Bill Text: IL SB1664 | 2013-2014 | 98th General Assembly | Amended
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act. Extends the repeal of the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004 from January 1, 2014 to January 1, 2024. Amends the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004. Makes changes to provisions concerning definitions, legislative intent, issuance of license, unlawful acts, exemptions, qualifications for licensure under the Act, training for private security contractors and employees, uniforms, consumer protection, inspection of facilities, renewal of licenses, employee requirements, employment requirements, requirement for a firearm control card and training, armed proprietary security forces, injunctive relief, discipline, submission to physical or mental examination, complaints, investigations, and hearings, suspension of licenses, restoration of licenses, unlicensed practice, the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Board, powers and duties of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, and confidentiality. Effective immediately.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 51-27)
Status: (Passed) 2013-06-28 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 98-0045 [SB1664 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2013-SB1664-Amended.html
Bill Title: Amends the Regulatory Sunset Act. Extends the repeal of the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004 from January 1, 2014 to January 1, 2024. Amends the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Act of 2004. Makes changes to provisions concerning definitions, legislative intent, issuance of license, unlawful acts, exemptions, qualifications for licensure under the Act, training for private security contractors and employees, uniforms, consumer protection, inspection of facilities, renewal of licenses, employee requirements, employment requirements, requirement for a firearm control card and training, armed proprietary security forces, injunctive relief, discipline, submission to physical or mental examination, complaints, investigations, and hearings, suspension of licenses, restoration of licenses, unlicensed practice, the Private Detective, Private Alarm, Private Security, Fingerprint Vendor, and Locksmith Board, powers and duties of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, and confidentiality. Effective immediately.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 51-27)
Status: (Passed) 2013-06-28 - Public Act . . . . . . . . . 98-0045 [SB1664 Detail]
Download: Illinois-2013-SB1664-Amended.html
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1 | AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 1664
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2 | AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 1664 by replacing | ||||||
3 | everything after the enacting clause with the following:
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4 | "Section 5. The Wireless Emergency Telephone Safety Act is | ||||||
5 | amended by changing Section 70 and by adding Section 85 as | ||||||
6 | follows:
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7 | (50 ILCS 751/70)
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8 | (Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2013)
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9 | Sec. 70. Repealer. This Act is repealed on July 1, 2014 | ||||||
10 | 2013.
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11 | (Source: P.A. 97-1163, eff. 2-4-13.)
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12 | (50 ILCS 751/85 new) | ||||||
13 | Sec. 85. 9-1-1 Services Advisory Board. There is hereby | ||||||
14 | created the 9-1-1 Services Advisory Board. The Board shall work | ||||||
15 | with the Commission to determine the 9-1-1 costs necessary for |
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1 | every 9-1-1 system to adequately function and shall submit, by | ||||||
2 | February 1, 2014, recommendations on whether there is a need to | ||||||
3 | consolidate 9-1-1 functions to the General Assembly. The Board | ||||||
4 | shall consist of 11 members appointed by the Governor as | ||||||
5 | follows: | ||||||
6 | (1) the Executive Director of the Illinois Commerce | ||||||
7 | Commission, or his or her designee; | ||||||
8 | (2) one member representing the Illinois chapter of the | ||||||
9 | National Emergency Number Association; | ||||||
10 | (3) one member representing the Illinois chapter of the | ||||||
11 | Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials; | ||||||
12 | (4) one member representing a county 9-1-1 system from | ||||||
13 | a county with a population of 50,000 or less; | ||||||
14 | (5) one member representing a county 9-1-1 system from | ||||||
15 | a county with a population between 50,000 and 250,000; | ||||||
16 | (6) one member representing a county 9-1-1 system from | ||||||
17 | a county with a population of 250,000 or more; | ||||||
18 | (7) one member representing an incumbent local | ||||||
19 | exchange 9-1-1 system provider; | ||||||
20 | (8) one member representing a non-incumbent local | ||||||
21 | exchange 9-1-1 system provider; | ||||||
22 | (9) one member representing a large wireless carrier; | ||||||
23 | (10) one member representing a small wireless carrier; | ||||||
24 | and | ||||||
25 | (11) one member representing the Illinois | ||||||
26 | Telecommunications Association. |
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1 | The Board is abolished on July 1, 2014.
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2 | Section 10. The Public Utilities Act is amended by changing | ||||||
3 | Sections 13-101, 13-501, 13-501.5, 13-503, 13-505, 13-506.2, | ||||||
4 | 13-509, 13-514, 13-515, 13-516, 13-712, 13-1200, 21-401, | ||||||
5 | 21-801, 21-1101, 21-1201, 21-1502, 21-1601, and 22-501 and by | ||||||
6 | adding Sections 13-802.1 and 21-1502 as follows:
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7 | (220 ILCS 5/13-101) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-101)
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8 | (Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2013)
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9 | Sec. 13-101. Application of Act to telecommunications | ||||||
10 | rates and
services. The Except to the extent modified or | ||||||
11 | supplemented by the
specific provisions of this Article, the | ||||||
12 | Sections of this Act pertaining to
public utilities, public | ||||||
13 | utility rates and services, and the regulation
thereof, are | ||||||
14 | fully and equally applicable to noncompetitive
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15 | telecommunications rates and services, and the regulation | ||||||
16 | thereof, except to the extent modified or supplemented by the
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17 | specific provisions of this Article or
where the context | ||||||
18 | clearly renders such provisions inapplicable. Except to
the | ||||||
19 | extent modified or supplemented by the specific provisions of | ||||||
20 | this
Article, Articles I through IV V , Sections 5-101, 5-106, | ||||||
21 | 5-108, 5-110, 5-201, 5-202.1, 5-203, 8-301, 8-305, 8-501, | ||||||
22 | 8-502, 8-503, 8-505, 8-509, 8-509.5, 8-510,
9-221, 9-222,
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23 | 9-222.1,
9-222.2, 9-241, 9-250, and 9-252.1, and Article X of | ||||||
24 | this Act
are fully and equally applicable to the noncompetitive |
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1 | and competitive services of an Electing Provider and to
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2 | competitive telecommunications rates and services, and the | ||||||
3 | regulation
thereof except that Section 5-109 shall apply to the | ||||||
4 | services of an Electing Provider and to competitive | ||||||
5 | telecommunications rates and services only to the extent that | ||||||
6 | the Commission requires annual reports authorized by Section | ||||||
7 | 5-109, provided the telecommunications provider may use | ||||||
8 | generally accepted accounting practices or accounting systems | ||||||
9 | it uses for financial reporting purposes in the annual report, | ||||||
10 | and except that Sections 8-505 and 9-250 shall not apply to | ||||||
11 | competitive retail telecommunications services and Sections | ||||||
12 | 8-501 and 9-241 shall not apply to competitive services ; in | ||||||
13 | addition, as to competitive telecommunications rates and
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14 | services, and the regulation thereof, and with the exception of | ||||||
15 | competitive retail telecommunications service rates and | ||||||
16 | services, all rules and regulations
made by a | ||||||
17 | telecommunications carrier affecting or pertaining to its
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18 | charges or service shall be just and reasonable.
As of the | ||||||
19 | effective date of this amendatory Act of the 92nd General
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20 | Assembly,
Sections 4-202, 4-203,
and
5-202 of this Act shall | ||||||
21 | cease to apply to telecommunications rates and
services.
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22 | (Source: P.A. 96-927, eff. 6-15-10.)
