Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HB5546
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Full Text of HB5546  103rd General Assembly

HB5546ham001 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Rep. Lawrence "Larry" Walsh, Jr.

Filed: 4/16/2024

 

 


 

 


 
10300HB5546ham001LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1
AMENDMENT TO HOUSE BILL 5546

2    AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend House Bill 5546 by replacing
3everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4    "Section 5. The Illinois Underground Utility Facilities
5Damage Prevention Act is amended by changing Sections 1, 2, 3,
64, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 11.3, 11.5, 12, 13, and 14 and by adding
7Sections 4.1, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, and 7.5 as follows:
 
8    (220 ILCS 50/1)  (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 1601)
9    Sec. 1. This Act shall be known, and may be cited, as the
10Illinois Underground Utility Facilities Damage Prevention Act,
11and for the purposes of participating in the State of Illinois
12Joint Purchasing Program, the State-Wide One-Call Notice
13System, commonly referred to as "JULIE, Inc.", shall be
14considered as created by this Act.
15(Source: P.A. 96-714, eff. 1-1-10.)
 

 

 

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1    (220 ILCS 50/2)  (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 1602)
2    Sec. 2. Definitions. As used in this Act, unless the
3context clearly otherwise requires, the terms specified in
4this Section Sections 2.1 through 2.11 have the meanings
5ascribed to them in this Section in those Sections.
6    "Approximate location" means the location of the marked
7facility that lies entirely within the tolerance zone.
8    Circumstances that are "beyond the reasonable control" of
9a party include, but are not limited to, severe weather,
10unforeseen mechanical issues, or site conditions. As used in
11Section 11, "beyond the reasonable control" also includes, but
12is not limited to, notice volumes or dig site notification
13areas that exceed historical averages, as determined by the
14reasonable control measurement, created as a result of
15underground utility facility owners or operators or their
16contractors or subcontractors' non-emergency requests for
17utility excavation work for underground utility facility
18owners or operators, that is not part of a large project that
19has provided at least 60 days notice, and only applies to the
20requests submitted by underground utility facility owners or
21operators or their contractors or subcontractors'
22non-emergency utility excavation work for underground utility
23facility owners or operators.
24    "Damage" means the contact or dislocation of a facility
25during excavation or demolition that necessitates immediate or
26subsequent repair by the underground utility facility owner or

 

 

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1operator due to any partial or complete destruction of the
2facility, including, but not limited to, the protective
3coating, tracer wire, lateral support, cathodic protection, or
4housing for the line or device of the facility.
5    "Damage notification" means a notification through JULIE
6to the underground utility facility owner or operator that
7damage to a facility has occurred in the area of the excavation
8or demolition.
9    "Day" means any day, beginning at 12:00 a.m. and ending at
1011:59 p.m. "Day" does not include holidays recognized by
11JULIE, Saturdays, Sundays, and the day of the actual notice.
12    "Demolition" means the wrecking, razing, rending, moving,
13or removing of a structure by means of any power tool, power
14equipment (exclusive of transportation equipment), or
15explosives.
16    "Emergency request" means a request involving a condition
17(1) that constitutes an imminent danger to life, health, or
18property or a utility service outage (2) and that requires
19repair or action before the expiration of 2 days.
20    "Excavation" means:
21        (1) any operation in which earth, rock, or other
22    material in or on the ground is moved, removed, or
23    otherwise displaced by means of any tools, power equipment
24    or explosives, and includes, without limitation, grading,
25    trenching, digging, ditching, drilling, augering, boring,
26    tunneling, scraping, cable or pipe plowing, saw cutting or

 

 

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1    roadway surface milling when penetrating into the base or
2    subbase of a paved surface, and driving, but does not
3    include:
4            (A) farm tillage operations;
5            (B) railroad right-of-way maintenance;
6            (C) coal mining operations regulated under the
7        federal Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of
8        1977 or any State law or rules or regulations adopted
9        under the federal statute;
10            (D) land surveying operations as defined in the
11        Illinois Professional Land Surveyor Act of 1989 when
12        not using power equipment;
13            (E) roadway surface milling;
14            (F) manually inserting, without the use of power
15        equipment, a temporary round-tipped ground or probe
16        rod as part of facility locating;
17            (G) manually inserting, without the use of power
18        equipment, a temporary round-tipped probe rod for bar
19        holing to determine the area of a potential leak from a
20        facility transporting hazardous gases or liquids; or
21            (H) manually inserting, without the use of power
22        equipment, a round-tipped ground rod for the purpose
23        of grounding utility equipment when an emergency
24        exists and no other ground source is available.
25        (2) An exclusion to this Section in no way prohibits a
26    request from being made for the marking of facilities.

 

 

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1        (3) Any exception to excavation contained within this
2    Section is not intended to remove liability that may be
3    imposed against an individual or entity because of damage
4    caused to a facility.
5    "Excavator" means any person or legal entity, public or
6private, that engages in excavation or demolition work.
7    "Exposed notification" means a notification through JULIE
8to the underground utility facility owner or operator that an
9unmarked facility has been exposed in the area of the
10excavation or demolition but has not been damaged.
11    "Extension" means a request made by an excavator, to
12extend the expiration date of a normal notice to allow
13additional time to continue or complete the excavation or
14demolition project.
15        (1) An extension request may be made no earlier than
16    the 20th day from the initial normal notice request or
17    latest extension request.
18        (2) An extension request shall extend the expiration
19    of the initial normal notice request or latest extension
20    request by 25 days.
21        (3) An extension request may not be made simply to
22    keep a prior notice open without continued excavation
23    occurring within the period of that subsequent notice.
24    "Geographic information system data" means data to be
25applied to JULIE software to facilitate a more clearly defined
26notification area for notices sent to the system underground

 

 

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1utility facility owners or operators. "Geographic information
2system data" includes, but is not limited to:
3        (1) address points with site addresses;
4        (2) parcels with site addresses;
5        (3) road center lines with names and address range;
6        (4) city limits with names;
7        (5) political townships with names;
8        (6) railroads with names;
9        (7) streams with names; and
10        (8) water bodies with names.
11    "Historical averages" are used to determine benchmark
12notice volumes or dig site notification areas for a particular
13place. The notice volume is calculated for new and updated
14requests requiring an underground utility facility owner or
15operator response. It shall not include notices with a header
16of noshow, incomplete, or noremark. The dig site notification
17area is calculated using the dig site polygon on the notice.
18The 7 day look back shall be calculated once daily at the
19conclusion of the previous calendar day. "Historic averages"
20shall be determined by comparing notice volumes or dig site
21notification areas over the immediate past 7 calendar days to
22the same 7 calendar day period for the past 5 years. A 5-year
23trimmed mean, removing the highest and lowest years, and
24averaging the remaining 3 years, shall be the final
25determinate of this measurement. The official measurement of
26the notice volumes or dig site notification areas shall be

 

 

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1provided by JULIE.
2    "Incomplete request" means a notice initiated by an
3excavator through JULIE to the underground utility facility
4owners or operators notified in a prior request that such
5underground utility facility owners or operators, as
6identified by the excavator and confirmed, through the
7positive response system once implemented, in accordance with
8subsection (a) of Section 5.1, did not completely mark the
9entire extent or the entire segment of the proposed
10excavation, as identified on the prior notice or as previously
11documented and mutually agreed upon.
12    "Joint meet notification" means a notice of a meeting held
13prior to the excavation phase to discuss projects that cannot
14be adequately communicated within a normal notice request. The
15meeting is intended to allow the exchange of maps, plans, or
16schedules. It is not a locating session and shall be held at or
17near the excavation site, or through electronic means, if
18available and agreed to by all parties. "Joint meet
19notification" are not to be used in lieu of valid normal notice
20requests and are required for, but not limited to, large
21projects.
22    "JULIE, Inc." or "JULIE" means the communication system
23known as "JULIE, Inc." or "JULIE", utilized by excavators,
24designers, or any other entities covered by this Act to notify
25underground utility facility owners or operators of their
26intent to perform excavation or demolition or similar work as

 

 

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1defined by this Act and shall include all underground utility
2facilities owned or operated outside the city limits of the
3City of Chicago.
4    "Large project" means a single excavation that exceeds the
5expiration date of a normal notice request, or involves a
6series of repetitive, related-scope excavations.
7    "Normal notice request" means a notification made by an
8excavator, through JULIE, in advance of a planned excavation
9or demolition.
10        (1) The notification shall be made at least 2 days,
11    but no more than 10 days, before beginning the planned
12    excavation or demolition.
13        (2) Excavation or demolition on a normal notice
14    request is valid for 25 days from the date of the initial
15    request unless a subsequent extension request is made.
16        (3) Normal notice requests shall be limited to one
17    quarter of a contiguous mile within a municipality and one
18    contiguous mile within any unincorporated area, which
19    includes townships.
20        (4) Normal notice requests are valid for a single
21    right-of-way with an exception for intersecting
22    rights-of-way of 250 feet in all directions. Any
23    excavation continuing beyond 250 feet on a connecting
24    right-of-way shall require an additional request.
25    "No show request" means a notice initiated by an excavator
26through JULIE to the underground utility facility owners or

