HB0380ham001 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. John E. Bradley

Filed: 9/27/2013

09800HB0380ham001 LRB098 03212 HLH 48662 a

AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 380

AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 380 by replacing everything after the enacting clause with the following:

"Section 5. The Economic Development for a Growing Economy Tax Credit Act is amended by changing Section 5-15 as follows:

(35 ILCS 10/5-15)

Sec. 5-15. Tax Credit Awards. Subject to the conditions set forth in this Act, a Taxpayer is entitled to a Credit against or, as described in subsection (g) of this Section, a payment towards taxes imposed pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of the Illinois Income Tax Act that may be imposed on the Taxpayer for a taxable year beginning on or after January 1, 1999, if the Taxpayer is awarded a Credit by the Department under this Act for that taxable year.

(a) The Department shall make Credit awards under this Act to foster job creation and retention in Illinois.

(b) A person that proposes a project to create new jobs in Illinois must enter into an Agreement with the Department for the Credit under this Act.

(c) The Credit shall be claimed for the taxable years specified in the Agreement.

(d) The Credit shall not exceed the Incremental Income Tax attributable to the project that is the subject of the Agreement.

(e) Nothing herein shall prohibit a Tax Credit Award to an Applicant that uses a PEO if all other award criteria are satisfied.

(f) In lieu of the Credit allowed under this Act against the taxes imposed pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of the Illinois Income Tax Act for any taxable year ending on or after December 31, 2009, the Taxpayer may elect to claim the Credit against its obligation to pay over withholding under Section 704A of the Illinois Income Tax Act.

(1) The election under this subsection (f) may be made only by a Taxpayer that (i) is primarily engaged in one of the following business activities: water purification and treatment, motor vehicle metal stamping, automobile manufacturing, automobile and light duty motor vehicle manufacturing, motor vehicle manufacturing, light truck and utility vehicle manufacturing, heavy duty truck manufacturing, motor vehicle body manufacturing, cable television infrastructure design or manufacturing, or wireless telecommunication or computing terminal device design or manufacturing for use on public networks and (ii) meets the following criteria:

(A) the Taxpayer (i) had an Illinois net loss or an Illinois net loss deduction under Section 207 of the Illinois Income Tax Act for the taxable year in which the Credit is awarded, (ii) employed a minimum of 1,000 full-time employees in this State during the taxable year in which the Credit is awarded, (iii) has an Agreement under this Act on December 14, 2009 (the effective date of Public Act 96-834), and (iv) is in compliance with all provisions of that Agreement;

(B) the Taxpayer (i) had an Illinois net loss or an Illinois net loss deduction under Section 207 of the Illinois Income Tax Act for the taxable year in which the Credit is awarded, (ii) employed a minimum of 1,000 full-time employees in this State during the taxable year in which the Credit is awarded, and (iii) has applied for an Agreement within 365 days after December 14, 2009 (the effective date of Public Act 96-834);

(C) the Taxpayer (i) had an Illinois net operating loss carryforward under Section 207 of the Illinois Income Tax Act in a taxable year ending during calendar year 2008, (ii) has applied for an Agreement within 150 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, (iii) creates at least 400 new jobs in Illinois, (iv) retains at least 2,000 jobs in Illinois that would have been at risk of relocation out of Illinois over a 10-year period, and (v) makes a capital investment of at least $75,000,000;

(D) the Taxpayer (i) had an Illinois net operating loss carryforward under Section 207 of the Illinois Income Tax Act in a taxable year ending during calendar year 2009, (ii) has applied for an Agreement within 150 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, (iii) creates at least 150 new jobs, (iv) retains at least 1,000 jobs in Illinois that would have been at risk of relocation out of Illinois over a 10-year period, and (v) makes a capital investment of at least $57,000,000; or

(E) the Taxpayer (i) employed at least 2,500 full-time employees in the State during the year in which the Credit is awarded, (ii) commits to make at least $500,000,000 in combined capital improvements and project costs under the Agreement, (iii) applies for an Agreement between January 1, 2011 and June 30, 2011, (iv) executes an Agreement for the Credit during calendar year 2011, and (v) was incorporated no more than 5 years before the filing of an application for an Agreement.

(1.5) The election under this subsection (f) may also be made by a Taxpayer for any Credit awarded pursuant to an agreement that was executed between January 1, 2011 and June 30, 2011, if the Taxpayer (i) is primarily engaged in the manufacture of inner tubes or tires, or both, from natural and synthetic rubber, (ii) employs a minimum of 2,400 full-time employees in Illinois at the time of application, (iii) creates at least 350 full-time jobs and retains at least 250 full-time jobs in Illinois that would have been at risk of being created or retained outside of Illinois, and (iv) makes a capital investment of at least $200,000,000 at the project location.

(1.6) The election under this subsection (f) may also be made by a Taxpayer for any Credit awarded pursuant to an agreement that was executed within 150 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 97th General Assembly, if the Taxpayer (i) is primarily engaged in the operation of a discount department store, (ii) maintains its corporate headquarters in Illinois, (iii) employs a minimum of 4,250 full-time employees at its corporate headquarters in Illinois at the time of application, (iv) retains at least 4,250 full-time jobs in Illinois that would have been at risk of being relocated outside of Illinois, (v) had a minimum of $40,000,000,000 in total revenue in 2010, and (vi) makes a capital investment of at least $300,000,000 at the project location.

(1.7) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the election under this subsection (f) may also be made by a Taxpayer for any Credit awarded pursuant to an agreement that was executed or applied for on or after July 1, 2011 and on or before March 31, 2012, if the Taxpayer is primarily engaged in the manufacture of original and aftermarket filtration parts and products for automobiles, motor vehicles, light duty motor vehicles, light trucks and utility vehicles, and heavy duty trucks, (ii) employs a minimum of 1,000 full-time employees in Illinois at the time of application, (iii) creates at least 250 full-time jobs in Illinois, (iv) relocates its corporate headquarters to Illinois from another state, and (v) makes a capital investment of at least $4,000,000 at the project location.

(1.8) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the election under this subsection (f) may also be made by a Taxpayer for any Credit awarded pursuant to an agreement that was executed within 150 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th General Assembly if the Taxpayer:

(A) is primarily engaged in agricultural processing;

(B) maintains its corporate headquarters in Illinois;

(C) employs a minimum of 200 full-time employees, including (i) the creation of at least 100 full-time equivalent jobs and (ii) the retention of at least 100 full-time jobs in Illinois that would have been at risk of being relocated outside of Illinois;

(D) exported at least $1,000,000,000 from Illinois in 2012; and

(E) incurs at least $20,000,000 in a combination of capital and relocation expenses within Illinois.

