
remedies for violations of this
Act and its rules are not 
intended to replace other remedies
that may be imposed for 
violations of the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business 
Practices Act and are in addition to, and not in
substitution 
for, such other remedies, nor is this Act intended to remove 
any statutorily defined defenses.
 
    Section 10. The Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business 
Practices Act is amended  by adding Section 10d as follows:
 
    (815 ILCS 505/10d  new)
    Sec. 10d. Public Utilities Act; Illinois Commerce 
Commission.

    (a) The General Assembly finds that consumer protection is 
vital to the health, safety, and welfare of Illinois consumers.
    (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the 
Illinois Commerce Commission and its staff shall:
        (1) work cooperatively with law enforcement 
    authorities, including the Attorney General and State's 
    Attorneys, in their enforcement of consumer protection 
    laws, including this Act;
        (2) provide any materials or documents already in the 
    Commission's possession requested by the
Attorney General 
    or a State's Attorney pertaining to the
enforcement of 
    consumer protection laws; any materials or documents that 
    are proprietary shall not be made public unless the 
    designation as proprietary has been removed by a court or 
    legal body of competent jurisdiction, or the agreement of 
    the parties; and
        (3) upon written request, forward any complaints 
    regarding alleged violations of any consumer protection 
    law to the Attorney General and the State's Attorney of the 
    appropriate county or counties.
    (c) Subject to subdivision (1) of Section 10b of this Act,  
the Attorney General and the State's Attorney of any county 
shall have available all remedies and authority granted to them 
by this Act.
The remedies for violations of
the Public 
Utilities Act and its rules are not intended to
replace other 
remedies that may be imposed for
violations of  this Act and are 
in addition
to, and not in substitution for, such other 
remedies, nor is this Section  intended to remove any 
statutorily defined defenses.





Effective Date:  1/1/2005