102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2021 and 2022
SB1557

 

Introduced 2/26/2021, by Sen. Celina Villanueva

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
220 ILCS 5/13-301.1  from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-301.1
220 ILCS 5/13-1200
220 ILCS 5/21-1105 new
220 ILCS 5/21-1601

    Amends the Public Utilities Act. Replaces provisions relating to the Universal Telephone Service Assistance Program with provisions that require the Illinois Commerce Commission to establish a Universal Broadband Service Assistance Program. Provides that the Program shall provide for a reduction of monthly charges, a reduction of installation charges, devices used in connection to the Internet, or any other alternative assistance or program to increase accessibility to broadband service and broadband Internet access service that the Commission deems advisable subject to the availability of funds for the program. Makes other conforming changes. Creates a similar program for low-income residential customers of cable and video service providers. Extends the repeal of the Telecommunications and Cable and Video Competition Articles from December 31, 2021 to December 31, 2022. Effective immediately.


LRB102 14042 SPS 19394 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
HOUSING AFFORDABILITY IMPACT NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

SB1557LRB102 14042 SPS 19394 b

1    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 5. The Public Utilities Act is amended by changing
5Section 13-301.1, 13-1200, and 21-1601 and by adding Section
621-1105 as follows:
 
7    (220 ILCS 5/13-301.1)  (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-301.1)
8    (Section scheduled to be repealed on December 31, 2021)
9    Sec. 13-301.1. Universal Broadband Telephone Service
10Assistance Program.
11    (a) The Commission shall by rule or regulation establish a
12Universal Broadband Telephone Service Assistance Program for
13low-income low income residential customers. The program shall
14provide for a reduction of monthly access line charges, a
15reduction of installation connection charges, devices used in
16connection to the Internet, or any other alternative
17assistance or program to increase accessibility to broadband
18telephone service and broadband Internet access service that
19the Commission deems advisable subject to the availability of
20funds for the program as provided in subsections (d) and (e).
21The Commission shall establish eligibility requirements for
22benefits under the program, provided those eligibility
23requirements allow for eligibility verification by

 

 

SB1557- 2 -LRB102 14042 SPS 19394 b

1participants' zip code.
2    (b) (Blank). The Commission shall adopt rules providing
3for enhanced enrollment for eligible consumers to receive
4lifeline service. Enhanced enrollment may include, but is not
5limited to, joint marketing, joint application, or joint
6processing with the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program,
7the Medicaid Program, and the Food Stamp Program. The
8Department of Human Services, the Department of Healthcare and
9Family Services, and the Department of Commerce and Economic
10Opportunity, upon request of the Commission, shall assist in
11the adoption and implementation of those rules. The Commission
12and the Department of Human Services, the Department of
13Healthcare and Family Services, and the Department of Commerce
14and Economic Opportunity may enter into memoranda of
15understanding establishing the respective duties of the
16Commission and the Departments in relation to enhanced
17enrollment.
18    (c) (Blank). In this Section:
19    "Lifeline service" means a retail local service offering
20described by 47 CFR 54.401(a), as amended.
21    (d) The Commission shall require by rule or regulation
22that each telecommunications carrier, wireless carrier, and
23Interconnected VoIP service provider providing communication
24local exchange telecommunications services notify its
25customers that if the customer wishes to participate in the
26funding of the Universal Broadband Telephone Service

 

 

SB1557- 3 -LRB102 14042 SPS 19394 b

1Assistance Program he or she may do so by electing to
2contribute, on a monthly basis, a fixed amount that will be
3included in the customer's monthly bill. The customer may
4cease contributing at any time upon providing notice to the
5telecommunications carrier providing communications local
6exchange telecommunications services. The notice shall state
7that any contribution made will not reduce the customer's bill
8for communications telecommunications services. Failure to
9remit the amount of increased payment will reduce the
10contribution accordingly. The Commission shall specify the
11monthly fixed amount or amounts that customers wishing to
12contribute to the funding of the Universal Broadband Telephone
13Service Assistance Program may choose from in making their
14contributions. Every telecommunications carrier, wireless
15carrier, and Interconnected VoIP service provider providing
16communication local exchange telecommunications services shall
17remit the amounts contributed in accordance with the terms of
18the Universal Broadband Telephone Service Assistance Program.
19    (e) Amounts collected and remitted under subsection (d)
20may, to the extent the Commission deems advisable, be used for
21funding a program to be administered by the entity designated
22by the Commission as administrator of the Universal Broadband
23Telephone Service Assistance Program for educating and
24assisting low-income residential customers with a transition
25to Internet protocol-based networks and services. This entity
26shall include telecommunications carriers, wireless carriers,