(2) An election under this subsection shall allow the credit to be taken against payments otherwise due under Section 704A of the Illinois Income Tax Act during the first calendar year beginning after the end of the taxable year in which the credit is awarded under this Act.

(3) The election shall be made in the form and manner required by the Illinois Department of Revenue and, once made, shall be irrevocable.

(4) If a Taxpayer who meets the requirements of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of this subsection (f) elects to claim the Credit against its withholdings as provided in this subsection (f), then, on and after the date of the election, the terms of the Agreement between the Taxpayer and the Department may not be further amended during the term of the Agreement.

(g) A pass-through entity that has been awarded a credit under this Act, its shareholders, or its partners may treat some or all of the credit awarded pursuant to this Act as a tax payment for purposes of the Illinois Income Tax Act. The term "tax payment" means a payment as described in Article 6 or Article 8 of the Illinois Income Tax Act or a composite payment made by a pass-through entity on behalf of any of its shareholders or partners to satisfy such shareholders' or partners' taxes imposed pursuant to subsections (a) and (b) of Section 201 of the Illinois Income Tax Act. In no event shall the amount of the award credited pursuant to this Act exceed the Illinois income tax liability of the pass-through entity or its shareholders or partners for the taxable year.

(Source: P.A. 96-834, eff. 12-14-09; 96-836, eff. 12-16-09; 96-905, eff. 6-4-10; 96-1000, eff. 7-2-10; 96-1534, eff. 3-4-11; 97-2, eff. 5-6-11; 97-636, eff. 6-1-12.)

Section 10. The Gas Revenue Tax Act is amended by changing Section 1 as follows:

(35 ILCS 615/1) (from Ch. 120, par. 467.16)

Sec. 1. For the purposes of this Act: "Gross receipts" means the consideration received for gas distributed, supplied, furnished or sold to persons for use or consumption and not for resale, and for all services (including the transportation or storage of gas for an end-user) rendered in connection therewith, and shall include cash, services and property of every kind or nature, and shall be determined without any deduction on account of the cost of the service, product or commodity supplied, the cost of materials used, labor or service costs, or any other expense whatsoever. However, "gross receipts" shall not include receipts from:

(i) any minimum or other charge for gas or gas service where the customer has taken no therms of gas;

(ii) any charge for a dishonored check;

(iii) any finance or credit charge, penalty or charge for delayed payment, or discount for prompt payment;

(iv) any charge for reconnection of service or for replacement or relocation of facilities;

(v) any advance or contribution in aid of construction;

(vi) repair, inspection or servicing of equipment located on customer premises;

(vii) leasing or rental of equipment, the leasing or rental of which is not necessary to distributing, furnishing, supplying, selling, transporting or storing gas;

(viii) any sale to a customer if the taxpayer is prohibited by federal or State constitution, treaty, convention, statute or court decision from recovering the related tax liability from such customer;

(ix) any charges added to customers' bills pursuant to the provisions of Section 9-221 or Section 9-222 of the Public Utilities Act, as amended, or any charges added to customers' bills by taxpayers who are not subject to rate regulation by the Illinois Commerce Commission for the purpose of recovering any of the tax liabilities or other amounts specified in such provisions of such Act; and

(x) prior to October 1, 2003, any charge for gas or gas services to a customer who acquired contractual rights for the direct purchase of gas or gas services originating from an out-of-state supplier or source on or before March 1, 1995, except for those charges solely related to the local distribution of gas by a public utility. This exemption includes any charge for gas or gas service, except for those charges solely related to the local distribution of gas by a public utility, to a customer who maintained an account with a public utility (as defined in Section 3-105 of the Public Utilities Act) for the transportation of customer-owned gas on or before March 1, 1995. The provisions of this amendatory Act of 1997 are intended to clarify, rather than change, existing law as to the meaning and scope of this exemption. This exemption (x) expires on September 30, 2003.

In case credit is extended, the amount thereof shall be included only as and when payments are received.

"Gross receipts" shall not include consideration received from business enterprises certified under Section 9-222.1 of the Public Utilities Act, as amended, to the extent of such exemption and during the period of time specified by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

"Gross receipts" shall not include 10% of the consideration received from business enterprises certified under Section 9-222.1B of the Public Utilities Act, as amended, during the period of time specified by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity in the certification.

"Department" means the Department of Revenue of the State of Illinois.

"Director" means the Director of Revenue for the Department of Revenue of the State of Illinois.

"Taxpayer" means a person engaged in the business of distributing, supplying, furnishing or selling gas for use or consumption and not for resale.

"Person" means any natural individual, firm, trust, estate, partnership, association, joint stock company, joint adventure, corporation, limited liability company, or a receiver, trustee, guardian or other representative appointed by order of any court, or any city, town, county or other political subdivision of this State.

"Invested capital" means that amount equal to (i) the average of the balances at the beginning and end of each taxable period of the taxpayer's total stockholder's equity and total long-term debt, less investments in and advances to all corporations, as set forth on the balance sheets included in the taxpayer's annual report to the Illinois Commerce Commission for the taxable period; (ii) multiplied by a fraction determined under Sections 301 and 304(a) of the "Illinois Income Tax Act" and reported on the Illinois income tax return for the taxable period ending in or with the taxable period in question. However, notwithstanding the income tax return reporting requirement stated above, beginning July 1, 1979, no taxpayer's denominators used to compute the sales, property or payroll factors under subsection (a) of Section 304 of the Illinois Income Tax Act shall include payroll, property or sales of any corporate entity other than the taxpayer for the purposes of determining an allocation for the invested capital tax. This amendatory Act of 1982, Public Act 82-1024, is not intended to and does not make any change in the meaning of any provision of this Act, it having been the intent of the General Assembly in initially enacting the definition of "invested capital" to provide for apportionment of the invested capital of each company, based solely upon the sales, property and payroll of that company.

"Taxable period" means each period which ends after the effective date of this Act and which is covered by an annual report filed by the taxpayer with the Illinois Commerce Commission.

(Source: P.A. 93-31, eff. 10-1-03; 94-793, eff. 5-19-06.)