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 9 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1operators notified in the prior notice that such underground
2utility facility owners or operators, as identified by the
3excavator and confirmed, once implemented, in accordance with
4subsection (a) of Section 5.1, either failed to mark their
5facilities or to communicate their non-involvement with the
6excavation prior to the dig start date and time on the notice.
7    "Notice" means any record transmitted to an underground
8utility facility owner or operator of JULIE which shall
9include, but not be limited to, cancel, damage, emergency,
10exposed, extension, incomplete, joint meet, no show, normal,
11planning design, or re-mark.
12    "Open cut utility locate" means a method of locating
13facilities that requires excavation by the underground utility
14facility owner or operator, or their contractor or
15subcontractor.
16    "Place" means any incorporated city, village or town, or
17unincorporated township or road district, listed within the
18JULIE database.
19    "Planning design request" means the process prior to the
20excavation phase of a project where information is gathered
21and decisions are made regarding the route or location of a
22proposed excavation. The use of the information that is
23obtainable pursuant to this Section is intended to minimize
24delays of future construction projects and not for imminent
25excavation. The underground utility facility owner or operator
26may indicate any portion of the information that is

 

 

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1proprietary and require the planner or designer to protect the
2proprietary information.
3    "Positive response system" means an automated system
4facilitated by JULIE allowing underground utility facility
5owners or operators to communicate to an excavator the
6presence, absence, or response status of any conflict between
7the existing facilities in or near the area of excavation or
8demolition on each notice received.
9    "Pre-mark" means the use of white paint, chalk, lathe,
10whiskers, flags, or electronic white lining using lines or
11polygons to delineate the work area at the site of the proposed
12excavation or demolition. Unless otherwise stated on the
13request, all pre-marks are considered a request for a 5-foot
14radius of an above ground fixed structure or single point
15pre-mark, or a 10-foot-wide path for linear work.
16        (1) Physical pre-marking for the area of the planned
17    excavation or demolition shall be accomplished prior to
18    notifying JULIE if the area of excavation cannot be
19    clearly and adequately identified in the normal notice
20    request.
21        (2) Electronic white lining may be used when
22    available. Electronic white lining provides an alternative
23    method where an excavator may indicate their defined dig
24    area visually by electronic data entry, including lines or
25    polygons, without the need for a physical site visit. The
26    technology allows the excavator to identify for the

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 11 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1    underground utility facility owner or operator a clear
2    delineation of their proposed excavation area.
3        (3) A verbal or written pre-mark is adequate when the
4    scope requested to be marked is narrow and explicit enough
5    to prevent marking beyond the actual area of excavation or
6    demolition. An existing above ground fixed structure may
7    be referenced as a verbal or written pre-mark.
8    "Project owner" means the person or legal entity, public
9or private, that is financially responsible for the
10undertaking of a project that involves excavation or
11demolition.
12    "Reasonable control measurement" shall use the historical
13averages and add to the calculation either of the following
14conditions that shall be met for the place to be considered
15beyond the reasonable control of the underground utility
16facility owner or operator:
17        (1) the total notice volume count over the previous 7
18    calendar days shall increase by more than 15% of the
19    historic average, and increase by not less than 25
20    additional notices over the previous 7 calendar days; or
21        (2) the total dig site notification area over the
22    previous 7 calendar days shall increase by more than 15%
23    of the historic average, and not less than 0.4 additional
24    square miles over the previous 7 calendar days.
25    The official measurement shall be provided by JULIE.
26    "Residential property owner" means any individual or

 

 

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1entity that owns or leases real property that is used by the
2individual or entity as its residence or dwelling. Residential
3property owner does not include any persons who own or lease
4residential property for the purpose of holding or developing
5such property or for any other business or commercial
6purposes.
7    "Roadway surface milling" means the removal of a uniform
8pavement section by rotomilling, grinding, saw cutting, or
9other means that does not penetrate into the roadway base or
10subbase.
11    "Service lateral" means underground facilities located in
12a public right-of-way or utility easement that connects an end
13user's building or property to an underground utility facility
14owner's or operator's facility.
15    "Submerged" means any facility installed below the surface
16of a lake, river, or navigable waterway.
17    "Tolerance zone" means:
18        (1) if the diameter of the underground utility
19    facility is indicated, the distance of one-half of the
20    known diameter plus one and one-half feet on either side
21    of the designated center line of the underground utility
22    facility marking;
23        (2) if the diameter of the underground utility
24    facility is not indicated, one and one-half feet on either
25    side of the outside edge of the underground utility
26    facility marking; or

 

 

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1        (3) if submerged, a distance of 30 feet on either side
2    of the indicated facility.
3        The underground utility facility markings provided
4    shall not indicate that the width of the marked
5    underground utility facility is any greater than the
6    actual width of the underground utility facility or 2
7    inches, whichever is greater. The tolerance zone shall
8    also apply to visible utility structures, including, but
9    not limited to, poles with overhead to underground
10    transitions, pedestals, transformers, meters, hydrants,
11    and valve boxes. There shall be a one and one-half foot
12    tolerance zone horizontally around such facilities.
13    "Underground utility facility" or "facility" means and
14includes wires, ducts, fiber optic cable, conduits, pipes,
15sewers, and cables and their connected appurtenances installed
16or existing beneath the surface of the ground or submerged and
17either owned, operated, or controlled by:
18        (1) a public utility as defined in the Public
19    Utilities Act;
20        (2) a municipally owned or mutually owned utility
21    providing a similar utility service;
22        (3) a pipeline entity transporting gases, crude oil,
23    petroleum products, or other hydrocarbon materials within
24    the State;
25        (4) a telecommunications carrier as defined in the
26    Universal Telephone Service Protection Law of 1985, or by

 

 

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1    a company described in Section 1 of the Telephone Company
2    Act;
3        (5) a community antenna television system, as defined
4    in the Illinois Municipal Code or the Counties Code;
5        (6) a holder or broadband service, as those terms are
6    defined in the Cable and Video Competition Law of 2007;
7        (7) any other entity owning or operating underground
8    facilities that transport or generate electrical power to
9    other utility owners or operators;
10        (8) an electric cooperative as defined in the Public
11    Utilities Act; and
12        (9) any other active member of JULIE.
13(Source: P.A. 94-623, eff. 8-18-05.)
 
14    (220 ILCS 50/3)  (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 1603)
15    Sec. 3. JULIE Membership. The owners or operators of
16underground utility facilities are required to be members of
17JULIE. JULIE shall require that all facility information
18needed to operate JULIE within each underground utility
19facility owner's or operator's domain be identified and
20provided by the underground utility facility owner or operator
21to JULIE or CATS facilities that are not currently
22participants in the State-Wide One-Call Notice System shall,
23within 6 months of the effective date of this Act, join the
24State-Wide One-Call Notice System. This Section shall not
25apply to utilities operating facilities or CATS facilities

 

 

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1exclusively within the boundaries of a municipality with a
2population of at least one million persons.
3(Source: P.A. 86-674.)
 
