State of Illinois
91st General Assembly
Legislation

   [ Search ]   [ Legislation ]
[ Home ]   [ Back ]   [ Bottom ]



91_HR0508

 
                                               LRB9109380JSpc

 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, In 1982, Judge Harold Greene entered the Consent
 3    Decree which led to the breakup of the former  monopoly  Bell
 4    Telephone System; and

 5        WHEREAS,  Since the breakup of the Bell Telephone System,
 6    the  development  of  advanced  technologies   and   Internet
 7    applications   have   brought   great   benefit  to  Illinois
 8    consumers; and

 9        WHEREAS, The telecommunications  industry  is  undergoing
10    further  transformation  which  has  resulted  in a flurry of
11    mega-mergers and  consolidations  among  companies  providing
12    both  traditional  and non-traditional telecommunications and
13    Internet-related services; and

14        WHEREAS, The Illinois Commerce Commission has  regulatory
15    authority  to  review  and  approve  only certain mergers and
16    consolidations among telecommunications providers; and

17        WHEREAS, The Illinois Commerce Commission does  not  have
18    authority  to  review mergers and consolidations between long
19    distance companies and cable television companies which  also
20    provide  telecommunications  or  Internet-related services to
21    Illinois citizens; and

22        WHEREAS, The consolidation  and  reorganization  of  long
23    distance  and  cable television companies has not always been
24    in the best interest of Illinois citizens and,  instead,  has
25    resulted   in   the  intentional  unauthorized  switching  of
26    customers' long distance providers, confusing  pricing  plans
27    and,  in  many  cases, charges for monthly service whether or
28    not long-distance calls are placed; and

29        WHEREAS, It is in the best interests of Illinois citizens
30    that  the  State  recognize  that   new   technologies,   new
31    competitive  entrants,  and  ongoing consolidation within the
 
                            -2-                LRB9109380JSpc
 1    telecommunications industry require equal application of  all
 2    regulations on all services providers; and

 3        WHEREAS, If the Illinois Commerce Commission continues to
 4    retain  regulatory  authority  to  review  telecommunications
 5    mergers  in  the  future, that authority should extend to the
 6    review and approval of any and all mergers and consolidations
 7    of all  telecommunications  and  Internet-related  providers,
 8    including    long    distance,    cable    television,    and
 9    Internet-related  companies  which  have  taken  place  since
10    January  1, 1998 or which hereafter take place; therefore, be
11    it

12        RESOLVED,  BY  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES   OF   THE
13    NINETY-FIRST  GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
14    the House Public Utilities Committee, or any other  committee
15    given  authority  to  work  on  the  upcoming  rewrite of the
16    Telecommunications  Article  of  the  Public  Utilities  Act,
17    closely  examine  issues  concerning  the  Illinois  Commerce
18    Commission's    authority    to    review     and     approve
19    telecommunications  mergers and consolidations; and that such
20    committee make recommendations  that  if  such  authority  is
21    continued  in the future, that it be applied uniformly to all
22    telecommunications and Internet-related companies; and be  it
23    further

24        RESOLVED,  That  such committee shall report its findings
25    and recommendations to the House prior to the sunset  of  the
26    Telecommunications Article of the Public Utilities Act.

[ Top ]