Section 15. The Electricity Excise Tax Law is amended by changing Sections 2-3 and 2-4 as follows:

(35 ILCS 640/2-3)

Sec. 2-3. Definitions. As used in this Law, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

(a) "Department" means the Department of Revenue of the State of Illinois.

(b) "Director" means the Director of the Department of Revenue of the State of Illinois.

(c) "Person" means any natural individual, firm, trust, estate, partnership, association, joint stock company, joint venture, corporation, limited liability company, or a receiver, trustee, guardian, or other representative appointed by order of any court, or any city, town, village, county, or other political subdivision of this State.

(d) "Purchase price" means the consideration paid for the distribution, supply, furnishing, sale, transmission or delivery of electricity to a person for non-residential use or consumption (and for both residential and non-residential use or consumption in the case of electricity purchased from a municipal system or electric cooperative described in subsection (b) of Section 2-4) and not for resale, and for all services directly related to the production, transmission or distribution of electricity distributed, supplied, furnished, sold, transmitted or delivered for non-residential use or consumption, and includes transition charges imposed in accordance with Article XVI of the Public Utilities Act and instrument funding charges imposed in accordance with Article XVIII of the Public Utilities Act, as well as cash, services and property of every kind or nature, and shall be determined without any deduction on account of the cost of the service, product or commodity supplied, the cost of materials used, labor or service costs, or any other expense whatsoever. However, "purchase price" shall not include consideration paid for:

(i) any charge for a dishonored check;

(ii) any finance or credit charge, penalty or charge for delayed payment, or discount for prompt payment;

(iii) any charge for reconnection of service or for replacement or relocation of facilities;

(iv) any advance or contribution in aid of construction;

(v) repair, inspection or servicing of equipment located on customer premises;

(vi) leasing or rental of equipment, the leasing or rental of which is not necessary to furnishing, supplying or selling electricity;

(vii) any purchase by a purchaser if the supplier is prohibited by federal or State constitution, treaty, convention, statute or court decision from recovering the related tax liability from such purchaser; and

(viii) any amounts added to purchasers' bills because of charges made pursuant to the tax imposed by this Law.

In case credit is extended, the amount thereof shall be included only as and when payments are made.

"Purchase price" shall not include consideration received from business enterprises certified under Section 9-222.1 or 9-222.1A of the Public Utilities Act, as amended, to the extent of such exemption and during the period of time specified by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

"Purchase price" shall not include 10% of the consideration received from business enterprises certified under Section 9-222.1B of the Public Utilities Act, as amended, during the period of time specified by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity in the certification.

(e) "Purchaser" means any person who acquires electricity for use or consumption and not for resale, for a valuable consideration.

(f) "Non-residential electric use" means any use or consumption of electricity which is not residential electric use.

(g) "Residential electric use" means electricity used or consumed at a dwelling of 2 or fewer units, or electricity for household purposes used or consumed at a building with multiple dwelling units where the electricity is registered by a separate meter for each dwelling unit.

(h) "Self-assessing purchaser" means a purchaser for non-residential electric use who elects to register with and to pay tax directly to the Department in accordance with Sections 2-10 and 2-11 of this Law.

(i) "Delivering supplier" means any person engaged in the business of delivering electricity to persons for use or consumption and not for resale, but not an entity engaged in the practice of resale and redistribution of electricity within a building prior to January 2, 1957, and who, in any case where more than one person participates in the delivery of electricity to a specific purchaser, is the last of the suppliers engaged in delivering the electricity prior to its receipt by the purchaser.

(j) "Delivering supplier maintaining a place of business in this State", or any like term, means any delivering supplier having or maintaining within this State, directly or by a subsidiary, an office, generation facility, transmission facility, distribution facility, sales office or other place of business, or any employee, agent or other representative operating within this State under the authority of such delivering supplier or such delivering supplier's subsidiary, irrespective of whether such place of business or agent or other representative is located in this State permanently or temporarily, or whether such delivering supplier or such delivering supplier's subsidiary is licensed to do business in this State.

(k) "Use" means the exercise by any person of any right or power over electricity incident to the ownership of that electricity, except that it does not include the generation, production, transmission, distribution, delivery or sale of electricity in the regular course of business or the use of electricity for such purposes.

(Source: P.A. 94-793, eff. 5-19-06.)

(35 ILCS 640/2-4)

Sec. 2-4. Tax imposed.

(a) Except as provided in subsection (b), a tax is imposed on the privilege of using in this State electricity purchased for use or consumption and not for resale, other than by municipal corporations owning and operating a local transportation system for public service, at the following rates per kilowatt-hour delivered to the purchaser:

(i) For the first 2000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed in a month: 0.330 cents per kilowatt-hour;

(ii) For the next 48,000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed in a month: 0.319 cents per kilowatt-hour;

(iii) For the next 50,000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed in a month: 0.303 cents per kilowatt-hour;

(iv) For the next 400,000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed in a month: 0.297 cents per kilowatt-hour;

(v) For the next 500,000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed in a month: 0.286 cents per kilowatt-hour;

(vi) For the next 2,000,000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed in a month: 0.270 cents per kilowatt-hour;

(vii) For the next 2,000,000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed in a month: 0.254 cents per kilowatt-hour;

(viii) For the next 5,000,000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed in a month: 0.233 cents per kilowatt-hour;

(ix) For the next 10,000,000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed in a month: 0.207 cents per kilowatt-hour;

(x) For all electricity in excess of 20,000,000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed in a month: 0.202 cents per kilowatt-hour.

Provided, that in lieu of the foregoing rates, the tax is imposed on a self-assessing purchaser at the rate of 5.1% of the self-assessing purchaser's purchase price for all electricity distributed, supplied, furnished, sold, transmitted and delivered to the self-assessing purchaser in a month.

(b) A tax is imposed on the privilege of using in this State electricity purchased from a municipal system or electric cooperative, as defined in Article XVII of the Public Utilities Act, which has not made an election as permitted by either Section 17-200 or Section 17-300 of such Act, at the lesser of 0.32 cents per kilowatt hour of all electricity distributed, supplied, furnished, sold, transmitted, and delivered by such municipal system or electric cooperative to the purchaser or 5% of each such purchaser's purchase price for all electricity distributed, supplied, furnished, sold, transmitted, and delivered by such municipal system or electric cooperative to the purchaser, whichever is the lower rate as applied to each purchaser in each billing period.