4    (220 ILCS 50/4)  (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 1604)
5    Sec. 4. Required activities. Every excavator person who
6engages in nonemergency excavation or demolition shall:
7        (a) take reasonable action to inform the excavator
8    himself of the location of any underground utility
9    facilities in and near the area for which such operation
10    is to be conducted;
11        (b) plan the excavation or demolition to avoid or
12    minimize interference with underground utility facilities
13    within the tolerance zone by utilizing such precautions
14    that include, but are not limited to, hand or excavation,
15    vacuum excavation methods to the depth of the proposed
16    excavation or demolition, and visually inspecting the
17    excavation while in progress until clear of the
18    approximate location of the existing marked facility;
19        (c) pre-mark the area of excavation if practical, use
20    white paint, flags, stakes, or both, to outline the dig
21    site;
22        (d) provide notice not less than 2 days 48 hours but no
23    more than 10 14 calendar days in advance of the start of
24    the excavation or demolition to the owners or operators of
25    the underground utility facilities at or in and near the

 

 

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1    excavation or demolition area through JULIE the State-Wide
2    One-Call Notice System or, in the case of nonemergency
3    excavation or demolition within the boundaries of a
4    municipality of at least one million persons which
5    operates its own one-call notice system, through the
6    one-call notice system which operates in that
7    municipality.
8        At a minimum, the notice required under this
9    subsection (d) shall provide:
10            (1) the excavator's person's name, address, phone
11        number at which the excavator a person can be reached,
12        and fax number, if available, a fax number and email
13        address;
14            (2) the start date and time of the planned
15        excavation or demolition;
16            (3) the county and place or places all counties,
17        cities, or townships, or any combination thereof,
18        where the proposed excavation shall take place;
19            (4) the address or location at which the
20        excavation or demolition shall take place;
21            (5) the type of work, and extent, and description
22        of the area where the excavation or demolition is to
23        occur of the work involved; and
24            (6) the section or quarter sections when the
25        information in items (1) through (5) of this
26        subsection (d) does not allow JULIE the State-Wide

 

 

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1        One-Call Notice System to determine the appropriate
2        excavation or demolition site. This item (6) does not
3        apply to residential property owners;
4            (7) an indication of whether directional boring or
5        horizontal directional drilling will be used;
6            (8) an indication of whether the excavation will
7        exceed 7 feet in depth;
8            (9) an indication of how the proposed excavation
9        or demolition has been pre-marked;
10            (10) the identity of the project owner; and
11            (11) the latitude and longitude of the relevant
12        area, if available.
13        The information specified in items (1) through (10) is
14    still required when providing latitude and longitude;
15        (e) provide, during and following excavation or
16    demolition, such support for existing underground utility
17    facilities in and near the excavation or demolition area
18    as may be reasonably necessary for the protection of such
19    facilities and known service laterals unless otherwise
20    agreed to by the owner or operator of the underground
21    facility or owners of any known service laterals;
22        (f) backfill all excavations in such manner and with
23    such materials as may be reasonably necessary for the
24    protection of existing underground utility facilities in
25    and near the excavation or demolition area;
26        (g) after February 29, 2004, when the excavation or

 

 

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1    demolition project will extend past 28 calendar days from
2    the 25-day expiration date of the original notice provided
3    under clause (d) or a subsequent extension notice, if
4    marks are requested, the excavator shall pre-mark prior to
5    requesting any subsequent extension notice , the excavator
6    shall provide a subsequent notice to the owners or
7    operators of the underground utility facilities in and
8    near the excavation or demolition area through the
9    State-Wide One-Call Notice System or, in the case of
10    excavation or demolition within the boundaries of a
11    municipality having a population of at least 1,000,000
12    inhabitants that operates its own one-call notice system,
13    through the one-call notice system that operates in that
14    municipality informing utility owners and operators that
15    additional time to complete the excavation or demolition
16    project will be required. The notice will provide the
17    excavator with an additional 28 calendar days from the
18    date of the subsequent notification to continue or
19    complete the excavation or demolition project;
20        (h) exercise due care at all times to protect
21    underground utility facilities and known service laterals.
22    If, after proper notification through JULIE the State-Wide
23    One-Call Notice System and upon arrival at the site of the
24    proposed excavation, the excavator observes clear evidence
25    of the presence of an unmarked or incompletely marked
26    facility utility in the area of the proposed excavation,

 

 

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1    the excavator shall provide subsequent notice through
2    JULIE of the unmarked or incompletely marked area and
3    shall not begin excavating until all affected facilities
4    have been marked or 2 hours, whichever is shorter, unless
5    a greater time is provided by the excavator through JULIE
6    after an additional call is made to the State-Wide
7    One-Call Notice System for the area. The underground
8    utility facility owner or operator of the facility utility
9    shall respond within 2 hours unless a greater time is
10    provided by the excavator through JULIE of the excavator's
11    call to the State-Wide One-Call Notice System; and
12        (i) when factors, including, but not limited to,
13    weather, construction activity, or vandalism, at the
14    excavation site have caused the facility utility markings
15    to become faded or indistinguishable, the excavator shall
16    pre-mark again and provide a re-mark request an additional
17    notice through JULIE the State-Wide One-Call Notice System
18    requesting that only the affected areas where excavation
19    or demolition is to continue be re-marked. Underground
20    utility facility Facility owners or operators must respond
21    to the notice to re-mark by the dig start date and time on
22    the notice; and according to the requirements of Section
23    10 of this Act.
24        (j) for informational and planning purposes only,
25    prior notice of large projects may be provided to
26    underground utility facility owners or operators through

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 20 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1    JULIE greater than 10 days in advance of the large project
2    commencing.
3    Nothing in this Section prohibits the use of any method of
4excavation if conducted in a manner that would avoid
5interference with underground utility facilities.
6(Source: P.A. 96-714, eff. 1-1-10.)
 
7    (220 ILCS 50/4.1 new)
8    Sec. 4.1. Watch and protect.
9    (a) If, upon notice from JULIE, an underground utility
10facility owner or operator determines that the facility is
11within the proposed excavation area and the underground
12utility facility owner or operator desires to have an
13authorized representative present during excavation near the
14facility, the underground utility facility owner or operator
15shall contact the excavator prior to the dig start date and
16time provided on the notice to schedule a date and time for the
17underground utility facility owner or operator to be present
18when excavation will occur near the facility.
19    (b) All excavators shall comply with the underground
20utility facility owner's or operator's request to be present
21during excavation near a owner or operator's facilities. In
22lieu of having an authorized representative present, the
23underground utility facility owner or operator may choose to
24perform an open cut utility locate of the facility to expose
25its location. The underground utility facility owner or

 

 

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1operator shall comply with the excavator's schedule for when
2excavation will occur near the facility.
3    (c) After excavation has started, if excavation near the
4underground utility facilities stops by more than one day and
5then recommences, the excavator shall establish direct contact
6with the underground utility facility owner or operator not
7less than one day prior to the excavation, each time the
8excavation is to occur, to advise the underground utility
9facility owner or operator of the excavation taking place.
10    (d) Nothing in this Section shall prohibit an excavator
11from excavating prudently and carefully near the underground
12utility facility without the underground utility facility
13owner or operator present if the underground utility facility
14owner or operator waives the request to be present or to
15complete an open cut utility locate exposing the facility or
16is unable to comply with the excavator's schedule.
 
17    (220 ILCS 50/5.1 new)
18    Sec. 5.1. Positive response system.
19    (a) Beginning January 1, 2026, an excavator shall confirm
20through the positive response system prior to excavation or
21demolition that all underground utility facility owners or
22operators that are identified on the notice have provided a
23status update, responded, or marked or provided an all-clear
24notification.
25    (b) Beginning January 1, 2026, an underground utility

 

 

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1facility owner or operator shall respond through the positive
2response system by the dig start date and time on the notice
3with an appropriate and accurate system code. A minimal delay
4not to exceed one hour or when the marking of the facilities is
5complete, whichever is longer, in reporting a system code in
6response to an emergency request shall not be a violation of
7this Section.
8    (c) If an underground utility facility owner or operator
9fails to respond or provide a status update through the
10positive response system by the dig start date and time on the
11notice, or a later time as otherwise agreed upon and submitted
12through the positive response system, JULIE shall transmit an
13additional notification to that underground utility facility
14owner or operator and shall continue to send out daily
15notifications until the positive response system receives a
16response confirming compliance with this Section.
17    (d) If an underground utility facility owner or operator
18fails to respond or provide a status update to the positive
19response system, the excavator may proceed after providing a
20no show or incomplete request through JULIE. The notified
21underground utility facility owners or operators shall respond
22by the dig start date and time on the notice.
23    (e) If all notified underground utility facility owners or
24operators have responded as "marked" or "clear" prior to the
25expiration of the dig start date and time on the notice, the
26wait time shall be considered expired and no additional wait

 

 

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1time is required prior to commencing with the excavation or
2demolition work listed on the notice.
 