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23 | (220 ILCS 5/13-501) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-501)
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24 | (Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2013)
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25 | Sec. 13-501. Tariff; filing.
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1 | (a) No telecommunications carrier shall offer or provide | ||||||
2 | noncompetitive
telecommunications service , telecommunications | ||||||
3 | service subject to subsection (g) of Section 13-506.2 or | ||||||
4 | Section 13-900.1 or 13-900.2 of this Act, or telecommunications | ||||||
5 | service referred to in an interconnection agreement as a | ||||||
6 | tariffed service unless and until a tariff is filed with the
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7 | Commission which describes the nature of the service, | ||||||
8 | applicable rates and
other charges, terms and conditions of | ||||||
9 | service, and the exchange, exchanges
or other geographical area | ||||||
10 | or areas in which the service shall be offered
or provided. The | ||||||
11 | Commission may prescribe the form of such tariff and any
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12 | additional data or information which shall be included therein.
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13 | (b) After a hearing regarding a telecommunications service | ||||||
14 | subject to subsection (a) of this Section , the Commission has | ||||||
15 | the discretion to impose an
interim or permanent tariff on a | ||||||
16 | telecommunications carrier as part
of the order in
the case. | ||||||
17 | When a tariff is imposed as part of the order in a case, the
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18 | tariff shall remain
in full force and effect until a compliance | ||||||
19 | tariff, or superseding
tariff, is filed by the
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20 | telecommunications carrier and, after notice to the parties in | ||||||
21 | the case and
after a
compliance hearing is held, is found by | ||||||
22 | the Commission to be in compliance with
the
Commission's order.
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23 | (c) A telecommunications carrier shall offer or provide | ||||||
24 | telecommunications service that is not subject to subsection | ||||||
25 | (a) of this Section pursuant to either a tariff filed with the | ||||||
26 | Commission or a written service offering that shall be |
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1 | available on the telecommunications carrier's website as | ||||||
2 | required by Section 13-503 of this Act and that describes the | ||||||
3 | nature of the service, applicable rates and other charges, | ||||||
4 | terms and conditions of service. Revenue from competitive | ||||||
5 | retail telecommunications service received by a | ||||||
6 | telecommunications carrier pursuant to either a tariff or a | ||||||
7 | written service offering shall be gross revenue for purposes of | ||||||
8 | Section 2-202 of this Act. | ||||||
9 | (Source: P.A. 92-22, eff. 6-30-01 .)
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10 | (220 ILCS 5/13-501.5)
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11 | (Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2013)
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12 | Sec. 13-501.5. Directory assistance service for the blind. | ||||||
13 | A Within 180 days
after
the effective date of this amendatory | ||||||
14 | Act of the 93rd General Assembly, a
telecommunications carrier | ||||||
15 | that provides directory assistance service shall
provide in its
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16 | tariffs or its written service offering pursuant to subsection | ||||||
17 | (c) of Section 13-501 of this Act for that service that | ||||||
18 | directory assistance shall be provided at no
charge to its
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19 | customers who are legally blind
for telephone numbers of | ||||||
20 | customers located within
the same calling area, as described in | ||||||
21 | the telecommunications carrier's
tariff.
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22 | (Source: P.A. 93-82, eff. 7-2-03 .)
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23 | (220 ILCS 5/13-503) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-503)
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24 | (Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2013)
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1 | Sec. 13-503. Information available to the public. With | ||||||
2 | respect to rates or other charges made, demanded , or
received | ||||||
3 | for any telecommunications service offered, provided , or to be
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4 | provided, that is subject to subsection (a) of Section 13-501 | ||||||
5 | of this Act whether such service is competitive or | ||||||
6 | noncompetitive ,
telecommunications carriers shall comply with | ||||||
7 | the publication and filing
provisions of Sections 9-101, 9-102, | ||||||
8 | 9-102.1, and 9-201 of this Act 9-103 . Except for the provision | ||||||
9 | of services offered or provided by payphone providers pursuant | ||||||
10 | to a tariff, telecommunications Telecommunications carriers | ||||||
11 | shall make all tariffs and all written service offerings for | ||||||
12 | competitive telecommunications service available | ||||||
13 | electronically to the public without requiring a password or | ||||||
14 | other means of registration. A telecommunications carrier's | ||||||
15 | website shall, if applicable, provide in a conspicuous manner | ||||||
16 | information on the rates, charges, terms, and conditions of | ||||||
17 | service available and a toll-free telephone number that may be | ||||||
18 | used to contact an agent for assistance with obtaining rate or | ||||||
19 | other charge information or the terms and conditions of | ||||||
20 | service.
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21 | (Source: P.A. 96-927, eff. 6-15-10.)
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22 | (220 ILCS 5/13-505) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-505)
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23 | (Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2013)
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24 | Sec. 13-505. Rate changes; competitive services. Any | ||||||
25 | proposed increase or decrease in rates or charges, or proposed
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1 | change in any
classification , written service offering, or | ||||||
2 | tariff resulting in an increase or decrease in
rates or | ||||||
3 | charges, for
a competitive telecommunications service shall be | ||||||
4 | permitted upon the filing with the Commission or posting on the | ||||||
5 | telecommunications carrier's website
of the proposed rate, | ||||||
6 | charge, classification, written service offering, or tariff | ||||||
7 | pursuant to Section 13-501 of this Act . Notice of an
increase | ||||||
8 | shall be given, no later than the prior billing cycle, to
all | ||||||
9 | potentially affected customers by mail , publication in a | ||||||
10 | newspaper of
general circulation, or equivalent means of | ||||||
11 | notice, including electronic if the customer has elected | ||||||
12 | electronic billing. Additional notice by publication in a | ||||||
13 | newspaper of
general circulation may also be given.
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14 | (Source: P.A. 96-927, eff. 6-15-10.)
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15 | (220 ILCS 5/13-506.2) | ||||||
16 | (Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2013) | ||||||
17 | Sec. 13-506.2. Market regulation for competitive retail | ||||||
18 | services. | ||||||
19 | (a) Definitions. As used in this Section: | ||||||
20 | (1) "Electing Provider" means a telecommunications | ||||||
21 | carrier that is subject to either rate regulation pursuant | ||||||
22 | to Section 13-504 or Section 13-505 or alternative | ||||||
23 | regulation pursuant to Section 13-506.1 and that elects to | ||||||
24 | have the rates, terms, and conditions of its competitive | ||||||
25 | retail telecommunications services solely determined and |
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1 | regulated pursuant to the terms of this Article. | ||||||
2 | (2) "Basic local exchange service" means either a | ||||||
3 | stand-alone residence network access line and per-call | ||||||
4 | usage or, for any geographic area in which such stand-alone | ||||||
5 | service is not offered, a stand-alone flat rate residence | ||||||
6 | network access line for which local calls are not charged | ||||||
7 | for frequency or duration. Extended Area Service shall be | ||||||
8 | included in basic local exchange service. | ||||||
9 | (b) Election for market regulation.