(c) The tax imposed by this Section 2-4 is not imposed with respect to any use of electricity by business enterprises certified under Section 9-222.1, or 9-222.1A, or 9-222.1B of the Public Utilities Act, as amended, to the extent of such exemption and during the time specified by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity; or with respect to any transaction in interstate commerce, or otherwise, to the extent to which such transaction may not, under the Constitution and statutes of the United States, be made the subject of taxation by this State.

(Source: P.A. 94-793, eff. 5-19-06.)

Section 20. The Illinois Municipal Code is amended by changing Section 8-11-2 as follows:

(65 ILCS 5/8-11-2) (from Ch. 24, par. 8-11-2)

Sec. 8-11-2. The corporate authorities of any municipality may tax any or all of the following occupations or privileges:

1. (Blank).

2. Persons engaged in the business of distributing, supplying, furnishing, or selling gas for use or consumption within the corporate limits of a municipality of 500,000 or fewer population, and not for resale, at a rate not to exceed 5% of the gross receipts therefrom.

2a. Persons engaged in the business of distributing, supplying, furnishing, or selling gas for use or consumption within the corporate limits of a municipality of over 500,000 population, and not for resale, at a rate not to exceed 8% of the gross receipts therefrom. If imposed, this tax shall be paid in monthly payments.

3. The privilege of using or consuming electricity acquired in a purchase at retail and used or consumed within the corporate limits of the municipality at rates not to exceed the following maximum rates, calculated on a monthly basis for each purchaser:

(i) For the first 2,000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed in a month; 0.61 cents per kilowatt-hour;

(ii) For the next 48,000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed in a month; 0.40 cents per kilowatt-hour;

(iii) For the next 50,000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed in a month; 0.36 cents per kilowatt-hour;

(iv) For the next 400,000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed in a month; 0.35 cents per kilowatt-hour;

(v) For the next 500,000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed in a month; 0.34 cents per kilowatt-hour;

(vi) For the next 2,000,000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed in a month; 0.32 cents per kilowatt-hour;

(vii) For the next 2,000,000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed in a month; 0.315 cents per kilowatt-hour;

(viii) For the next 5,000,000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed in a month; 0.31 cents per kilowatt-hour;

(ix) For the next 10,000,000 kilowatt-hours used or consumed in a month; 0.305 cents per kilowatt-hour; and

(x) For all electricity used or consumed in excess of 20,000,000 kilowatt-hours in a month, 0.30 cents per kilowatt-hour.

If a municipality imposes a tax at rates lower than either the maximum rates specified in this Section or the alternative maximum rates promulgated by the Illinois Commerce Commission, as provided below, the tax rates shall be imposed upon the kilowatt hour categories set forth above with the same proportional relationship as that which exists among such maximum rates. Notwithstanding the foregoing, until December 31, 2008, no municipality shall establish rates that are in excess of rates reasonably calculated to produce revenues that equal the maximum total revenues such municipality could have received under the tax authorized by this subparagraph in the last full calendar year prior to the effective date of Section 65 of this amendatory Act of 1997; provided that this shall not be a limitation on the amount of tax revenues actually collected by such municipality.

Upon the request of the corporate authorities of a municipality, the Illinois Commerce Commission shall, within 90 days after receipt of such request, promulgate alternative rates for each of these kilowatt-hour categories that will reflect, as closely as reasonably practical for that municipality, the distribution of the tax among classes of purchasers as if the tax were based on a uniform percentage of the purchase price of electricity. A municipality that has adopted an ordinance imposing a tax pursuant to subparagraph 3 as it existed prior to the effective date of Section 65 of this amendatory Act of 1997 may, rather than imposing the tax permitted by this amendatory Act of 1997, continue to impose the tax pursuant to that ordinance with respect to gross receipts received from residential customers through July 31, 1999, and with respect to gross receipts from any non-residential customer until the first bill issued to such customer for delivery services in accordance with Section 16-104 of the Public Utilities Act but in no case later than the last bill issued to such customer before December 31, 2000. No ordinance imposing the tax permitted by this amendatory Act of 1997 shall be applicable to any non-residential customer until the first bill issued to such customer for delivery services in accordance with Section 16-104 of the Public Utilities Act but in no case later than the last bill issued to such non-residential customer before December 31, 2000.

4. Persons engaged in the business of distributing, supplying, furnishing, or selling water for use or consumption within the corporate limits of the municipality, and not for resale, at a rate not to exceed 5% of the gross receipts therefrom.

None of the taxes authorized by this Section may be imposed with respect to any transaction in interstate commerce or otherwise to the extent to which the business or privilege may not, under the constitution and statutes of the United States, be made the subject of taxation by this State or any political sub-division thereof; nor shall any persons engaged in the business of distributing, supplying, furnishing, selling or transmitting gas, water, or electricity, or using or consuming electricity acquired in a purchase at retail, be subject to taxation under the provisions of this Section for those transactions that are or may become subject to taxation under the provisions of the "Municipal Retailers' Occupation Tax Act" authorized by Section 8-11-1; nor shall any tax authorized by this Section be imposed upon any person engaged in a business or on any privilege unless the tax is imposed in like manner and at the same rate upon all persons engaged in businesses of the same class in the municipality, whether privately or municipally owned or operated, or exercising the same privilege within the municipality.

Any of the taxes enumerated in this Section may be in addition to the payment of money, or value of products or services furnished to the municipality by the taxpayer as compensation for the use of its streets, alleys, or other public places, or installation and maintenance therein, thereon or thereunder of poles, wires, pipes or other equipment used in the operation of the taxpayer's business.

(a) If the corporate authorities of any home rule municipality have adopted an ordinance that imposed a tax on public utility customers, between July 1, 1971, and October 1, 1981, on the good faith belief that they were exercising authority pursuant to Section 6 of Article VII of the 1970 Illinois Constitution, that action of the corporate authorities shall be declared legal and valid, notwithstanding a later decision of a judicial tribunal declaring the ordinance invalid. No municipality shall be required to rebate, refund, or issue credits for any taxes described in this paragraph, and those taxes shall be deemed to have been levied and collected in accordance with the Constitution and laws of this State.