3    (220 ILCS 50/5.2 new)
4    Sec. 5.2. Planning design request.
5    (a) An underground utility facility owner or operator
6shall have the following responsibilities:
7        (1) respond to a valid planning design request within
8    10 days after receiving the request or by such other date
9    as shall be mutually agreed upon between the underground
10    utility facility owner or operator and the designer or
11    planner. The underground utility facility owner or
12    operator shall provide information regarding the location,
13    size, if greater than 1.5 inches in diameter, which shall
14    be generically listed as communication, electric, gas,
15    water, sewer, streetlight, or traffic control and if
16    direct buried or in conduit or a duct package, of
17    facilities based on the best information available to the
18    underground utility facility owner or operator within the
19    scope of the proposed project;
20        (2) respond to a planning design request in one of the
21    following methods:
22            (A) provide the most current digital, KMZ file or
23        shapefile, or paper drawings or prints, that are drawn
24        to scale, when available, and include visible utility
25        structures, including measurements from back of curb,

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 24 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1        sidewalk, edge of pavement, centerline of ditch,
2        property lines, and other similar items;
3            (B) request the proposed plans or drawings from
4        the designer or planner and illustrate the location of
5        the underground utility facility owner's or operator's
6        facilities, drawn to scale, and, if available, provide
7        the type and size, as described in paragraph (1), of
8        the facilities, including visible structures on the
9        plans;
10            (C) locate and mark the underground utility
11        facility owner's or operator's facilities within the
12        scope of the proposed project, as agreed to with the
13        planner or designer;
14            (D) if the responding underground utility facility
15        owner or operator is unable to comply with paragraph
16        (A) or (B), then the underground utility facility
17        owner or operator shall mark the facilities within the
18        scope of the proposed project, as agreed to with the
19        planner or designer; or
20            (E) if marking of infrastructure is the preferred
21        or required response of the underground utility
22        facility owner or operator, the underground utility
23        facility owner or operator need only mark main line
24        facilities or any service lines that would otherwise
25        be considered main line due to size or type, as
26        described in paragraph (1); and

 

 

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1        (3) may charge a nominal fee to locate and mark the
2    proposed project, as described in subparagraph (C) or (D)
3    of paragraph (2).
4    (b) The planner or designer shall have the following
5responsibilities:
6        (1) follow the guidelines set forth in CI/ASCE 38-02
7    Standard Guidelines for the Collection and Depiction of
8    Existing Subsurface Utility Data, as from time to time
9    amended, when preparing plans or drawings;
10        (2) illustrate on all appropriate documents the
11    position, size, and type, as described in paragraph (1) of
12    subsection (a), of all known facilities obtained in the
13    planning design request process and include the valid
14    planning design request number provided by JULIE on any
15    plans or drawings; and
16        (3) make all reasonable efforts to prepare the plans
17    or drawings to minimize interference with known existing
18    and proposed facilities in the proposed project area.
19    (c) A planning design request shall include the following
20information:
21        (1) name, address, telephone number, office and cell
22    phone, and, if available, email address of the designated
23    contact requesting the information;
24        (2) name, address, telephone number, office and cell
25    phone, and, if available, email address of the project
26    owner;

 

 

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1        (3) the approximate date when the facility information
2    is required; and
3        (4) the specific area requiring facility information
4    by one or more of the following means:
5            (A) the county and place or places involved in the
6        proposed project;
7            (B) street names involved in the proposed project
8        or the north, south, east, and west boundaries of the
9        proposed project or the section number or numbers
10        involved in the proposed project;
11            (C) latitude and longitude coordinates of the
12        outside edges of the proposed project;
13            (D) digital data such as, but not limited to,
14        shapefiles when technology and software allow; and
15            (E) the type of work projected to take place
16        within the proposed project.
17    Any known site-specific facility information shall be made
18available to the project owner to be delivered to qualified
19bidders of the proposed project.
 
20    (220 ILCS 50/5.3 new)
21    Sec. 5.3. Joint meet notification.
22    (a) A joint meet notification shall include the following
23information:
24        (1) the excavator's name, address, phone number at
25    which the excavator can be reached, and, if available, a

 

 

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1    fax number and email address;
2        (2) the county and place or places where the work will
3    be performed;
4        (3) street names involved in the project or the north,
5    south, east, and west boundaries of the project or the
6    section number or numbers involved in the project;
7        (4) the date, time, and location where the joint meet
8    will take place, which shall be near the project site; and
9        (5) a minimum advance notice of the joint meet of 2
10    days, but no more than 60 days prior to the planned start
11    of excavation or demolition.
12    (b) Upon the receipt of a joint meet notification, an
13underground utility facility owner or operator shall attend
14the joint meet, either in-person or remotely, at the specified
15time and location. If there is a conflict between joint meet
16notifications, an excavator that provided a joint meet
17notification may receive a communication from an underground
18utility facility owner or operator requesting an alternate
19meeting time or date.
20    (c) When a joint meet notification occurs as part of a
21large project, the excavator shall notify the project owner
22and the designer or planner when and where the joint meet is to
23occur.
24    (d) Multiple joint meets shall be required in the case of a
25large project that extends into multiple places. The excavator
26shall schedule, at a minimum, one joint meet per place to

 

 

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1accommodate travel restrictions of responding underground
2utility facility owners or operators. A single electronic
3meeting covering multiple places is also acceptable.
4    (e) Prior to the meeting, the excavator shall physically
5or electronically pre-mark the extent of the initial request
6for the proposed excavation area or route if normal notice
7requests are planned to be submitted with excavation beginning
8after the minimum advance notice of 2 days after the joint
9meet. The minimum advance notice for a large project is 5 days.
10    (f) The individuals participating in the joint meet shall
11agree to their individual obligations consistent with the
12project. The underground utility facility owner or operator,
13along with the excavator involved, shall work in a cooperative
14manner to negotiate in good faith. These obligations may vary
15from project to project. The individuals participating at the
16joint meet shall have the flexibility to make decisions
17consistent with the project's parameters. The individuals
18participating in the joint meet are not required to set
19specific standards for all projects.
20    (g) The scope of the project shall be defined at the joint
21meet and specific project details, including, but not limited
22to, the number of phases, and the number of excavation crews
23working for the contractor or subcontractors, to the extent
24that the information can be determined.
25    (h) The size and number of normal notice requests agreed
26to be submitted at one time at the joint meet shall be

 

 

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1documented by the excavator in the meeting notes and made
2available to those participating in the joint meet. Any
3mutually agreed upon initial or amended meeting notes shall,
4at a minimum, include: (1) the date and time of the
5interaction; (2) all names of the individuals involved, and
6(3) an acknowledgment by the individuals that agreed to the
7meeting notes. Meeting notes shall be retained by the
8excavator through JULIE, Inc., for at least 5 years after the
9date of the joint meet.
10    (i) If an underground utility facility owner or operator
11fails to attend the joint meet and does not request an
12alternate time or date to meet prior to commencement of
13excavation, the excavator may proceed according to the
14agreement reached with those attending the meeting.
15    (j) Within 60 days after the joint meet, the excavator
16shall submit the normal notice requests consistent with the
17agreements reached at the joint meet.
18    (k) The initial normal notice requests submitted after the
19joint meet shall require a minimum of 2 days advance notice and
205 days advance notice for large projects. All remaining normal
21notice requests shall be submitted in agreement with the joint
22meet schedule and provide a minimum advance notice of 2 days.
23The excavator shall not submit normal notice requests until
24after the joint meet.
25    (l) If the project start is delayed more than 60 days, or
26the scope of the project changes after the joint meet has been

 

 

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1held and the locate schedule agreed to, a new joint meet
2notification shall be required.
3    (m) If an excavator creates multiple normal notice
4requests for a single project without a joint meet being held,
5an affected underground utility facility owner or operator may
6contact the excavator and recommend the excavator follow the
7joint meet process to assist in working out a locate schedule.
8A notified excavator that fails to follow the joint meet
9process may realize delays in marking of facilities on their
10project. In accordance with subsection (e) of Section 10, a
11delay in marking is not necessarily deemed a violation of this
12Act.
 
13    (220 ILCS 50/5.4 new)
14    Sec. 5.4. Geographic information system data. Geographic
15information system data shall be provided to JULIE by any
16county or State agency that has provided substantially similar
17data to any other not-for-profit or State agency utilizing
18such data for public display of information or to be utilized
19by a not-for-profit or agency in the interest of public
20safety. This data shall be provided to JULIE at a cost not to
21exceed the actual cost of transmission of the data.
 