Notwithstanding any | ||||||
10 | other provision of this Act, an Electing Provider may elect to | ||||||
11 | have the rates, terms, and conditions of its competitive retail | ||||||
12 | telecommunications services solely determined and regulated | ||||||
13 | pursuant to the terms of this Section by filing written notice | ||||||
14 | of its election for market regulation with the Commission. The | ||||||
15 | notice of election shall designate the geographic area of the | ||||||
16 | Electing Provider's service territory where the market | ||||||
17 | regulation shall apply, either on a state-wide basis or in one | ||||||
18 | or more specified Market Service Areas ("MSA") or Exchange | ||||||
19 | areas. An Electing Provider shall not make an election for | ||||||
20 | market regulation under this Section unless it commits in its | ||||||
21 | written notice of election for market regulation to fulfill the | ||||||
22 | conditions and requirements in this Section in each geographic | ||||||
23 | area in which market regulation is elected. Immediately upon | ||||||
24 | filing the notice of election for market regulation, the | ||||||
25 | Electing Provider shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the | ||||||
26 | Commission to the extent expressly provided in this Section. |
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1 | (c) Competitive classification. Market regulation shall | ||||||
2 | only be available for competitive retail telecommunications | ||||||
3 | services as provided in this subsection. | ||||||
4 | (1) For geographic areas in which telecommunications | ||||||
5 | services provided by the Electing Provider were classified | ||||||
6 | as competitive either through legislative action or a | ||||||
7 | tariff filing pursuant to Section 13-502 prior to January | ||||||
8 | 1, 2010, and that are included in the Electing Provider's | ||||||
9 | notice of election pursuant to subsection (b) of this | ||||||
10 | Section, such services, and all recurring and nonrecurring | ||||||
11 | charges associated with, related to or used in connection | ||||||
12 | with such services, shall be classified as competitive | ||||||
13 | without further Commission review. For services classified | ||||||
14 | as competitive pursuant to this subsection, the | ||||||
15 | requirements or conditions in any order or decision | ||||||
16 | rendered by the Commission pursuant to Section 13-502 prior | ||||||
17 | to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th | ||||||
18 | General Assembly, except for the commitments made by the | ||||||
19 | Electing Provider in such order or decision concerning the | ||||||
20 | optional packages required in subsection (d) of this | ||||||
21 | Section and basic local exchange service as defined in this | ||||||
22 | Section, shall no longer be in effect and no Commission | ||||||
23 | investigation, review, or proceeding under Section 13-502 | ||||||
24 | shall be continued, conducted, or maintained with respect | ||||||
25 | to such services, charges, requirements, or conditions. | ||||||
26 | (2) For those geographic areas in which residential |
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1 | local exchange telecommunications services have not been | ||||||
2 | classified as competitive as of the effective date of this | ||||||
3 | amendatory Act of the 96th General Assembly, all | ||||||
4 | telecommunications services provided to residential and | ||||||
5 | business end users by an Electing Provider in the | ||||||
6 | geographic area that is included in its notice of election | ||||||
7 | pursuant to subsection (b) shall be classified as | ||||||
8 | competitive for purposes of this Article without further | ||||||
9 | Commission review. | ||||||
10 | (3) If an Electing Provider was previously subject to | ||||||
11 | alternative regulation pursuant to Section 13-506.1 of | ||||||
12 | this Article, the alternative regulation plan shall | ||||||
13 | terminate in whole for all services subject to that plan | ||||||
14 | and be of no force or effect, without further Commission | ||||||
15 | review or action, when the Electing Provider's residential | ||||||
16 | local exchange telecommunications service in each MSA in | ||||||
17 | its telecommunications service area in the State has been | ||||||
18 | classified as competitive pursuant to either subdivision | ||||||
19 | (c)(1) or (c)(2) of this Section. | ||||||
20 | (4) The service packages described in Section 13-518 | ||||||
21 | shall be classified as competitive for purposes of this | ||||||
22 | Section if offered by an Electing Provider in a geographic | ||||||
23 | area in which local exchange telecommunications service | ||||||
24 | has been classified as competitive pursuant to either | ||||||
25 | subdivision (c)(1) or (c)(2) of this Section. | ||||||
26 | (5) Where a service, or its functional equivalent, or a |
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1 | substitute service offered by a carrier that is not an | ||||||
2 | Electing Provider or the incumbent local exchange carrier | ||||||
3 | for that area is also being offered by an Electing Provider | ||||||
4 | for some identifiable class or group of customers in an | ||||||
5 | exchange, group of exchanges, or some other clearly defined | ||||||
6 | geographical area, the service offered by a carrier that is | ||||||
7 | not an Electing Provider or the incumbent local exchange | ||||||
8 | carrier for that area shall be classified as competitive | ||||||
9 | without further Commission review. | ||||||
10 | (6) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, | ||||||
11 | retail telecommunications services classified as | ||||||
12 | competitive pursuant to Section 13-502 or subdivision | ||||||
13 | (c)(5) of this Section shall have their rates, terms, and | ||||||
14 | conditions solely determined and regulated pursuant to the | ||||||
15 | terms of this Section in the same manner and to the same | ||||||
16 | extent as the competitive retail telecommunications | ||||||
17 | services of an Electing Provider, except that subsections | ||||||
18 | (d), (g), and (j) of this Section shall not apply to a | ||||||
19 | carrier that is not an Electing Provider or to the | ||||||
20 | competitive telecommunications services of a carrier that | ||||||
21 | is not an Electing Provider. The access services of a | ||||||
22 | carrier that is not an Electing Provider shall remain | ||||||
23 | subject to Section 13-900.2. The requirements in | ||||||
24 | subdivision (e)(3) of this Section shall not apply to | ||||||
25 | retail telecommunications services classified as | ||||||
26 | competitive pursuant to Section 13-502 or subdivision |
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1 | (c)(5) of this Section, except that, upon request from the | ||||||
2 | Commission, the telecommunications carrier providing | ||||||
3 | competitive retail telecommunications services shall | ||||||
4 | provide a report showing the number of credits and | ||||||
5 | exemptions for the requested time period. | ||||||
6 | (d) Consumer choice safe harbor options. | ||||||
7 | (1) An Electing Provider in each of the MSA or Exchange | ||||||
8 | areas classified as competitive pursuant to subdivision | ||||||
9 | (c)(1) or (c)(2) of this Section shall offer to all | ||||||
10 | residential customers who choose to subscribe the | ||||||
11 | following optional packages of services priced at the same | ||||||
12 | rate levels in effect on January 1, 2010: | ||||||
13 | (A) A basic package, which shall consist of a | ||||||
14 | stand-alone residential network access line and 30 | ||||||
15 | local calls. If the Electing Provider offers a | ||||||
16 | stand-alone residential access line and local usage on | ||||||
17 | a per call basis, the price for the basic package shall | ||||||
18 | be the Electing Provider's applicable price in effect | ||||||
19 | on January 1, 2010 for the sum of a residential access | ||||||
20 | line and 30 local calls, additional calls over 30 calls | ||||||
21 | shall be provided at the current per call rate. | ||||||