(b) In any case in which (i) prior to October 19, 1979, the corporate authorities of any municipality have adopted an ordinance imposing a tax authorized by this Section (or by the predecessor provision of the "Revised Cities and Villages Act") and have explicitly or in practice interpreted gross receipts to include either charges added to customers' bills pursuant to the provision of paragraph (a) of Section 36 of the Public Utilities Act or charges added to customers' bills by taxpayers who are not subject to rate regulation by the Illinois Commerce Commission for the purpose of recovering any of the tax liabilities or other amounts specified in such paragraph (a) of Section 36 of that Act, and (ii) on or after October 19, 1979, a judicial tribunal has construed gross receipts to exclude all or part of those charges, then neither those municipality nor any taxpayer who paid the tax shall be required to rebate, refund, or issue credits for any tax imposed or charge collected from customers pursuant to the municipality's interpretation prior to October 19, 1979. This paragraph reflects a legislative finding that it would be contrary to the public interest to require a municipality or its taxpayers to refund taxes or charges attributable to the municipality's more inclusive interpretation of gross receipts prior to October 19, 1979, and is not intended to prescribe or limit judicial construction of this Section. The legislative finding set forth in this subsection does not apply to taxes imposed after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1995.

(c) The tax authorized by subparagraph 3 shall be collected from the purchaser by the person maintaining a place of business in this State who delivers the electricity to the purchaser. This tax shall constitute a debt of the purchaser to the person who delivers the electricity to the purchaser and if unpaid, is recoverable in the same manner as the original charge for delivering the electricity. Any tax required to be collected pursuant to an ordinance authorized by subparagraph 3 and any such tax collected by a person delivering electricity shall constitute a debt owed to the municipality by such person delivering the electricity, provided, that the person delivering electricity shall be allowed credit for such tax related to deliveries of electricity the charges for which are written off as uncollectible, and provided further, that if such charges are thereafter collected, the delivering supplier shall be obligated to remit such tax. For purposes of this subsection (c), any partial payment not specifically identified by the purchaser shall be deemed to be for the delivery of electricity. Persons delivering electricity shall collect the tax from the purchaser by adding such tax to the gross charge for delivering the electricity, in the manner prescribed by the municipality. Persons delivering electricity shall also be authorized to add to such gross charge an amount equal to 3% of the tax to reimburse the person delivering electricity for the expenses incurred in keeping records, billing customers, preparing and filing returns, remitting the tax and supplying data to the municipality upon request. If the person delivering electricity fails to collect the tax from the purchaser, then the purchaser shall be required to pay the tax directly to the municipality in the manner prescribed by the municipality. Persons delivering electricity who file returns pursuant to this paragraph (c) shall, at the time of filing such return, pay the municipality the amount of the tax collected pursuant to subparagraph 3.

(d) For the purpose of the taxes enumerated in this Section:

"Gross receipts" means the consideration received for distributing, supplying, furnishing or selling gas for use or consumption and not for resale, and the consideration received for distributing, supplying, furnishing or selling water for use or consumption and not for resale, and for all services rendered in connection therewith valued in money, whether received in money or otherwise, including cash, credit, services and property of every kind and material and for all services rendered therewith, and shall be determined without any deduction on account of the cost of the service, product or commodity supplied, the cost of materials used, labor or service cost, or any other expenses whatsoever. "Gross receipts" shall not include that portion of the consideration received for distributing, supplying, furnishing, or selling gas or water to business enterprises described in paragraph (e) or (e-5) of this Section to the extent and during the period in which the exemption authorized by paragraph (e) or (e-5) is in effect or for school districts or units of local government described in paragraph (f) during the period in which the exemption authorized in paragraph (f) is in effect.

For utility bills issued on or after May 1, 1996, but before May 1, 1997, and for receipts from those utility bills, "gross receipts" does not include one-third of (i) amounts added to customers' bills under Section 9-222 of the Public Utilities Act, or (ii) amounts added to customers' bills by taxpayers who are not subject to rate regulation by the Illinois Commerce Commission for the purpose of recovering any of the tax liabilities described in Section 9-222 of the Public Utilities Act. For utility bills issued on or after May 1, 1997, but before May 1, 1998, and for receipts from those utility bills, "gross receipts" does not include two-thirds of (i) amounts added to customers' bills under Section 9-222 of the Public Utilities Act, or (ii) amount added to customers' bills by taxpayers who are not subject to rate regulation by the Illinois Commerce Commission for the purpose of recovering any of the tax liabilities described in Section 9-222 of the Public Utilities Act. For utility bills issued on or after May 1, 1998, and for receipts from those utility bills, "gross receipts" does not include (i) amounts added to customers' bills under Section 9-222 of the Public Utilities Act, or (ii) amounts added to customers' bills by taxpayers who are not subject to rate regulation by the Illinois Commerce Commission for the purpose of recovering any of the tax liabilities described in Section 9-222 of the Public Utilities Act.

For purposes of this Section "gross receipts" shall not include amounts added to customers' bills under Section 9-221 of the Public Utilities Act. This paragraph is not intended to nor does it make any change in the meaning of "gross receipts" for the purposes of this Section, but is intended to remove possible ambiguities, thereby confirming the existing meaning of "gross receipts" prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1995.

"Person" as used in this Section means any natural individual, firm, trust, estate, partnership, association, joint stock company, joint adventure, corporation, limited liability company, municipal corporation, the State or any of its political subdivisions, any State university created by statute, or a receiver, trustee, guardian or other representative appointed by order of any court.

"Person maintaining a place of business in this State" shall mean any person having or maintaining within this State, directly or by a subsidiary or other affiliate, an office, generation facility, distribution facility, transmission facility, sales office or other place of business, or any employee, agent, or other representative operating within this State under the authority of the person or its subsidiary or other affiliate, irrespective of whether such place of business or agent or other representative is located in this State permanently or temporarily, or whether such person, subsidiary or other affiliate is licensed or qualified to do business in this State.

"Public utility" shall have the meaning ascribed to it in Section 3-105 of the Public Utilities Act and shall include alternative retail electric suppliers as defined in Section 16-102 of that Act.

"Purchase at retail" shall mean any acquisition of electricity by a purchaser for purposes of use or consumption, and not for resale, but shall not include the use of electricity by a public utility directly in the generation, production, transmission, delivery or sale of electricity.

"Purchaser" shall mean any person who uses or consumes, within the corporate limits of the municipality, electricity acquired in a purchase at retail.

