HB5756 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB098 19151 RPS 55563 b

98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2013 and 2014
HB5756

Introduced , by Rep. Christian L. Mitchell

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

220 ILCS 5/8-207A new

Amends the Service Obligations and Conditions Article of the Public Utilities Act. Provides that a utility shall reconnect or restore a residential customer's service no later than 48 hours after the resolution of the reason for the disconnection or termination, including entering into a repayment agreement with the utility, if the customer's gas or electric service is used to provide or control the primary source of space heating in the dwelling. Requires a utility to issue a credit to the residential customer's account if the disconnection is made in error or the utility fails to reconnect service for more than 2 days beyond the authorized 48 hours. Prohibits a utility from billing reconnection charges to the residential customer if that customer's service is not reconnected within 48 hours or if service was disconnected in error. Provides that the credits issued to a residential customer's account shall not be a recoverable expense and that the revenue reduction caused by the credits shall not be recoverable in the utility's rates. Defines "monthly customer charge". Provides that electric and gas utilities shall record the time between the resolution of the reason for disconnection and the reconnection of service and include that information in a report filed with the Illinois Commerce Commission providing statistical data concerning numbers of disconnections and reconnections involving utility service and deposits and data concerning the dollar amounts involved in these transactions. Effective immediately.

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning regulation.

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 8-207A as follows:

(220 ILCS 5/8-207A new)

Sec. 8-207A. Service reconnection following resolution of reason for disconnection.

(a) The utility shall reconnect or restore a residential customer's service within 48 hours after the reason for the service disconnection or termination has been remedied, including entering into a repayment agreement with the utility, if the residential customer's gas or electric service is used to provide or control the primary source of space heating in the dwelling.

(b) If the utility does not comply with the requirements in subsection (a), or if service was disconnected in error, the utility shall not bill the residential customer a reconnection charge.

(c) If, through no fault of the residential customer, the utility delays reconnection or restoration of service for 2 or more calendar days beyond the 48 hours authorized by this Section, the utility shall issue a credit to the residential customer's account equal to 2 monthly customer charges.

If a disconnection is made in error, the utility shall issue a credit to the residential customer's account equal to 3 monthly customer charges.

The credits authorized by this subsection (c) shall not be a recoverable expense and the revenue reduction associated with those credits shall not be recovered in rates.

The credits for monthly customer charges authorized by this subsection (c) shall not be prorated.

As used in this Section, "monthly customer charge" means all regular monthly service charges included on a customer's bill that do not reflect the customer's actual usage of electricity or natural gas, including metering charges. "Monthly customer charge" does not include taxes and franchise fees.

(d) In order to enforce the customer credit provisions of this Section, electric and gas utilities shall record the time between the resolution of the reason for disconnection and the reconnection of service and include that information in a report filed with the Commission providing statistical data concerning numbers of disconnections and reconnections involving utility service and deposits and data concerning the dollar amounts involved in these transactions. The Commission shall notify each gas and electric utility on or before August 1 of each year concerning the specific information that will be included in the report for that year.

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