22 | However, this basic package is not required if | ||||||
23 | stand-alone residential network access lines or | ||||||
24 | per-call local usage are not offered by the Electing | ||||||
25 | Provider in the geographic area on January 1, 2010 or | ||||||
26 | if the Electing Provider has not increased its |
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1 | stand-alone network access line and local usage rates, | ||||||
2 | including Extended Area Service rates, since January | ||||||
3 | 1, 2010. | ||||||
4 | (B) An extra package, which shall consist of | ||||||
5 | residential basic local exchange network access line | ||||||
6 | and unlimited local calls. The price for the extra | ||||||
7 | package shall be the Electing Provider's applicable | ||||||
8 | price in effect on January 1, 2010 for a residential | ||||||
9 | access line with unlimited local calls. | ||||||
10 | (C) A plus package, which shall consist of | ||||||
11 | residential basic local exchange network access line, | ||||||
12 | unlimited local calls, and the customer's choice of 2 | ||||||
13 | vertical services offered by the Electing Provider. | ||||||
14 | The term "vertical services" as used in this | ||||||
15 | subsection, includes, but is not limited to, call | ||||||
16 | waiting, call forwarding, 3-way calling, caller ID, | ||||||
17 | call tracing, automatic callback, repeat dialing, and | ||||||
18 | voicemail. The price for the plus package shall be the | ||||||
19 | Electing Provider's applicable price in effect on | ||||||
20 | January 1, 2010 for the sum of a residential access | ||||||
21 | line with unlimited local calls and 2 times the average | ||||||
22 | price for the vertical features included in the | ||||||
23 | package. | ||||||
24 | (2) For those geographic areas in which local exchange | ||||||
25 | telecommunications services were classified as competitive | ||||||
26 | on the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 96th |
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1 | General Assembly, an Electing Provider in each such MSA or | ||||||
2 | Exchange area shall be subject to the same terms and | ||||||
3 | conditions as provided in commitments made by the Electing | ||||||
4 | Provider in connection with such previous competitive | ||||||
5 | classifications, which shall apply with equal force under | ||||||
6 | this Section, except as follows: (i) the limits on price | ||||||
7 | increases on the optional packages required by this Section | ||||||
8 | shall be extended consistent with subsection (d)(1) of this | ||||||
9 | Section and (ii) the price for the extra package required | ||||||
10 | by subsection (d)(1)(B) shall be reduced by one dollar from | ||||||
11 | the price in effect on January 1, 2010. In addition, if an | ||||||
12 | Electing Provider obtains a competitive classification | ||||||
13 | pursuant to subsection (c)(1) and (c)(2), the price for the | ||||||
14 | optional packages shall be determined in such area in | ||||||
15 | compliance with subsection (d)(1), except the price for the | ||||||
16 | plus package required by subsection (d)(1) (C) shall be the | ||||||
17 | lower of the price for such area or the price of the plus | ||||||
18 | package in effect on January 1, 2010 for areas classified | ||||||
19 | as competitive pursuant to subsection (c)(1). | ||||||
20 | (3) To the extent that the requirements in Section | ||||||
21 | 13-518 applied to a telecommunications carrier prior to the | ||||||
22 | effective date of this Section and that telecommunications | ||||||
23 | carrier becomes an Electing Provider in accordance with the | ||||||
24 | provisions of this Section, the requirements in Section | ||||||
25 | 13-518 shall cease to apply to that Electing Provider in | ||||||
26 | those geographic areas included in the Electing Provider's |
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1 | notice of election pursuant to subsection (b) of this | ||||||
2 | Section. | ||||||
3 | (4) An Electing Provider shall make the optional | ||||||
4 | packages required by this subsection and stand-alone | ||||||
5 | residential network access lines and local usage, where | ||||||
6 | offered, readily available to the public by providing | ||||||
7 | information, in a clear manner, to residential customers. | ||||||
8 | Information shall be made available on a website, and an | ||||||
9 | Electing Provider shall provide notification to its | ||||||
10 | customers every 6 months, provided that notification may | ||||||
11 | consist of a bill page message that provides an objective | ||||||
12 | description of the safe harbor options that includes a | ||||||
13 | telephone number and website address where the customer may | ||||||
14 | obtain additional information about the packages from the | ||||||
15 | Electing Provider. The optional packages shall be offered | ||||||
16 | on a monthly basis with no term of service requirement. An | ||||||
17 | Electing Provider shall allow online electronic ordering | ||||||
18 | of the optional packages and stand-alone residential | ||||||
19 | network access lines and local usage, where offered, on its | ||||||
20 | website in a manner similar to the online electronic | ||||||
21 | ordering of its other residential services. | ||||||
22 | (5) An Electing Provider shall comply with the | ||||||
23 | Commission's existing rules, regulations, and notices in | ||||||
24 | Title 83, Part 735 of the Illinois Administrative Code when | ||||||
25 | offering or providing the optional packages required by | ||||||
26 | this subsection (d) and stand-alone residential network |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | access lines. | ||||||
2 | (6) An Electing Provider shall provide to the | ||||||
3 | Commission semi-annual subscribership reports as of June | ||||||
4 | 30 and December 31 that contain the number of its customers | ||||||
5 | subscribing to each of the consumer choice safe harbor | ||||||
6 | packages required by subsection (d)(1) of this Section and | ||||||
7 | the number of its customers subscribing to retail | ||||||
8 | residential basic local exchange service as defined in | ||||||
9 | subsection (a)(2) of this Section. The first semi-annual | ||||||
10 | reports shall be made on April 1, 2011 for December 31, | ||||||
11 | 2010, and on September 1, 2011 for June 30, 2011, and | ||||||
12 | semi-annually on April 1 and September 1 thereafter. Such | ||||||
13 | subscribership information shall be accorded confidential | ||||||
14 | and proprietary treatment upon request by the Electing | ||||||
15 | Provider. | ||||||
16 | (7) The Commission shall have the power, after notice | ||||||
17 | and hearing as provided in this Article, upon complaint or | ||||||
18 | upon its own motion, to take corrective action if the | ||||||
19 | requirements of this Section are not complied with by an | ||||||
20 | Electing Provider. | ||||||
21 | (e) Service quality and customer credits for basic local | ||||||
22 | exchange service. | ||||||
23 | (1) An Electing Provider shall meet the following | ||||||
24 | service quality standards in providing basic local | ||||||
25 | exchange service, which for purposes of this subsection | ||||||
26 | (e), includes both basic local exchange service and the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | consumer choice safe harbor options required by subsection | ||||||
2 | (d) of this Section. | ||||||
3 | (A) Install basic local exchange service within 5 | ||||||
4 | business days after receipt of an order from the | ||||||
5 | customer unless the customer requests an installation | ||||||
6 | date that is beyond 5 business days after placing the | ||||||
7 | order for basic service and to inform the customer of | ||||||
8 | the Electing Provider's duty to install service within | ||||||
9 | this timeframe. If installation of service is | ||||||
10 | requested on or by a date more than 5 business days in | ||||||
11 | the future, the Electing Provider shall install | ||||||
12 | service by the date requested. | ||||||
13 | (B) Restore basic local exchange service for the | ||||||