(e) Any municipality that imposes taxes upon public utilities or upon the privilege of using or consuming electricity pursuant to this Section whose territory includes any part of an enterprise zone or federally designated Foreign Trade Zone or Sub-Zone may, by a majority vote of its corporate authorities, exempt from those taxes for a period not exceeding 20 years any specified percentage of gross receipts of public utilities received from, or electricity used or consumed by, business enterprises that:

(1) either (i) make investments that cause the creation of a minimum of 200 full-time equivalent jobs in Illinois, (ii) make investments of at least $175,000,000 that cause the creation of a minimum of 150 full-time equivalent jobs in Illinois, or (iii) make investments that cause the retention of a minimum of 1,000 full-time jobs in Illinois; and

(2) are either (i) located in an Enterprise Zone established pursuant to the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act or (ii) Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity designated High Impact Businesses located in a federally designated Foreign Trade Zone or Sub-Zone; and

(3) are certified by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity as complying with the requirements specified in clauses (1) and (2) of this paragraph (e).

Upon adoption of the ordinance authorizing the exemption, the municipal clerk shall transmit a copy of that ordinance to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall determine whether the business enterprises located in the municipality meet the criteria prescribed in this paragraph. If the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity determines that the business enterprises meet the criteria, it shall grant certification. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall act upon certification requests within 30 days after receipt of the ordinance.

Upon certification of the business enterprise by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall notify the Department of Revenue of the certification. The Department of Revenue shall notify the public utilities of the exemption status of the gross receipts received from, and the electricity used or consumed by, the certified business enterprises. Such exemption status shall be effective within 3 months after certification.

(e-5) Any municipality that imposes taxes upon public utilities or upon the privilege of using or consuming electricity pursuant to this Section may, by ordinance, exempt from those taxes, for a period not exceeding 30 years, a specified percentage not to exceed 10% of the gross receipts of public utilities received from, or electricity used or consumed by, a qualified business enterprise.

Upon adoption of the ordinance authorizing the reduction, the municipal clerk shall transmit a copy of that ordinance to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall determine whether the business enterprise located in the municipality meets the criteria prescribed in this subsection (e-5). If the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity determines that the business enterprise is a qualified business enterprise, it shall grant certification. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall act upon certification requests within 30 days after receipt of the ordinance.

Upon certification of the business enterprise by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall notify the Department of Revenue of the certification. The Department of Revenue shall notify the public utilities of the reduction. The reduction shall be effective within 3 months after certification by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

The qualified business enterprise shall certify relocation of the 100 full-time equivalent jobs and creation of 100 full-time equivalent jobs to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity within 48 months after the effective date of the ordinance.

The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall have the power to promulgate rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this subsection, including, but not limited to, rules authorizing the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to suspend the exemption available to a qualified business enterprise should the business enterprise fail to comply with the terms and conditions of the certification.

As used in this subsection (e-5), a "qualified business enterprise" is a business enterprise that:

(1) is engaged in agricultural processing;

(2) pledges to make investments which cause the creation of a minimum of 100 full-time equivalent jobs and the retention of 100 full-time equivalent jobs in Illinois; and

(3) is certified by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity as complying with the requirements specified in items (1) and (2) of this subsection.

(f) A municipality that imposes taxes upon public utilities or upon the privilege of using or consuming electricity under this Section and whose territory includes part of another unit of local government or a school district may by ordinance exempt the other unit of local government or school district from those taxes.

(g) The amendment of this Section by Public Act 84-127 shall take precedence over any other amendment of this Section by any other amendatory Act passed by the 84th General Assembly before the effective date of Public Act 84-127.

(h) In any case in which, before July 1, 1992, a person engaged in the business of transmitting messages through the use of mobile equipment, such as cellular phones and paging systems, has determined the municipality within which the gross receipts from the business originated by reference to the location of its transmitting or switching equipment, then (i) neither the municipality to which tax was paid on that basis nor the taxpayer that paid tax on that basis shall be required to rebate, refund, or issue credits for any such tax or charge collected from customers to reimburse the taxpayer for the tax and (ii) no municipality to which tax would have been paid with respect to those gross receipts if the provisions of this amendatory Act of 1991 had been in effect before July 1, 1992, shall have any claim against the taxpayer for any amount of the tax.

(Source: P.A. 94-793, eff. 5-19-06.)

Section 25. The Public Utilities Act is amended by changing Sections 2-202, 9-221, and 9-222 and by adding Section 9-222.1B as follows:

(220 ILCS 5/2-202) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 2-202)

Sec. 2-202. Policy; Public Utility Fund; tax.

(a) It is declared to be the public policy of this State that in order to maintain and foster the effective regulation of public utilities under this Act in the interests of the People of the State of Illinois and the public utilities as well, the public utilities subject to regulation under this Act and which enjoy the privilege of operating as public utilities in this State, shall bear the expense of administering this Act by means of a tax on such privilege measured by the annual gross revenue of such public utilities in the manner provided in this Section. For purposes of this Section, "expense of administering this Act" includes any costs incident to studies, whether made by the Commission or under contract entered into by the Commission, concerning environmental pollution problems caused or contributed to by public utilities and the means for eliminating or abating those problems. Such proceeds shall be deposited in the Public Utility Fund in the State treasury.

(b) All of the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Commission incident to the administration of this Act shall be paid out of the Public Utility Fund except the compensation of the members of the Commission which shall be paid from the General Revenue Fund. Notwithstanding other provisions of this Act to the contrary, the ordinary and contingent expenses of the Commission incident to the administration of the Illinois Commercial Transportation Law may be paid from appropriations from the Public Utility Fund through the end of fiscal year 1986.

(c) A tax is imposed upon each public utility subject to the provisions of this Act equal to .08% of its gross revenue for each calendar year commencing with the calendar year beginning January 1, 1982, except that the Commission may, by rule, establish a different rate no greater than 0.1%. For purposes of this Section, "gross revenue" shall not include revenue from the production, transmission, distribution, sale, delivery, or furnishing of electricity. "Gross revenue" shall not include amounts paid by telecommunications retailers under the Telecommunications Infrastructure Maintenance Fee Act. "Gross revenue" shall not include 10% of the consideration received from business enterprises certified under Section 9-222.1B of the Public Utilities Act, as amended, during the period of time specified by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity in the certification.

(d) Annual gross revenue returns shall be filed in accordance with paragraph (1) or (2) of this subsection (d).