 

 

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1Interconnected VOIP carriers, cable and video providers, the
2Illinois Attorney General, and consumer groups, such that the
3entity is balanced between service providers and consumer
4groups. This program may include, but need not be limited to,
5measures designed to notify and educate residential customers
6regarding the availability of alternative voice services with
7access to 9-1-1, access to and use of broadband Internet
8access service, and pricing options.
9(Source: P.A. 100-20, eff. 7-1-17.)
 
10    (220 ILCS 5/13-1200)
11    (Section scheduled to be repealed on December 31, 2021)
12    Sec. 13-1200. Repealer. This Article is repealed December
1331, 2022 2021.
14(Source: P.A. 100-20, eff. 7-1-17; 101-639, eff. 6-12-20.)
 
15    (220 ILCS 5/21-1105 new)
16    Sec. 21-1105. Universal Broadband Service Assistance
17Program.
18    (a) The Commission shall by rule establish a Universal
19Broadband Service Assistance Program for low-income
20residential customers of cable and video service providers.
21The program shall provide for a reduction of monthly charges,
22a reduction of installation charges, devices used in
23connection to the Internet, or any other alternative
24assistance or program to increase accessibility to broadband

 

 

SB1557- 5 -LRB102 14042 SPS 19394 b

1service and broadband Internet access service that the
2Commission deems advisable subject to the availability of
3funds for the program as provided in subsections (b) and (c).
4The Commission shall establish eligibility requirements for
5benefits under the program, provided those eligibility
6requirements allow for eligibility verification by
7participants' zip code.
8    (b) The Commission shall require by rule that each cable
9and video service provider notify its customers that if the
10customer wishes to participate in the funding of the Universal
11Broadband Service Assistance Program he or she may do so by
12electing to contribute, on a monthly basis, a fixed amount
13that will be included in the customer's monthly bill. The
14customer may cease contributing at any time upon providing
15notice to the cable and video service provider. The notice
16shall state that any contribution made will not reduce the
17customer's bill for broadband services. Failure to remit the
18amount of increased payment will reduce the contribution
19accordingly. The Commission shall specify the monthly fixed
20amount or amounts that customers wishing to contribute to the
21funding of the Universal Broadband Service Assistance Program
22may choose from in making their contributions. Every cable and
23video service provider providing service shall remit the
24amounts contributed in accordance with the terms of the
25Universal Broadband Service Assistance Program.
26    (c) Amounts collected and remitted under subsection (b)

 

 

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1may, to the extent the Commission deems advisable, be used for
2funding a program to be administered by the entity designated
3by the Commission as administrator of the Universal Broadband
4Service Assistance Program for educating and assisting
5low-income residential customers with a transition to Internet
6protocol-based networks and services. This entity shall
7include telecommunications carriers, wireless carriers,
8Interconnected VOIP carriers, cable and video service
9providers, the Illinois Attorney General, and consumer groups,
10such that the entity is balanced between service providers and
11consumer groups. This program may include, but need not be
12limited to, measures designed to notify and educate
13residential customers regarding the availability of
14alternative voice services with access to 9-1-1, access to and
15use of broadband Internet access service, and pricing options.
 
16    (220 ILCS 5/21-1601)
17    Sec. 21-1601. Repealer. Sections 21-101 through 21-1501 of
18this Article are repealed December 31, 2022 2021.
19(Source: P.A. 100-20, eff. 7-1-17; 101-639, eff. 6-12-20.)
 
20    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
21becoming law.