22    (220 ILCS 50/6)  (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 1606)
23    Sec. 6. Emergency excavation or demolition.
24    (a) Every excavator person who engages in emergency

 

 

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1excavation or demolition outside of the boundaries of a
2municipality of at least one million persons which operates
3its own one-call notice system shall take all reasonable
4precautions to avoid or minimize interference between the
5emergency work and existing underground utility facilities in
6and near the excavation or demolition area, through the
7State-Wide One-Call Notice System, and shall notify, as far in
8advance as possible, the underground utility facility owners
9or operators of such underground utility facilities in and
10near the emergency excavation or demolition area, through
11JULIE the State-Wide One-Call Notice System. At a minimum, the
12notice required under this subsection (a) shall provide:
13        (1) the excavator's person's name, address, and (i)
14    phone number at which the excavator with knowledge of the
15    emergency excavation or demolition a person can be reached
16    and (ii) fax number, if available, a fax number and email
17    address;
18        (2) the start date and time of the planned emergency
19    excavation or demolition;
20        (3) the address or location at which the emergency
21    excavation or demolition will take place; and
22        (4) the type of work, extent, and description of the
23    area where the emergency excavation or demolition is to
24    occur; and
25        (5) the county and place or places where the emergency
26    excavation or demolition will take place and extent of the

 

 

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1    work involved.
2    (b) There is a minimum wait time of 2 hours or the date and
3time requested on the notice, whichever is longer, after an
4emergency locate notification request is made through JULIE
5the State-Wide One-Call Notice System. If the conditions at
6the site dictate an earlier start than the date and time on the
7notice required wait time, it is the responsibility of the
8excavator to demonstrate that site conditions warranted this
9earlier start time.
10    (c) Upon notice by the excavator person engaged in
11emergency excavation or demolition, the underground utility
12facility owner or operator owner or operator of an underground
13utility facility in or near the excavation or demolition area
14shall communicate with the excavator person engaged in
15emergency excavation or demolition within 2 hours or by the
16date and time requested on the notice, whichever is longer by:
17        (1) marking the approximate location of underground
18    facilities;
19        (2) advising the excavator person excavating that
20    their underground facilities are not in conflict with the
21    emergency excavation or demolition; or
22        (3) notifying the excavator person excavating that the
23    underground utility facility owner or operator shall be
24    delayed in marking because of conditions as referenced in
25    subsection (g) of Section 11 of this Act.
26    (d) The notice by the underground utility facility owner

 

 

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1or operator to the excavator shall be provided utilizing the
2positive response system, in accordance with Section 5.1, and
3prior to January 1, 2026 may also person engaged in emergency
4excavation or demolition may be provided by phone or phone
5message or by marking the excavation or demolition area. The
6underground utility facility owner or operator has discharged
7the underground utility facility owner's or operator's
8obligation to provide notice under this Section if the
9underground utility facility owner or operator attempts to
10provide notice by positive response or by telephone but is
11unable to do so because the excavator person engaged in the
12emergency excavation or demolition does not answer the his or
13her telephone or does not have an answering machine, or
14answering service, or voicemail to receive the telephone call
15or positive response, in accordance with Section 5.1. If the
16underground utility facility owner or operator attempts to
17provide additional notice by telephone or by facsimile but
18receives a busy signal, that attempt shall not discharge the
19underground utility facility owner or operator from the
20obligation to provide notice under this Section.
21    (b) Every person who engages in emergency excavation or
22demolition within the boundaries of a municipality of at least
23one million persons which operates its own one-call notice
24system shall take all reasonable precautions to avoid or
25minimize interference between the emergency work and existing
26underground utility facilities in and near the excavation or

 

 

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1demolition area, through the municipality's one-call notice
2system, and shall notify, as far in advance as possible, the
3owners and operators of underground utility facilities in and
4near the emergency excavation or demolition area, through the
5municipality's one-call notice system.
6    (e) (c) The reinstallation of traffic control devices
7shall be deemed an emergency for purposes of this Section.
8    (f) (d) An open cut utility locate shall be deemed an
9emergency for purposes of this Section.
10    (g) During an emergency situation, where the underground
11utility facility owner or operator has a widespread emergency
12situation beyond the equipment or personnel capabilities to
13facilitate a timely repair or correction of the emergency, the
14underground utility facility owner or operator may utilize
15subcontractors to facilitate the work without a separate
16emergency notice by the subcontractor. The underground utility
17facility owner or operator shall be responsible for the
18actions of the subcontractor, unless the subcontractor has
19obtained the subcontractor's own emergency notice.
20    (h) Emergency notices provided through JULIE shall expire
2110 days after the date of the notice.
22(Source: P.A. 96-714, eff. 1-1-10.)
 
23    (220 ILCS 50/7)  (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 1607)
24    Sec. 7. Damage or dislocation.
25    (a) In the event of any damage to or dislocation of any

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 35 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1underground utility facilities in connection with any
2excavation or demolition, emergency or nonemergency, the
3excavator person responsible for the excavation or demolition
4operations shall immediately notify the affected underground
5utility facility owner or operator and JULIE utility and the
6State-Wide One-Call Notice System and cease excavation in the
7area of the damage when the damaged facility is a threat to
8life or property or if otherwise required by law or, in the
9case of damage or dislocation in connection with any
10excavation or demolition within the boundaries of a
11municipality having a population of at least 1,000,000
12inhabitants that operates its own one-call notice system,
13notify the affected utility and the one-call notice system
14that operates in that municipality.
15    (b) The excavator person responsible for the excavation or
16demolition shall not attempt to repair, clamp, or constrict
17the damaged utility facility unless under the direct
18supervision or advisement of the underground utility facility
19owner or operator. At no time shall an excavator a person under
20this Act be required by an underground a utility facility
21owner or operator to attempt to repair, clamp, or constrict a
22damaged utility facility. In the event of any damage to any
23underground utility facility that results in the escape of any
24flammable, toxic, or corrosive gas or liquid, the excavator
25person responsible for the excavation or demolition shall call
269-1-1 and notify authorities of the damage.

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 36 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1    (c) Underground utility facility owners Owners and
2operatorsof underground utility facilities that are damaged,
3and the excavator involved, shall work in a cooperative and
4expeditious manner to repair the affected facility utility.
5    (d) The underground utility facility owner or operator
6shall provide to JULIE a phone number with a dedicated
7extension, if applicable, that can be provided to the
8excavator allowing immediate notification by the excavator to
9the underground utility facility owner or operator of the
10potential damage.
11    (e) At a minimum, the notice required under this Section
12shall provide:
13        (1) a reference to the original excavation or
14    demolition notice, if one exists;
15        (2) the type of facility damaged, if known;
16        (3) the name of the affected underground utility
17    facility owner or operator, if known; and
18        (4) the location of the damaged facility at the
19    excavation or demolition site.
20(Source: P.A. 96-714, eff. 1-1-10.)
 
21    (220 ILCS 50/7.5 new)
22    Sec. 7.5. Exposed facility.
23    (a) If any previously unmarked facility is exposed during
24excavation or demolition, emergency or nonemergency, the
25excavator responsible for the excavation or demolition

 

 

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1operations shall immediately notify JULIE.
2    (b) At a minimum, the notice required under this Section
3shall provide:
4        (1) a reference to the original excavation or
5    demolition notice, if one exists;
6        (2) the type of exposed facility, if known;
7        (3) the name of the affected underground utility
8    facility owner or operator, if known; and
9        (4) the location of the exposed facility at the
10    excavation or demolition site.
 
11    (220 ILCS 50/8)  (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 1608)
12    Sec. 8. Liability or financial responsibility.
13    (a) Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to affect or
14determine the financial responsibility for any operation under
15this Act or liability of any entity or individual person for
16any damages that occur unless specifically stated otherwise.
17    (b) Nothing in this Act shall be deemed to provide for
18liability or financial responsibility of the Department of
19Transportation, its officers and employees concerning any
20underground utility facility or CATS facility located on
21highway right-of-way by permit issued under the provisions of
22Section 9-113 of the Illinois Highway Code. It is not the
23intent of this Act to change any remedies in law regarding the
24duty of providing lateral support.
25    (c) Neither JULIE the State-Wide One-Call Notice System

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 38 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1nor any of its officers, agents, or employees shall be liable
2for damages for injuries or death to persons or damage to
3property caused by acts or omissions in the receipt,
4recording, or transmission of notices locate requests or other
5information in the performance of its duties as JULIE the
6State-Wide One-Call Notice System, unless the act or omission
7was the result of willful and wanton misconduct.
8    (d) Any residential property owner who fails to comply
9with any provision of this Act and damages underground utility
10facilities or CATS facilities while engaging in excavation or
11demolition on such residential property shall not be subject
12to a penalty under this Act, but shall be liable for the damage
13caused to the underground utility facility owners or operators
14owner or operator of the damaged underground utility
15facilities or CATS facilities.
16(Source: P.A. 92-179, eff. 7-1-02.)
 
17    (220 ILCS 50/9)  (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 1609)
18    Sec. 9. Negligence.
19    (a) When it is shown by competent evidence in any action
20for damages to underground utility facilities or CATS
21facilities that such damages resulted from excavation or
22demolition and that the excavator person engaged in such
23excavation or demolition failed to comply with the provisions
24of this Act, that excavator person shall be deemed prima facie
25guilty of negligence.

 

 

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1    (b) When it is shown by competent evidence in any action
2for damages to excavators persons, material, or equipment
3brought by excavators persons undertaking excavation or
4demolition acting in compliance with the provisions of this
5Act that such damages resulted from the failure of underground
6utility facility owners or and operators of underground
7facilities or CATS facilities to comply with the provisions of
8this Act, those underground utility facility owners or and
9operators shall be deemed prima facie guilty of negligence.
10(Source: P.A. 86-674.)
 