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection (d), on or before January 10 of each year each public utility subject to the provisions of this Act shall file with the Commission an estimated annual gross revenue return containing an estimate of the amount of its gross revenue for the calendar year commencing January 1 of said year and a statement of the amount of tax due for said calendar year on the basis of that estimate. Public utilities may also file revised returns containing updated estimates and updated amounts of tax due during the calendar year. These revised returns, if filed, shall form the basis for quarterly payments due during the remainder of the calendar year. In addition, on or before March 31 of each year, each public utility shall file an amended return showing the actual amount of gross revenues shown by the company's books and records as of December 31 of the previous year. Forms and instructions for such estimated, revised, and amended returns shall be devised and supplied by the Commission.

(2) Beginning with returns due after January 1, 2002, the requirements of paragraph (1) of this subsection (d) shall not apply to any public utility in any calendar year for which the total tax the public utility owes under this Section is less than $10,000. For such public utilities with respect to such years, the public utility shall file with the Commission, on or before March 31 of the following year, an annual gross revenue return for the year and a statement of the amount of tax due for that year on the basis of such a return. Forms and instructions for such returns and corrected returns shall be devised and supplied by the Commission.

(e) All returns submitted to the Commission by a public utility as provided in this subsection (e) or subsection (d) of this Section shall contain or be verified by a written declaration by an appropriate officer of the public utility that the return is made under the penalties of perjury. The Commission may audit each such return submitted and may, under the provisions of Section 5-101 of this Act, take such measures as are necessary to ascertain the correctness of the returns submitted. The Commission has the power to direct the filing of a corrected return by any utility which has filed an incorrect return and to direct the filing of a return by any utility which has failed to submit a return. A taxpayer's signing a fraudulent return under this Section is perjury, as defined in Section 32-2 of the Criminal Code of 2012.

(f) (1) For all public utilities subject to paragraph (1) of subsection (d), at least one quarter of the annual amount of tax due under subsection (c) shall be paid to the Commission on or before the tenth day of January, April, July, and October of the calendar year subject to tax. In the event that an adjustment in the amount of tax due should be necessary as a result of the filing of an amended or corrected return under subsection (d) or subsection (e) of this Section, the amount of any deficiency shall be paid by the public utility together with the amended or corrected return and the amount of any excess shall, after the filing of a claim for credit by the public utility, be returned to the public utility in the form of a credit memorandum in the amount of such excess or be refunded to the public utility in accordance with the provisions of subsection (k) of this Section. However, if such deficiency or excess is less than $1, then the public utility need not pay the deficiency and may not claim a credit.

(2) Any public utility subject to paragraph (2) of subsection (d) shall pay the amount of tax due under subsection (c) on or before March 31 next following the end of the calendar year subject to tax. In the event that an adjustment in the amount of tax due should be necessary as a result of the filing of a corrected return under subsection (e), the amount of any deficiency shall be paid by the public utility at the time the corrected return is filed. Any excess tax payment by the public utility shall be returned to it after the filing of a claim for credit, in the form of a credit memorandum in the amount of the excess. However, if such deficiency or excess is less than $1, the public utility need not pay the deficiency and may not claim a credit.

(g) Each installment or required payment of the tax imposed by subsection (c) becomes delinquent at midnight of the date that it is due. Failure to make a payment as required by this Section shall result in the imposition of a late payment penalty, an underestimation penalty, or both, as provided by this subsection. The late payment penalty shall be the greater of:

(1) $25 for each month or portion of a month that the installment or required payment is unpaid or

(2) an amount equal to the difference between what should have been paid on the due date, based upon the most recently filed estimated, annual, or amended return, and what was actually paid, times 1%, for each month or portion of a month that the installment or required payment goes unpaid. This penalty may be assessed as soon as the installment or required payment becomes delinquent.

The underestimation penalty shall apply to those public utilities subject to paragraph (1) of subsection (d) and shall be calculated after the filing of the amended return. It shall be imposed if the amount actually paid on any of the dates specified in subsection (f) is not equal to at least one-fourth of the amount actually due for the year, and shall equal the greater of:

(1) $25 for each month or portion of a month that the amount due is unpaid or

(2) an amount equal to the difference between what should have been paid, based on the amended return, and what was actually paid as of the date specified in subsection (f), times a percentage equal to 1/12 of the sum of 10% and the percentage most recently established by the Commission for interest to be paid on customer deposits under 83 Ill. Adm. Code 280.70(e)(1), for each month or portion of a month that the amount due goes unpaid, except that no underestimation penalty shall be assessed if the amount actually paid on or before each of the dates specified in subsection (f) was based on an estimate of gross revenues at least equal to the actual gross revenues for the previous year. The Commission may enforce the collection of any delinquent installment or payment, or portion thereof by legal action or in any other manner by which the collection of debts due the State of Illinois may be enforced under the laws of this State. The executive director or his designee may excuse the payment of an assessed penalty or a portion of an assessed penalty if he determines that enforced collection of the penalty as assessed would be unjust.

(h) All sums collected by the Commission under the provisions of this Section shall be paid promptly after the receipt of the same, accompanied by a detailed statement thereof, into the Public Utility Fund in the State treasury.

(i) During the month of October of each odd-numbered year the Commission shall:

(1) determine the amount of all moneys deposited in the Public Utility Fund during the preceding fiscal biennium plus the balance, if any, in that fund at the beginning of that biennium;

(2) determine the sum total of the following items: (A) all moneys expended or obligated against appropriations made from the Public Utility Fund during the preceding fiscal biennium, plus (B) the sum of the credit memoranda then outstanding against the Public Utility Fund, if any; and

(3) determine the amount, if any, by which the sum determined as provided in item (1) exceeds the amount determined as provided in item (2).

If the amount determined as provided in item (3) of this subsection exceeds 50% of the previous fiscal year's appropriation level, the Commission shall then compute the proportionate amount, if any, which (x) the tax paid hereunder by each utility during the preceding biennium, and (y) the amount paid into the Public Utility Fund during the preceding biennium by the Department of Revenue pursuant to Sections 2-9 and 2-11 of the Electricity Excise Tax Law, bears to the difference between the amount determined as provided in item (3) of this subsection (i) and 50% of the previous fiscal year's appropriation level. The Commission shall cause the proportionate amount determined with respect to payments made under the Electricity Excise Tax Law to be transferred into the General Revenue Fund in the State Treasury, and notify each public utility that it may file during the 3 month period after the date of notification a claim for credit for the proportionate amount determined with respect to payments made hereunder by the public utility. If the proportionate amount is less than $10, no notification will be sent by the Commission, and no right to a claim exists as to that amount. Upon the filing of a claim for credit within the period provided, the Commission shall issue a credit memorandum in such amount to such public utility. Any claim for credit filed after the period provided for in this Section is void.