14 | customer within 30 hours after receiving notice that | ||||||
15 | the customer is out of service. | ||||||
16 | (C) Keep all repair and installation appointments | ||||||
17 | for basic local exchange service if a customer premises | ||||||
18 | visit requires a customer to be present. The | ||||||
19 | appointment window shall be either a specific time or, | ||||||
20 | at a maximum, a 4-hour time block during evening, | ||||||
21 | weekend, and normal business hours. | ||||||
22 | (D) Inform a customer when a repair or installation | ||||||
23 | appointment requires the customer to be present. | ||||||
24 | (2) Customers shall be credited by the Electing | ||||||
25 | Provider for violations of basic local exchange service | ||||||
26 | quality standards described in subdivision (e)(1) of this |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | Section. The credits shall be applied automatically on the | ||||||
2 | statement issued to the customer for the next monthly | ||||||
3 | billing cycle following the violation or following the | ||||||
4 | discovery of the violation. The next monthly billing cycle | ||||||
5 | following the violation or the discovery of the violation | ||||||
6 | means the billing cycle immediately following the billing | ||||||
7 | cycle in process at the time of the violation or discovery | ||||||
8 | of the violation, provided the total time between the | ||||||
9 | violation or discovery of the violation and the issuance of | ||||||
10 | the credit shall not exceed 60 calendar days. The Electing | ||||||
11 | Provider is responsible for providing the credits and the | ||||||
12 | customer is under no obligation to request such credits. | ||||||
13 | The following credits shall apply: | ||||||
14 | (A) If an Electing Provider fails to repair an | ||||||
15 | out-of-service condition for basic local exchange | ||||||
16 | service within 30 hours, the Electing Provider shall | ||||||
17 | provide a credit to the customer. If the service | ||||||
18 | disruption is for more than 30 hours, but not more than | ||||||
19 | 48 hours, the credit must be equal to a pro-rata | ||||||
20 | portion of the monthly recurring charges for all basic | ||||||
21 | local exchange services disrupted. If the service | ||||||
22 | disruption is for more than 48 hours, but not more than | ||||||
23 | 72 hours, the credit must be equal to at least 33% of | ||||||
24 | one month's recurring charges for all local services | ||||||
25 | disrupted. If the service disruption is for more than | ||||||
26 | 72 hours, but not more than 96 hours, the credit must |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | be equal to at least 67% of one month's recurring | ||||||
2 | charges for all basic local exchange services | ||||||
3 | disrupted. If the service disruption is for more than | ||||||
4 | 96 hours, but not more than 120 hours, the credit must | ||||||
5 | be equal to one month's recurring charges for all basic | ||||||
6 | local exchange services disrupted. For each day or | ||||||
7 | portion thereof that the service disruption continues | ||||||
8 | beyond the initial 120-hour period, the Electing | ||||||
9 | Provider shall also provide an additional credit of $20 | ||||||
10 | per calendar day. | ||||||
11 | (B) If an Electing Provider fails to install basic | ||||||
12 | local exchange service as required under subdivision | ||||||
13 | (e)(1) of this Section, the Electing Provider shall | ||||||
14 | waive 50% of any installation charges, or in the | ||||||
15 | absence of an installation charge or where | ||||||
16 | installation is pursuant to the Link Up program, the | ||||||
17 | Electing Provider shall provide a credit of $25. If an | ||||||
18 | Electing Provider fails to install service within 10 | ||||||
19 | business days after the service application is placed, | ||||||
20 | or fails to install service within 5 business days | ||||||
21 | after the customer's requested installation date, if | ||||||
22 | the requested date was more than 5 business days after | ||||||
23 | the date of the order, the Electing Provider shall | ||||||
24 | waive 100% of the installation charge, or in the | ||||||
25 | absence of an installation charge or where | ||||||
26 | installation is provided pursuant to the Link Up |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | program, the Electing Provider shall provide a credit | ||||||
2 | of $50. For each day that the failure to install | ||||||
3 | service continues beyond the initial 10 business days, | ||||||
4 | or beyond 5 business days after the customer's | ||||||
5 | requested installation date, if the requested date was | ||||||
6 | more than 5 business days after the date of the order, | ||||||
7 | the Electing Provider shall also provide an additional | ||||||
8 | credit of $20 per calendar day until the basic local | ||||||
9 | exchange service is installed. | ||||||
10 | (C) If an Electing Provider fails to keep a | ||||||
11 | scheduled repair or installation appointment when a | ||||||
12 | customer premises visit requires a customer to be | ||||||
13 | present as required under subdivision (e)(1) of this | ||||||
14 | Section, the Electing Provider shall credit the | ||||||
15 | customer $25 per missed appointment. A credit required | ||||||
16 | by this subdivision does not apply when the Electing | ||||||
17 | Provider provides the customer notice of its inability | ||||||
18 | to keep the appointment no later than 8:00 pm of the | ||||||
19 | day prior to the scheduled date of the appointment. | ||||||
20 | (D) Credits required by this subsection do not | ||||||
21 | apply if the violation of a service quality standard: | ||||||
22 | (i) occurs as a result of a negligent or | ||||||
23 | willful act on the part of the customer; | ||||||
24 | (ii) occurs as a result of a malfunction of | ||||||
25 | customer-owned telephone equipment or inside | ||||||
26 | wiring; |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (iii) occurs as a result of, or is extended by, | ||||||
2 | an emergency situation as defined in 83 Ill. Adm. | ||||||
3 | Code 732.10; | ||||||
4 | (iv) is extended by the Electing Provider's | ||||||
5 | inability to gain access to the customer's | ||||||
6 | premises due to the customer missing an | ||||||
7 | appointment, provided that the violation is not | ||||||
8 | further extended by the Electing Provider; | ||||||
9 | (v) occurs as a result of a customer request to | ||||||
10 | change the scheduled appointment, provided that | ||||||
11 | the violation is not further extended by the | ||||||
12 | Electing Provider; | ||||||
13 | (vi) occurs as a result of an Electing | ||||||
14 | Provider's right to refuse service to a customer as | ||||||
15 | provided in Commission rules; or | ||||||
16 | (vii) occurs as a result of a lack of | ||||||
17 | facilities where a customer requests service at a | ||||||
18 | geographically remote location, where a customer | ||||||
19 | requests service in a geographic area where the | ||||||
20 | Electing Provider is not currently offering | ||||||
21 | service, or where there are insufficient | ||||||
22 | facilities to meet the customer's request for | ||||||
23 | service, subject to an Electing Provider's | ||||||
24 | obligation for reasonable facilities planning. | ||||||
25 | (3) Each Electing Provider shall provide to the | ||||||
26 | Commission on a quarterly basis and in a form suitable for |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | posting on the Commission's website in conformance with the | ||||||
2 | rules adopted by the Commission and in effect on April 1, | ||||||
3 | 2010, a public report that includes the following data for | ||||||
4 | basic local exchange service quality of service: | ||||||
5 | (A) With regard to credits due in accordance with | ||||||
6 | subdivision (e)(2)(A) as a result of out-of-service | ||||||
7 | conditions lasting more than 30 hours: | ||||||
8 | (i) the total dollar amount of any customer | ||||||
9 | credits paid; | ||||||
10 | (ii) the number of credits issued for repairs | ||||||
11 | between 30 and 48 hours; | ||||||