11    (220 ILCS 50/10)  (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 1610)
12    Sec. 10. Record of notice; marking of facilities.
13    (a) Upon notice by the excavator person engaged in
14excavation or demolition, the underground utility facility
15owners or operators person owning or operating underground
16utility facilities in or near the excavation or demolition
17area shall cause a written record to be made of the notice and
18shall mark, within 48 hours of receipt of notice or by the dig
19start requested date and time indicated on the notice,
20whichever is later, the approximate locations of such
21facilities so as to enable the excavator person excavating or
22demolishing to establish the location of the underground
23utility facilities.
24    For submerged facilities, when the owner or operator of
25the submerged facilities determines that a proposed excavation

 

 

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1or demolition which could include anchoring, pile driving,
2dredging, or any other water bottom contact for any means
3performed is in proximity to or in conflict with, submerged
4facilities located under a lake, river, or navigable waterway,
5the owner or operator of the submerged facilities shall
6identify the estimated horizontal route of the submerged
7facilities, within 15 days or by a date and time mutually
8agreed to, using marking buoys, other suitable devices, or GPS
9location data unless directed otherwise by an agency having
10jurisdiction over the waters under which the submerged
11facilities are located.
12    (b) Underground utility facility owners or Owners and
13operators of underground sewer facilities that are located
14outside the boundaries of a municipality having a population
15of at least 1,000,000 inhabitants shall be required to respond
16and mark the approximate location of those sewer facilities
17when the excavator indicates, in the notice required in
18Section 4, that the excavation or demolition project will
19exceed a depth of 7 feet. "Depth", in this case, is defined as
20the distance measured vertically from the surface of the
21ground to the top of the sewer facility.
22    (c) Underground utility facility owners or operators of
23Owners and operators of underground sewer facilities that are
24located outside the boundaries of a municipality having a
25population of at least 1,000,000 inhabitants shall be required
26at all times to mark locate the approximate location of those

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 41 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1sewer facilities when:
2        (1) directional boring is the indicated type of
3    excavation work being performed within the notice;
4        (2) the underground sewer facilities owned are
5    non-gravity, pressurized force mains; or
6        (3) the excavation indicated will occur in the
7    immediate proximity of known underground sewer facilities
8    that are less than 7 feet deep.
9    (d) Underground utility facility owners Owners or
10operators of underground sewer facilities that are located
11outside the boundaries of a municipality having a population
12of at least 1,000,000 inhabitants shall not hold an excavator
13liable for damages that occur to sewer facilities that were
14not required to be marked under this Section, provided that
15prompt notice of known the damage is made to JULIE the
16State-Wide One-Call Notice System and the underground utility
17facility owners or operators utility owner as required in
18Section 7.
19    (e) All entities persons subject to the requirements of
20this Act shall plan and conduct their work consistent with
21reasonable business practices.
22        (1) Conditions may exist making it unreasonable to
23    request that locations be marked by the dig start within
24    48 hours or by the requested date and time indicated on the
25    notice, whichever is later.
26            (A) In such situations, the excavator and the

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 42 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1        underground utility facility owner or operator shall
2        interact in good faith to establish a mutually
3        agreeable date and time for the completion of the
4        request.
5            (B) All mutually agreed upon modifications to the
6        dig start date and time shall be fully documented by
7        the underground utility facility owner or operator and
8        include, at a minimum, the date and time of the
9        interaction, the names of the individuals involved,
10        and acknowledgment by the individuals that agreed to
11        the modification and the new dig start date and time
12        that was mutually agreed upon by both parties. The
13        underground utility facility owner or operator shall
14        retain through JULIE, Inc., the documentation for at
15        least 5 years after the date of the expiration of the
16        notice.
17        (2) It is unreasonable to request underground utility
18    facility owners or and operators of underground utility
19    facilities to mark locate all of their facilities in an
20    affected area upon short notice in advance of a large or
21    extensive nonemergency project. , or
22        (3) It is unreasonable to request extensive notices
23    locates in excess of a reasonable excavation or demolition
24    work schedule. , or
25        (4) It is unreasonable to request notices locates
26    under conditions where a repeat request is likely to be

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 43 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1    made because of the passage of time or adverse job
2    conditions.
3        (5) During periods where the notice volumes or dig
4    site notification areas exceed the historical averages as
5    determined by the reasonable control measurements for the
6    place, only those additional non-emergency requests that
7    are not part of a large project, when that large project
8    has been submitted at least 60 days in advance of the start
9    of the large project by underground utility facility
10    owners or operators or their contractors or subcontractors
11    for excavation work for the underground utility facility
12    owners or operators within the place, may be subject to a
13    request from the underground utility facility owner or
14    operator or the owner or operator's locate contractors or
15    subcontractors for an additional wait time of up to 2 days
16    for the underground utility facility owner or operator,
17    whether utilizing in-house or contract locators, to
18    respond to locate and mark, or provide a no conflict
19    response. It is the responsibility of the requesting
20    underground utility facility owner or operator to document
21    any modification as outlined in paragraph (1) of
22    subsection (e) of Section 10.
23    (f) Underground utility facility owners or Owners and
24operators, whether utilizing in-house or contract locators,
25and the owner or operator's locate contractors or
26subcontractors of underground utility facilities must

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 44 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1reasonably anticipate seasonal fluctuations in the number of
2notices locate requests and staff accordingly.
3    Seasonal fluctuations shall not be considered within the
4reasonable control of underground utility facility owners or
5operators and the owner or operator's locate contractors or
6subcontractors within a place or places, when the notice
7volumes exceed the historical averages as determined by the
8reasonable control measurement, for non-emergency requests for
9utility excavation work for underground utility facility
10owners or operators, that is not part of a large project that
11has provided at least a 60 day advance notice.
12    Only utility excavators when doing utility work may be
13impacted by this subsection and may incur an additional wait
14time of up to 2 days.
15    (g) If an underground utility facility owner or operator a
16person owning or operating underground utility facilities
17receives a notice under this Section but does not own or
18operate any underground utility facilities within the proposed
19excavation or demolition area described in the notice, that
20underground utility facility owner or operator, by the dig
21start date and time on the notice person, within 48 hours or by
22the requested date and time indicated on the notice, whichever
23is later, after receipt of the notice, shall so notify the
24excavator who initiated the notice in accordance with Section
255.1, and prior to January 1, 2026, may person engaged in
26excavation or demolition who initiated the notice, unless the

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 45 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1person who initiated the notice expressly waives the right to
2be notified that no facilities are located within the
3excavation or demolition area. The notification by the owner
4or operator of underground utility facilities to the person
5engaged in excavation or demolition may be provided in any
6reasonable manner including, but not limited to, notification
7in any one of the following ways:
8        (1) by face-to-face communication;
9        (2) by phone or phone message;
10        (3) by facsimile or email;
11        (4) by posting in the excavation or demolition area;
12    or
13        (5) by marking the excavation or demolition area.
14    (h) The underground utility facility owner or operator of
15those facilities has discharged the underground utility
16facility owner's or operator's obligation to provide notice
17under this Section if the underground utility facility owner
18or operator attempts to provide notice utilizing the positive
19response system, in accordance with Section 5.1, and prior to
20January 1, 2026, by:
21        (1) telephone or by facsimile, if the person has
22    supplied a facsimile number, but is unable to do so
23    because the excavator person engaged in the excavation or
24    demolition does not answer the his or her telephone and or
25    does not have the ability to receive telephone messages;
26        (2) facsimile, if the excavator has supplied a

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 46 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1    facsimile number and does not have a facsimile machine in
2    operation to receive the facsimile transmission; or
3        (3) email, if the excavator has supplied an email
4    address and the message is electronically undeliverable an
5    answering machine or answering service to receive the
6    telephone call or does not have a facsimile machine in
7    operation to receive the facsimile transmission.
8    If the underground utility facility owner or operator
9attempts to provide additional notice by telephone or by
10facsimile but receives a busy signal, that attempt shall not
11serve to discharge the underground utility facility owner or
12operator of the obligation to provide notice under this
13Section.
14    (i) Any excavator or legal entity, public or private, who,
15on or after January 1, 2026, installs a nonconductive service
16lateral shall ensure that the installation is locatable by
17electromagnetic means or other equally effective means for
18marking the location of the service lateral. This subsection
19does not apply to minor repairs to, or partial replacements
20of, service laterals installed prior to January 1, 2026.
21    A person engaged in excavation or demolition may expressly
22waive the right to notification from the owner or operator of
23underground utility facilities that the owner or operator has
24no facilities located in the proposed excavation or demolition
25area. Waiver of notice is only permissible in the case of
26regular or nonemergency locate requests. The waiver must be

