Public Act 093-0881
 
SB2907 Enrolled LRB093 15217 WGH 40813 b

    AN ACT concerning consumer protection.
 
    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 4-601 as follows:
 
    (220 ILCS 5/4-601 new)
    Sec. 4-601. Consumer protection laws.
    (a) The General Assembly finds that consumer protection is
vital to the health, safety, and welfare of Illinois consumers.
    (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
Commission and its staff shall:
        (1) work cooperatively with law enforcement
    authorities, including the Attorney General and State's
    Attorneys, in their enforcement of consumer protection
    laws, including the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business
    Practices Act;
        (2) provide any materials or documents already in the
    Commission's possession requested by the Attorney General
    or a State's Attorney pertaining to the enforcement of
    consumer protection laws; any materials or documents that
    are proprietary shall not be made public unless the
    designation as proprietary has been removed by a court or
    legal body of competent jurisdiction, or the agreement of
    the parties; and
        (3) upon written request, forward any complaints
    regarding alleged violations of any consumer protection
    law to the Attorney General and the State's Attorney of the
    appropriate county or counties.
    (c) Subject to subdivision (1) of Section 10b of the
Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act, the
Attorney General and the State's Attorney of any county shall
have available all remedies and authority granted to them by
the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices Act. The
remedies for violations of this Act and its rules are not
intended to replace other remedies that may be imposed for
violations of the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business
Practices Act and are in addition to, and not in substitution
for, such other remedies, nor is this Act intended to remove
any statutorily defined defenses.
 
    Section 10. The Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business
Practices Act is amended by adding Section 10d as follows:
 
    (815 ILCS 505/10d new)
    Sec. 10d. Public Utilities Act; Illinois Commerce
Commission.
    (a) The General Assembly finds that consumer protection is
vital to the health, safety, and welfare of Illinois consumers.
    (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the
Illinois Commerce Commission and its staff shall:
        (1) work cooperatively with law enforcement
    authorities, including the Attorney General and State's
    Attorneys, in their enforcement of consumer protection
    laws, including this Act;
        (2) provide any materials or documents already in the
    Commission's possession requested by the Attorney General
    or a State's Attorney pertaining to the enforcement of
    consumer protection laws; any materials or documents that
    are proprietary shall not be made public unless the
    designation as proprietary has been removed by a court or
    legal body of competent jurisdiction, or the agreement of
    the parties; and
        (3) upon written request, forward any complaints
    regarding alleged violations of any consumer protection
    law to the Attorney General and the State's Attorney of the
    appropriate county or counties.
    (c) Subject to subdivision (1) of Section 10b of this Act,
the Attorney General and the State's Attorney of any county
shall have available all remedies and authority granted to them
by this Act. The remedies for violations of the Public
Utilities Act and its rules are not intended to replace other
remedies that may be imposed for violations of this Act and are
in addition to, and not in substitution for, such other
remedies, nor is this Section intended to remove any
statutorily defined defenses.

Effective Date: 1/1/2005