12 | (iii) the number of credits issued for repairs | ||||||
13 | between 49 and 72 hours; | ||||||
14 | (iv) the number of credits issued for repairs | ||||||
15 | between 73 and 96 hours; | ||||||
16 | (v) the number of credits used for repairs | ||||||
17 | between 97 and 120 hours; | ||||||
18 | (vi) the number of credits issued for repairs | ||||||
19 | greater than 120 hours; and | ||||||
20 | (vii) the number of exemptions claimed for | ||||||
21 | each of the categories identified in subdivision | ||||||
22 | (e)(2)(D). | ||||||
23 | (B) With regard to credits due in accordance with | ||||||
24 | subdivision (e)(2)(B) as a result of failure to install | ||||||
25 | basic local exchange service: | ||||||
26 | (i) the total dollar amount of any customer |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | credits paid; | ||||||
2 | (ii) the number of installations after 5 | ||||||
3 | business days; | ||||||
4 | (iii) the number of installations after 10 | ||||||
5 | business days; | ||||||
6 | (iv) the number of installations after 11 | ||||||
7 | business days; and | ||||||
8 | (v) the number of exemptions claimed for each | ||||||
9 | of the categories identified in subdivision | ||||||
10 | (e)(2)(D). | ||||||
11 | (C) With regard to credits due in accordance with | ||||||
12 | subdivision (e)(2)(C) as a result of missed | ||||||
13 | appointments: | ||||||
14 | (i) the total dollar amount of any customer | ||||||
15 | credits paid; | ||||||
16 | (ii) the number of any customers receiving | ||||||
17 | credits; and | ||||||
18 | (iii) the number of exemptions claimed for | ||||||
19 | each of the categories identified in subdivision | ||||||
20 | (e)(2)(D). | ||||||
21 | (D) The Electing Provider's annual report required | ||||||
22 | by this subsection shall also include, for | ||||||
23 | informational reporting, the performance data | ||||||
24 | described in subdivisions (e)(2)(A), (e)(2)(B), and | ||||||
25 | (e)(2)(C), and trouble reports per 100 access lines | ||||||
26 | calculated using the Commission's existing applicable |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | rules and regulations for such measures, including the | ||||||
2 | requirements for service standards established in this | ||||||
3 | Section. | ||||||
4 | (4) It is the intent of the General Assembly that the | ||||||
5 | service quality rules and customer credits in this | ||||||
6 | subsection (e) of this Section and other enforcement | ||||||
7 | mechanisms, including fines and penalties authorized by | ||||||
8 | Section 13-305, shall apply on a nondiscriminatory basis to | ||||||
9 | all Electing Providers. Accordingly, notwithstanding any | ||||||
10 | provision of any service quality rules promulgated by the | ||||||
11 | Commission, any alternative regulation plan adopted by the | ||||||
12 | Commission, or any other order of the Commission, any | ||||||
13 | Electing Provider that is subject to any other order of the | ||||||
14 | Commission and that violates or fails to comply with the | ||||||
15 | service quality standards promulgated pursuant to this | ||||||
16 | subsection (e) or any other order of the Commission shall | ||||||
17 | not be subject to any fines, penalties, customer credits, | ||||||
18 | or enforcement mechanisms other than such fines or | ||||||
19 | penalties or customer credits as may be imposed by the | ||||||
20 | Commission in accordance with the provisions of this | ||||||
21 | subsection (e) and Section 13-305, which are to be | ||||||
22 | generally applicable to all Electing Providers. The amount | ||||||
23 | of any fines or penalties imposed by the Commission for | ||||||
24 | failure to comply with the requirements of this subsection | ||||||
25 | (e) shall be an appropriate amount, taking into account, at | ||||||
26 | a minimum, the Electing Provider's gross annual intrastate |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | revenue; the frequency, duration, and recurrence of the | ||||||
2 | violation; and the relative harm caused to the affected | ||||||
3 | customers or other users of the network. In imposing fines | ||||||
4 | and penalties, the Commission shall take into account | ||||||
5 | compensation or credits paid by the Electing Provider to | ||||||
6 | its customers pursuant to this subsection (e) in | ||||||
7 | compensation for any violation found pursuant to this | ||||||
8 | subsection (e), and in any event the fine or penalty shall | ||||||
9 | not exceed an amount equal to the maximum amount of a civil | ||||||
10 | penalty that may be imposed under Section 13-305. | ||||||
11 | (5) An Electing Provider in each of the MSA or Exchange | ||||||
12 | areas classified as competitive pursuant to subsection (c) | ||||||
13 | of this Section shall fulfill the requirements in | ||||||
14 | subdivision (e)(3) of this Section for 3 years after its | ||||||
15 | notice of election becomes effective. After such 3 years, | ||||||
16 | the requirements in subdivision (e)(3) of this Section | ||||||
17 | shall not apply to such Electing Provider, except that, | ||||||
18 | upon request from the Commission, the Electing Provider | ||||||
19 | shall provide a report showing the number of credits and | ||||||
20 | exemptions for the requested time period. | ||||||
21 | (f) Commission jurisdiction over competitive retail | ||||||
22 | telecommunications services upon election for market | ||||||
23 | regulation . Except as otherwise expressly stated in this | ||||||
24 | Section, the Commission shall thereafter have no jurisdiction | ||||||
25 | or authority over any aspect of competitive retail | ||||||
26 | telecommunications service of an Electing Provider in those |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | geographic areas included in the Electing Provider's notice of | ||||||
2 | election pursuant to subsection (b) of this Section or of a | ||||||
3 | retail telecommunications service classified as competitive | ||||||
4 | pursuant to Section 13-502 or subdivision (c)(5) of this | ||||||
5 | Section , heretofore subject to the jurisdiction of the | ||||||
6 | Commission, including but not limited to, any requirements of | ||||||
7 | this Article related to the terms, conditions, rates, quality | ||||||
8 | of service, availability, classification or any other aspect of | ||||||
9 | any of the Electing Provider's competitive retail | ||||||
10 | telecommunications services. No telecommunications carrier | ||||||
11 | Electing Provider shall commit any unfair or deceptive act or | ||||||
12 | practice in connection with any aspect of the offering or | ||||||
13 | provision of any competitive retail telecommunications | ||||||
14 | service. Nothing in this Article shall limit or affect any | ||||||
15 | provisions in the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business | ||||||
16 | Practices Act with respect to any unfair or deceptive act or | ||||||
17 | practice by a telecommunications carrier an Electing Provider . | ||||||
18 | (g) Commission authority over access services upon | ||||||
19 | election for market regulation. | ||||||
20 | (1) As part of its Notice of Election for Market | ||||||
21 | Regulation, the Electing Provider shall reduce its | ||||||
22 | intrastate switched access rates to rates no higher than | ||||||
23 | its interstate switched access rates in 4 installments. The | ||||||
24 | first reduction must be made 30 days after submission of | ||||||
25 | its complete application for Notice of Election for Market | ||||||
26 | Regulation, and the Electing Provider must reduce its |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | intrastate switched access rates by an amount equal to 33% | ||||||
2 | of the difference between its current intrastate switched | ||||||
3 | access rates and its current interstate switched access | ||||||
4 | rates. The second reduction must be made no later than one | ||||||
5 | year after the first reduction, and the Electing Provider | ||||||
6 | must reduce its then current intrastate switched access | ||||||
7 | rates by an amount equal to 41% of the difference between | ||||||
8 | its then current intrastate switched access rates and its | ||||||