(j) Credit memoranda issued pursuant to subsection (f) and credit memoranda issued after notification and filing pursuant to subsection (i) may be applied for the 2 year period from the date of issuance, against the payment of any amount due during that period under the tax imposed by subsection (c), or, subject to reasonable rule of the Commission including requirement of notification, may be assigned to any other public utility subject to regulation under this Act. Any application of credit memoranda after the period provided for in this Section is void.

(k) The chairman or executive director may make refund of fees, taxes or other charges whenever he shall determine that the person or public utility will not be liable for payment of such fees, taxes or charges during the next 24 months and he determines that the issuance of a credit memorandum would be unjust.

(Source: P.A. 97-1150, eff. 1-25-13.)

(220 ILCS 5/9-221) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 9-221)

Sec. 9-221. Municipal utility taxes; recovery from customers. Whenever a municipality pursuant to Section 8-11-2 of the Illinois Municipal Code, as heretofore and hereafter amended, imposes a tax on any public utility pursuant to Section 8-11-2 of the Illinois Municipal Code, such utility may charge its customers, other than customers who are certified business enterprises under paragraph (e) of Section 8-11-2 of the Illinois Municipal Code or are exempted from those taxes under paragraph (f) of that Section, to the extent of such exemption and during the period in which such exemption is in effect, in addition to any rate authorized by this Act, an additional charge equal to the sum of (1) an amount equal to such municipal tax, or any part thereof (2) 3% of such tax, or any part thereof, as the case may be, to cover costs of accounting, and (3) an amount equal to the increase in taxes and other payments to governmental bodies resulting from the amount of such additional charge. Such utility shall file with the Commission a true and correct copy of the municipal ordinance imposing such tax; and also shall file with the Commission a supplemental schedule applicable to such municipality which shall specify such additional charge and which shall become effective upon filing without further notice. Such additional charge shall be shown separately on the utility bill to each customer. The Commission shall have power to investigate whether or not such supplemental schedule correctly specifies such additional charge, but shall have no power to suspend such supplemental schedule. If the Commission finds, after a hearing, that such supplemental schedule does not correctly specify such additional charge, it shall by order require a refund to the appropriate customers of the excess, if any, with interest, in such manner as it shall deem just and reasonable, and in and by such order shall require the utility to file an amended supplemental schedule corresponding to the finding and order of the Commission. A public utility may not impose a charge under this Section on any business enterprise certified under subsection (e) or (e-5) of Section 8-11-2 of the Illinois Municipal Code, or on any entity that is exempt under subsection (f) of that Section, to the extent of the applicable exemption and during the period in which the exemption is in effect.

(Source: P.A. 87-895; 88-132.)

(220 ILCS 5/9-222) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 9-222)

Sec. 9-222. Whenever a tax is imposed upon a public utility engaged in the business of distributing, supplying, furnishing, or selling gas for use or consumption pursuant to Section 2 of the Gas Revenue Tax Act, or whenever a tax is required to be collected by a delivering supplier pursuant to Section 2-7 of the Electricity Excise Tax Act, or whenever a tax is imposed upon a public utility pursuant to Section 2-202 of this Act, such utility may charge its customers, other than customers who are high impact businesses under Section 5.5 of the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act, or certified business enterprises under Section 9-222.1 of this Act, to the extent of such exemption and during the period in which such exemption is in effect, in addition to any rate authorized by this Act, an additional charge equal to the total amount of such taxes. The exemption of this Section relating to high impact businesses shall be subject to the provisions of subsections (a), (b), and (b-5) of Section 5.5 of the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act. This requirement shall not apply to taxes on invested capital imposed pursuant to the Messages Tax Act, the Gas Revenue Tax Act and the Public Utilities Revenue Act. Such utility shall file with the Commission a supplemental schedule which shall specify such additional charge and which shall become effective upon filing without further notice. Such additional charge shall be shown separately on the utility bill to each customer. The Commission shall have the power to investigate whether or not such supplemental schedule correctly specifies such additional charge, but shall have no power to suspend such supplemental schedule. If the Commission finds, after a hearing, that such supplemental schedule does not correctly specify such additional charge, it shall by order require a refund to the appropriate customers of the excess, if any, with interest, in such manner as it shall deem just and reasonable, and in and by such order shall require the utility to file an amended supplemental schedule corresponding to the finding and order of the Commission. Except with respect to taxes imposed on invested capital, such tax liabilities shall be recovered from customers solely by means of the additional charges authorized by this Section. A public utility may not impose a charge under this Section on any customers who are high impact businesses under Section 5.5 of the Illinois Enterprise Zone Act, or certified business enterprises under Section 9-222.1 or 9-222.1B of this Act, to the extent of the applicable exemption and during the period in which the exemption is in effect.

(Source: P.A. 91-914, eff. 7-7-00; 92-12, eff. 7-1-01.)

(220 ILCS 5/9-222.1B new)

Sec. 9-222.1B. Agricultural processing.

(a) All of the facilities of a qualified business enterprise shall be exempt from 10% of the additional charges added to the business enterprise's utility bills under Section 9-222 of this Act, upon approval by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

(b) The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall determine the period during which the reduction under subsection (a) is in effect, which shall not exceed 30 years.

(c) The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall have the power to promulgate rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this Section, including, but not limited to, procedures for applying for the exemption authorized under this Section and rules authorizing the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to suspend the exemption available to a qualified business enterprise should the business enterprise fail to comply with the terms and conditions of the certification.

(d) The qualified business enterprise shall certify relocation of the 100 full-time equivalent jobs and creation of 100 full-time equivalent jobs to the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity within 48 months after its application is filed with the Department.

(e) As used in this Section, a "qualified business enterprise" is a business enterprise that:

(1) is engaged in agricultural processing;

(2) pledges to make investments which cause the creation of a minimum of 100 full-time equivalent jobs and the retention of 100 full-time equivalent jobs in Illinois; and

(3) is certified by the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity as complying with the requirements specified in items (1) and (2) of this subsection.

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