 

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 47 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1made at the time of the notice to the State-Wide One-Call
2Notice System. A waiver made under this Section is not
3admissible as evidence in any criminal or civil action that
4may arise out of, or is in any way related to, the excavation
5or demolition that is the subject of the waiver.
6    (j) For the purposes of this Act, the following color
7coding shall be used to mark the approximate location of
8facilities by the underground utility facility owners or
9operators who underground facility operators may utilize a
10combination of flags, lathe with colored ribbon, chalk,
11whiskers, or stakes, and paint as when possible on non-paved
12surfaces and when dig site and seasonal conditions warrant. If
13the approximate location of an underground utility facility is
14marked with stakes or other physical means, the following
15color coding shall be employed:
 
16Underground Facility type  Identification Color
17Underground utility facility owner or
18operator or contract locator use only
19Facility Owner or Agent Use Only
20
21Electric Power, Distribution and
22    Transmission........................Safety Red
23Municipal Electric Systems..............Safety Red

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 48 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1Gas Distribution and Transmission.......High Visibility Safety Yellow
2Oil Distribution and Transmission.......High Visibility Safety Yellow
3Communication Systems. Safety Alert Orange
4Telephone and Telegraph Systems.........Safety Alert Orange
5Community Antenna Television Systems....Safety Alert Orange
6Water Systems...........................Safety Precaution Blue
7Sewer Systems...........................Safety Green
8Non-potable Water and Slurry Lines......Safety Purple
9
10Excavator Use Only
11
12Temporary Survey........................Safety Pink
13Proposed Excavation.....................
14Safety White (Black when snow is on the ground)
15(Source: P.A. 96-714, eff. 1-1-10.)
 
16    (220 ILCS 50/11)  (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 1611)
17    Sec. 11. Penalties; liability; fund.
18    (a) Every excavator person who, while engaging in
19excavation or demolition, willfully wilfully fails to comply
20with the Act by failing to provide the notice to the
21underground utility facility owners or operators in and of the

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 49 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1underground facilities near the excavation or demolition area
2through JULIE the State-Wide One-Call Notice System as
3required by Section 4, 5, or 6 of this Act shall be subject to
4a penalty of not more than up to $5,000 for each separate
5offense and shall be liable for the damage caused to the
6underground utility facility owners or operators of the
7facility. Every excavator person who fails to provide notice
8and willfully fails to comply with other provisions of this
9Act shall be subject to additional penalties of not more than
10up to $2,500 for each separate offense and shall be liable for
11the damage caused to the underground utility facility owners
12or operators of the facility.
13    (b) Every excavator person who has provided the notice to
14the underground utility facility owners or operators of the
15underground utility facilities in and near the excavation or
16demolition area through JULIE the State-Wide One-Call Notice
17System as required by Section 4 or 6 of this Act, but otherwise
18willfully wilfully fails to comply with this Act, shall be
19subject to a penalty of not more than up to $2,500 for each
20separate offense and shall be liable for the damage caused to
21the underground utility facility owners or operators of the
22facility.
23    (c) Every excavator person who, while engaging in
24excavation or demolition, has provided the notice to the
25underground utility facility owners or operators of the
26underground utility facilities in and near the excavation or

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 50 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1demolition area through JULIE the State-Wide One-Call Notice
2System as required by Section 4 or 6 of this Act, but
3otherwise, while acting reasonably, damages any underground
4utility facilities, shall not be subject to a penalty, but
5shall be liable for the damage caused to the underground
6utility facility owners or operators of the facility provided
7the underground utility facility is properly marked as
8provided in Section 10 of this Act.
9    (d) Every excavator person who provides notice to the
10underground utility facility owners or operators of the
11underground utility facilities through JULIE the State-Wide
12One-Call Notice System as a no show, incomplete, or an
13emergency locate request and the locate request is not a no
14show, incomplete, or an emergency locate request as defined in
15Section 2.6 of this Act shall be subject to a penalty of not
16more than up to $2,500 for each separate offense.
17    (e) Underground utility facility owners or operators
18Owners and operators of underground utility facilities who
19willfully fail to comply with this Act, unless otherwise
20stated in this Section, shall be subject to a penalty of not
21more than $2,500 for each separate offense. A by a failure to
22respond or mark the approximate location of facilities by the
23dig start date and time on the notice an underground utility as
24required by subsection (h) of Section 4, subsection (c) (a) of
25Section 6, or Section 10 of this Act after being notified of
26planned or emergency excavation or demolition through JULIE

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 51 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1the State-Wide One-Call Notice System, shall be subject to a
2penalty of not more than up to $5,000 for each separate
3offense.
4        (1) Underground utility facility owners or operators
5    who fail to provide a response to the positive response
6    system by the dig start date and time on the notice, as
7    required in subsection (b) of Section 5.1, on more than
8    10% of their weekly required responses for 4 or more
9    consecutive weeks, shall be subject to a penalty of not
10    more than $250 for each separate offense.
11        (2) Underground utility facility owners or operators
12    shall not be subject to a penalty where a delay in
13    responding through the positive response system is caused
14    by conditions beyond the reasonable control of such
15    underground utility facility owners or operators.
16    (f) As provided in Section 3 of this Act, all underground
17utility facility owners or operators of underground utility
18facilities who fail to join JULIE the State-Wide One-Call
19Notice System by January 1, 2003 shall be subject to a penalty
20of $100 per day for each separate offense. Every day an
21underground utility facility owner or operator fails to join
22JULIE the State-Wide One-Call Notice System is a separate
23offense. This subsection (f) does not apply to utilities
24operating facilities exclusively within the boundaries of a
25municipality with a population of at least 1,000,000 persons.
26    (g) No underground utility facility owner or operator of

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 52 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1underground utility facilities shall be subject to a penalty
2where a delay in marking or a failure to mark or properly mark
3the location of a facility an underground utility is caused by
4conditions beyond the reasonable control of such underground
5utility facility owner or operator. It is the responsibility
6of the underground utility facility owners or operators to
7demonstrate how the condition affected their ability to
8respond and caused it to become beyond the reasonable control.
9    Each underground utility facility owner or operator shall
10staff in a manner that such underground utility facility owner
11or operator can respond by the dig start date and time on the
12notices within the underground utility facility owner's or
13operator's reasonable control.
14    (h) Any entity that person who is neither an agent,
15employee, or authorized locating contractor of the underground
16utility facility owner or operator of the underground utility
17facility nor an excavator involved in the excavation or
18demolition activity that who removes, alters, or otherwise
19damages markings, flags, lathe with color ribbon, chalk,
20whiskers, or paint or stakes used to mark the location of
21facilities an underground utility other than during the course
22of the excavation or demolition for which the markings were
23made or before completion of the project shall be subject to a
24penalty up to $1,000 for each separate offense.
25    (i) (Blank).
26    (i-5) All parties who submit alleged violations to the

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 53 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1Illinois Commerce Commission shall use the forms provided and
2should submit not later than 65 days after the discovery of the
3alleged violation. Any alleged violation submission received
4after the 65-day period shall be subject to a penalty of not
5more than $500 but not less than $100 per occurrence.
6Excavators shall not be subject to a penalty under this
7subsection when their decision to submit an alleged violation
8form later than the 65-day period is a result of receiving a
9damage claim from an underground utility facility owner or
10operator after the expiration of the excavator's 65-day period
11for submitting an alleged violation.
12    (j) The Illinois Commerce Commission shall have the power
13and jurisdiction to, and shall, enforce the provisions of this
14Act. The Illinois Commerce Commission may impose
15administrative penalties as provided in this Section. The
16Illinois Commerce Commission may promulgate rules and develop
17enforcement policies in the manner provided by the Public
18Utilities Act in order to implement compliance with this Act.
19When a penalty is warranted, the following criteria shall be
20used in determining the magnitude of the penalty:
21        (1) gravity of noncompliance;
22        (2) culpability of offender;
23        (3) history of noncompliance for the 18 months prior
24    to the date of the incident; however, when determining
25    noncompliance non-compliance the alleged violator's roles
26    as underground utility facility operator or owner and the