9 | then current interstate switched access rates. The third | ||||||
10 | reduction must be made no later than one year after the | ||||||
11 | second reduction, and the Electing Provider must reduce its | ||||||
12 | then current intrastate switched access rates by an amount | ||||||
13 | equal to 50% of the difference between its then current | ||||||
14 | intrastate switched access rate and its then current | ||||||
15 | interstate switched access rates. The fourth reduction | ||||||
16 | must be made on or before June 30, 2013, and the Electing | ||||||
17 | Provider must reduce its intrastate switched access rate to | ||||||
18 | mirror its then current interstate switched access rates | ||||||
19 | and rate structure. Following the fourth reduction, each | ||||||
20 | Electing Provider must continue to set its intrastate | ||||||
21 | switched access rates to mirror its interstate switched | ||||||
22 | access rates and rate structure. For purposes of this | ||||||
23 | subsection, the rate for intrastate switched access | ||||||
24 | service means the composite, per-minute rate for that | ||||||
25 | service, including all applicable fixed and | ||||||
26 | traffic-sensitive charges, including, but not limited to, |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | carrier common line charges. | ||||||
2 | (2) Nothing in paragraph (1) of this subsection (g) | ||||||
3 | prohibits an Electing Provider from electing to offer | ||||||
4 | intrastate switched access service at rates lower than its | ||||||
5 | interstate switched access rates. | ||||||
6 | (3) The Commission shall have no authority to order an | ||||||
7 | Electing Provider to set its rates for intrastate switched | ||||||
8 | access at a level lower than its interstate switched access | ||||||
9 | rates. | ||||||
10 | (4) The Commission's authority under this subsection | ||||||
11 | (g) shall only apply to Electing Providers under Market | ||||||
12 | Regulation. The Commission's authority over switched | ||||||
13 | access services for all other carriers is retained under | ||||||
14 | Section 13-900.2 of this Act. | ||||||
15 | (h) Safety of service equipment and facilities. | ||||||
16 | (1) An Electing Provider shall furnish, provide, and | ||||||
17 | maintain such service instrumentalities, equipment, and | ||||||
18 | facilities as shall promote the safety, health, comfort, | ||||||
19 | and convenience of its patrons, employees, and public and | ||||||
20 | as shall be in all respects adequate, reliable, and | ||||||
21 | efficient without discrimination or delay. Every Electing | ||||||
22 | Provider shall provide service and facilities that are in | ||||||
23 | all respects environmentally safe. | ||||||
24 | (2) The Commission is authorized to conduct an | ||||||
25 | investigation of any Electing Provider or part thereof. The | ||||||
26 | investigation may examine the reasonableness, prudence, or |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | efficiency of any aspect of the Electing Provider's | ||||||
2 | operations or functions that may affect the adequacy, | ||||||
3 | safety, efficiency, or reliability of telecommunications | ||||||
4 | service. The Commission may conduct or order an | ||||||
5 | investigation only when it has reasonable grounds to | ||||||
6 | believe that the investigation is necessary to assure that | ||||||
7 | the Electing Provider is providing adequate, efficient, | ||||||
8 | reliable, and safe service. The Commission shall, before | ||||||
9 | initiating any such investigation, issue an order | ||||||
10 | describing the grounds for the investigation and the | ||||||
11 | appropriate scope and nature of the investigation, which | ||||||
12 | shall be reasonably related to the grounds relied upon by | ||||||
13 | the Commission in its order. | ||||||
14 | (i) (Blank). Tariffs. No Electing Provider shall offer or | ||||||
15 | provide telecommunications service unless and until a tariff is | ||||||
16 | filed with the Commission that describes the nature of the | ||||||
17 | service, applicable rates and other charges, terms, and | ||||||
18 | conditions of service and the exchange, exchanges, or other | ||||||
19 | geographical area or areas in which the service shall be | ||||||
20 | offered or provided. The Commission may prescribe the form of | ||||||
21 | such tariff and any additional data or information that shall | ||||||
22 | be included in the form. Revenue from retail competitive | ||||||
23 | services received from an Electing Provider pursuant to such | ||||||
24 | tariffs shall be gross revenue for purposes of Section 2-202 of | ||||||
25 | this Act. | ||||||
26 | (j) Application of Article VII. The provisions of Sections |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | 7-101, 7-102, 7-103, 7-104, 7-204, 7-205, and 7-206 of this Act | ||||||
2 | are applicable to an Electing Provider offering or providing | ||||||
3 | retail telecommunications service, and the Commission's | ||||||
4 | regulation thereof, except that (1) the approval of contracts | ||||||
5 | and arrangements with affiliated interests required by | ||||||
6 | paragraph (3) of Section 7-101 shall not apply to such | ||||||
7 | telecommunications carriers provided that, except as provided | ||||||
8 | in item (2), those contracts and arrangements shall be filed | ||||||
9 | with the Commission; (2) affiliated interest contracts or | ||||||
10 | arrangements entered into by such telecommunications carriers | ||||||
11 | where the increased obligation thereunder does not exceed the | ||||||
12 | lesser of $5,000,000 or 5% of such carrier's prior annual | ||||||
13 | revenue from noncompetitive services are not required to be | ||||||
14 | filed with the Commission; and (3) any consent and approval of | ||||||
15 | the Commission required by Section 7-102 is not required for | ||||||
16 | the sale, lease, assignment, or transfer by any Electing | ||||||
17 | Provider of any real property that is not necessary or useful | ||||||
18 | in the performance of its duties to the public. | ||||||
19 | (k) Notwithstanding other provisions of this Section, the | ||||||
20 | Commission retains its existing authority to enforce the | ||||||
21 | provisions, conditions, and requirements of the following | ||||||
22 | Sections of this Article: 13-101, 13-103, 13-201, 13-301, | ||||||
23 | 13-301.1, 13-301.2, 13-301.3, 13-303, 13-303.5, 13-304, | ||||||
24 | 13-305, 13-401, 13-401.1, 13-402, 13-403, 13-404, 13-404.1, | ||||||
25 | 13-404.2, 13-405, 13-406, 13-407, 13-501, 13-501.5, 13-503, | ||||||
26 | 13-505, 13-509, 13-510, 13-512, 13-513, 13-514, 13-515, |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | 13-516, 13-519, 13-702, 13-703, 13-704, 13-705, 13-706, | ||||||
2 | 13-707, 13-709, 13-713, 13-801, 13-802.1, 13-804, 13-900, | ||||||
3 | 13-900.1, 13-900.2, 13-901, 13-902, and 13-903, which are fully | ||||||
4 | and equally applicable to Electing Providers and to | ||||||
5 | telecommunications carriers providing retail | ||||||
6 | telecommunications service classified as competitive pursuant | ||||||
7 | to Section 13-502 or subdivision (c)(5) of this Section subject | ||||||
8 | to the provisions of this Section. On the effective date of | ||||||
9 | this amendatory Act of the 98th 96th General Assembly, the | ||||||
10 | following Sections of this Article shall cease to apply to | ||||||
11 | Electing Providers and to telecommunications carriers | ||||||
12 | providing retail telecommunications service classified as | ||||||
13 | competitive pursuant to Section 13-502 or subdivision (c)(5) of | ||||||
14 | this Section : 13-302, 13-405.1, 13-501, 13-502, 13-502.5, | ||||||
15 | 13-503, 13-504, 13-505.2, 13-505.3, 13-505.4, 13-505.5, | ||||||
16 | 13-505.6, 13-506.1, 13-507, 13-507.1, 13-508, 13-508.1, | ||||||
17 | 13-517, 13-518, 13-601, 13-701, and 13-712.
| ||||||
18 | (Source: P.A. 96-927, eff. 6-15-10.)
| ||||||
19 | (220 ILCS 5/13-509) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 13-509)
| ||||||
20 | (Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2013)
| ||||||
21 | Sec. 13-509.