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 54 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1    excavator person engaged in excavating shall be treated
2    separately;
3        (4) (blank); ability to pay penalty;
4        (5) show of good faith of offender;
5        (6) (blank); and ability to continue business; and
6        (7) other special circumstances.
7    (k) There is hereby created in the State treasury a
8special fund to be known as the Illinois Underground Utility
9Facilities Damage Prevention Fund. All penalties recovered by
10the Illinois Commerce Commission in any action under this
11Section shall be paid into the Fund and shall be distributed
12annually as a grant to JULIE the State-Wide One-Call Notice
13System to be used in safety and informational programs to
14reduce the number of incidents of damage to underground
15utility facilities in Illinois. The distribution shall be made
16during January of each calendar year based on the balance in
17the Illinois Underground Utility Facilities Damage Prevention
18Fund as of December 31 of the previous calendar year. In all
19such actions under this Section, the procedure and rules of
20evidence shall conform with the Code of Civil Procedure, and
21with rules of courts governing civil trials.
22    (l) The Illinois Commerce Commission shall establish an
23Advisory Committee consisting of a representative from each of
24the following: utility operator, JULIE, excavator,
25municipality, and the general public, and a nonmunicipal
26public body. The Advisory Committee shall serve as a peer

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 55 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1review panel for any contested penalties resulting from the
2enforcement of this Act.
3    The members of the Advisory Committee shall be immune,
4individually and jointly, from civil liability for any act or
5omission done or made in performance of their duties while
6serving as members of such Advisory Committee, unless the act
7or omission was the result of willful and wanton misconduct.
8    (m) If, after the Advisory Committee has considered a
9particular contested penalty and performed its review
10functions under this Act and the Illinois Commerce
11Commission's rules, there remains a dispute as to whether the
12Illinois Commerce Commission should impose a penalty under
13this Act, the matter shall proceed in the manner set forth in
14Article X of the Public Utilities Act, including the
15provisions governing judicial review.
16(Source: P.A. 96-714, eff. 1-1-10.)
 
17    (220 ILCS 50/11.3)
18    Sec. 11.3. Emergency telephone system outages;
19reimbursement. Any excavator person who negligently damages a
20an underground facility or CATS facility causing an emergency
21telephone system outage must reimburse the public safety
22agency that provides personnel to answer calls or to maintain
23or operate an emergency telephone system during the outage for
24the agency's costs associated with answering calls or
25maintaining or operating the system during the outage. For the

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 56 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1purposes of this Section, "public safety agency" means the
2same as in Section 2.02 of the Emergency Telephone System Act.
3(Source: P.A. 92-149, eff. 1-1-02.)
 
4    (220 ILCS 50/11.5)
5    Sec. 11.5. Limitation on liability.
6    (a) In joining JULIE the State-Wide One-Call Notice
7System, a municipality's liability, under any membership
8agreement rules and regulations, for the indemnification of
9(i) the entity that is in charge of or managing JULIE the
10System or any officer, agent, or employee of JULIE that entity
11or (ii) an underground utility facility owner or operator of
12JULIE a member of the System or any officer, agent, or employee
13of an underground utility facility owner or operator of JULIE
14a member of the System shall be limited to claims arising as a
15result of the acts or omissions of the municipality or its
16officers, agents, or employees or arising out of the
17operations of the municipality's underground utility
18facilities.
19    (b) Subsection (a) shall not be construed to create any
20additional liability for a municipality in relation to any
21underground utility facility owner or operator of JULIE member
22of the System with which the municipality may have entered
23into a franchise agreement. If a municipality's liability for
24indemnification under a franchise agreement is narrower than
25under this Section, the franchise agreement controls.

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 57 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1(Source: P.A. 90-481, eff. 8-17-97.)
 
2    (220 ILCS 50/12)  (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 1612)
3    Sec. 12. Noncompliance and enforcement action time frames.
4No action may be brought by the Illinois Commerce Commission
5under Section 11 of this Act unless commenced within 2 years
6after the date of the alleged violation of this Act.
7    Beginning January 1, 2025, all parties submitting alleged
8violations to the Illinois Commerce Commission shall use the
9forms provided and shall submit no later than 65 days after the
10discovery of the alleged violation. Any report of an alleged
11violation received later than 65 days after the discovery of
12the alleged violation shall be subject to a penalty as
13provided for in Section 11.
14    Beginning January 1, 2025, the Illinois Commerce
15Commission shall provide notice of investigation to the
16parties involved in the alleged violation report within 20
17days after the receipt of the alleged violation report.
18    Once a notice of investigation has been sent for all
19alleged violations reported on or after January 1, 2025, no
20further action may be brought by the Illinois Commerce
21Commission under Section 11 unless the notice of violation has
22been provided by the Illinois Commerce Commission staff to the
23entity determined to be in violation within 195 days after the
24date of the notice of investigation. For alleged violations
25that involve utility damage, personal injury or death, or

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 58 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1property damage, an additional 130 days shall be allowed for
2the Illinois Commerce Commission staff to determine if the
3alleged entity was in violation.
4    Beginning July 1, 2025, the Illinois Commerce Commission
5shall provide for public review a monthly report listing all
6of the reports of alleged violations it received in the prior
7month. The listing shall be available by the end of the
8violations report. The listing shall be available by the end
9of second full week for all reports from the previous month.
10The listing shall, at a minimum, include: (1) the name of the
11party submitting the alleged violation; (2) the name of the
12party and the name of the project owner that is alleged to be
13in violation; (3) the date the alleged violation report is
14submitted; and (4) the Section or Sections of the Act
15applicable to the submitted alleged violation.
16    JULIE, Inc., may submit reports to the Illinois Commerce
17Commission for alleged violations of Section 5.1.
18(Source: P.A. 86-674.)
 
19    (220 ILCS 50/13)  (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 1613)
20    Sec. 13. Mandamus or injunction. Where public safety or
21the preservation of uninterrupted, necessary facilities
22utility service or community antenna television system service
23is endangered by any excavator person engaging in excavation
24or demolition in a negligent or unsafe manner which has
25resulted in or is likely to result in damage to underground

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 59 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1utility facilities or CATS facilities or proposing to use
2procedures for excavation or demolition which are likely to
3result in damage to underground utility facilities or CATS
4facilities, or where the underground utility facility owner or
5operator of underground utility facilities or CATS facilities
6endangers an excavator by willfully failing to respond to a
7notice locate request, the underground utility facility owner
8or operator of such facilities or the excavator or the State's
9Attorney or the Illinois Commerce Commission at the request of
10the underground utility facility owner or operator of such
11facilities or the excavator may commence an action in the
12circuit court for the county in which the excavation or
13demolition is occurring or is to occur, or in which the person
14or entity complained of has its his principal place of
15business or resides, for the purpose of having such negligent
16or unsafe excavation or demolition stopped and prevented or to
17compel the marking of underground utilities facilities or CATS
18facilities, either by mandamus or injunction.
19(Source: P.A. 92-179, eff. 7-1-02.)
 
20    (220 ILCS 50/14)  (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 1614)
21    Sec. 14. Home rule. The regulation of underground utility
22facilities and CATS facilities damage prevention, as provided
23for in this Act, is an exclusive power and function of the
24State. A home rule unit may not regulate underground utility
25facilities and CATS facilities damage prevention, as provided

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 60 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1for in this Act. All units of local government, including home
2rule units that are not municipalities of more than 1,000,000
3persons operating its own One-Call Notice System, must comply
4with the provisions of this Act. To this extent, this Section
5is a denial and limitation of home rule powers and functions
6under subsection (h) of Section 6 of Article VII of the
7Illinois Constitution. A home rule municipality of more than
81,000,000 persons may regulate underground utility facilities
9and CATS facilities damage prevention.
10(Source: P.A. 99-121, eff. 7-23-15.)
 
11    (220 ILCS 50/2.1 rep.)
12    (220 ILCS 50/2.1.3 rep.)
13    (220 ILCS 50/2.1.4 rep.)
14    (220 ILCS 50/2.1.5 rep.)
15    (220 ILCS 50/2.1.6 rep.)
16    (220 ILCS 50/2.1.9 rep.)
17    (220 ILCS 50/2.1.10 rep.)
18    (220 ILCS 50/2.2 rep.)
19    (220 ILCS 50/2.3 rep.)
20    (220 ILCS 50/2.4 rep.)
21    (220 ILCS 50/2.5 rep.)
22    (220 ILCS 50/2.6 rep.)
23    (220 ILCS 50/2.7 rep.)
24    (220 ILCS 50/2.8 rep.)
25    (220 ILCS 50/2.9 rep.)

 

 

10300HB5546ham001- 61 -LRB103 38732 SPS 72477 a

1    (220 ILCS 50/2.10 rep.)
2    (220 ILCS 50/2.11 rep.)
3    (220 ILCS 50/5 rep.)
4    Section 10. The Illinois Underground Utility Facilities
5Damage Prevention Act is amended by repealing Sections 2.1,
62.1.3, 2.1.4, 2.1.5, 2.1.6, 2.1.9, 2.1.10, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5,
72.6, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 2.10, 2.11, and 5.
 
8    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect January
91, 2025.".