Agreements for provisions of competitive | ||||||
22 | telecommunications
services differing from tariffs or written | ||||||
23 | service offerings . A telecommunications carrier may negotiate
| ||||||
24 | with customers or
prospective customers to provide competitive | ||||||
25 | telecommunications service, and in
so
doing, may offer or agree |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | to provide such service on such terms and for
such rates or | ||||||
2 | charges as are reasonable, without regard to any
tariffs
it may | ||||||
3 | have filed with the Commission or written service offerings | ||||||
4 | posted on the telecommunications carrier's website pursuant to | ||||||
5 | Section 13-501(c) of this Act with respect to
such services. | ||||||
6 | Upon request of the Commission,
the telecommunications carrier | ||||||
7 | shall submit to the Commission written
notice of a list of any | ||||||
8 | such agreements (which list may be filed
electronically) within | ||||||
9 | the past year. The notice shall identify the general nature
of | ||||||
10 | all such agreements. A copy of each such
agreement shall be | ||||||
11 | provided to the Commission
within 10 business days after a | ||||||
12 | request for review of the agreement is made by
the Commission | ||||||
13 | or is made to the Commission
by another telecommunications | ||||||
14 | carrier or by a party to such agreement.
| ||||||
15 | Any agreement or notice entered into or submitted pursuant | ||||||
16 | to the
provisions of this Section may, in the Commission's | ||||||
17 | discretion, be accorded
proprietary treatment.
| ||||||
18 | (Source: P.A. 96-927, eff. 6-15-10.)
| ||||||
19 | (220 ILCS 5/13-514)
| ||||||
20 | (Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2013)
| ||||||
21 | Sec. 13-514. Prohibited Actions of Telecommunications | ||||||
22 | Carriers. A
telecommunications carrier shall not knowingly | ||||||
23 | impede the
development of competition in any | ||||||
24 | telecommunications service
market. The following prohibited | ||||||
25 | actions are considered per se impediments to
the
development of |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | competition; however, the Commission is not limited in any
| ||||||
2 | manner to these enumerated impediments and may consider other | ||||||
3 | actions which
impede competition to be prohibited:
| ||||||
4 | (1) unreasonably refusing or delaying interconnections or | ||||||
5 | collocation or
providing inferior
connections to another | ||||||
6 | telecommunications carrier;
| ||||||
7 | (2) unreasonably impairing the speed, quality, or | ||||||
8 | efficiency of services
used
by another telecommunications | ||||||
9 | carrier;
| ||||||
10 | (3) unreasonably denying a request of another provider for
| ||||||
11 | information regarding the technical design and features,
| ||||||
12 | geographic coverage, information necessary for the design of | ||||||
13 | equipment, and
traffic capabilities of the local
exchange | ||||||
14 | network except for proprietary information unless such | ||||||
15 | information is
subject to a proprietary agreement or protective | ||||||
16 | order;
| ||||||
17 | (4) unreasonably delaying access in connecting another | ||||||
18 | telecommunications
carrier to the local exchange network whose | ||||||
19 | product or service requires novel
or specialized
access | ||||||
20 | requirements;
| ||||||
21 | (5) unreasonably refusing or delaying access by any person | ||||||
22 | to another
telecommunications carrier;
| ||||||
23 | (6) unreasonably acting or failing to act in a manner that | ||||||
24 | has a substantial
adverse effect on the ability of another | ||||||
25 | telecommunications
carrier to provide service to its | ||||||
26 | customers;
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (7) unreasonably failing to offer services to customers in | ||||||
2 | a local exchange,
where a telecommunications carrier is | ||||||
3 | certificated to provide
service and has entered into an | ||||||
4 | interconnection agreement
for the provision of local exchange | ||||||
5 | telecommunications
services, with the intent to delay or impede | ||||||
6 | the ability of the
incumbent local exchange telecommunications | ||||||
7 | carrier to
provide inter-LATA telecommunications services;
| ||||||
8 | (8) violating the terms of or unreasonably delaying | ||||||
9 | implementation of an
interconnection agreement entered into | ||||||
10 | pursuant to Section 252 of the federal
Telecommunications Act | ||||||
11 | of 1996 in a manner that unreasonably delays,
increases the | ||||||
12 | cost, or
impedes the availability of telecommunications | ||||||
13 | services to
consumers ;
| ||||||
14 | (9) unreasonably refusing or delaying access to or | ||||||
15 | provision of
operation support systems to another | ||||||
16 | telecommunications carrier or providing
inferior operation | ||||||
17 | support systems to another telecommunications carrier;
| ||||||
18 | (10) unreasonably failing to offer network elements that | ||||||
19 | the Commission or
the Federal Communications Commission has | ||||||
20 | determined must be offered on an
unbundled basis to another | ||||||
21 | telecommunications carrier in a manner consistent
with the | ||||||
22 | Commission's or Federal Communications Commission's orders or | ||||||
23 | rules
requiring such offerings;
| ||||||
24 | (11) violating the obligations of Section 13-801; and
| ||||||
25 | (12) violating an order of the Commission regarding matters | ||||||
26 | between
telecommunications
carriers.
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (Source: P.A. 92-22, eff. 6-30-01 .)
| ||||||
2 | (220 ILCS 5/13-515)
| ||||||
3 | (Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2013)
| ||||||
4 | Sec. 13-515. Enforcement.
| ||||||
5 | (a) The following expedited procedures shall be used
to | ||||||
6 | enforce the provisions of Section 13-514 of this
Act , provided | ||||||
7 | that, for a violation of paragraph (8) of Section 13-514 to | ||||||
8 | qualify for the expedited procedures of this Section, the | ||||||
9 | violation must be in a manner that unreasonably delays, | ||||||
10 | increases the cost, or impedes the availability of | ||||||
11 | telecommunications services to consumers . However, the
| ||||||
12 | Commission, the complainant, and the respondent may mutually | ||||||
13 | agree to adjust
the
procedures established in this Section.
| ||||||
14 | (b) (Blank).
| ||||||
15 | (c) No complaint may be filed under this Section until the
| ||||||
16 | complainant has first notified the respondent of the alleged
| ||||||
17 | violation and offered the respondent
48 hours to correct the | ||||||
18 | situation. Provision of notice and the
opportunity to correct | ||||||
19 | the situation creates a rebuttable presumption of
knowledge | ||||||
20 | under Section 13-514.
After the filing of a complaint under | ||||||
21 | this Section, the parties may agree to
follow the mediation | ||||||
22 | process under Section 10-101.1 of this Act. The time
periods | ||||||
23 | specified in subdivision (d)(7) of this Section shall be tolled
| ||||||
24 | during the time
spent in mediation under Section 10-101.1.
| ||||||
25 | (d) A telecommunications carrier may file a complaint with |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | the
Commission alleging a violation of Section 13-514 in
| ||||||
2 | accordance with this subsection:
| ||||||
3 | (1) The complaint shall be filed with the Chief Clerk | ||||||
4 | of the
Commission and shall be served in hand upon the
| ||||||
5 | respondent, the executive director, and the general
| ||||||
6 | counsel of the Commission at the time of the filing.
| ||||||
7 | (2) A complaint filed under this subsection shall | ||||||
8 | include a
statement that the requirements of subsection (c)
| ||||||
9 | have been fulfilled and that the respondent did not
correct | ||||||
10 | the situation as requested.
| ||||||
11 | (3) Reasonable discovery specific to the issue of the | ||||||
12 | complaint may
commence upon filing of the complaint.
| ||||||
13 | Requests for discovery must be served in hand and
responses | ||||||
14 | to discovery must be provided in hand to
the requester | ||||||
15 | within 14 days after a request for
discovery is made.
| ||||||
16 | (4) An answer and any other responsive pleading to the
| ||||||
17 | complaint shall be filed with the Commission and
served in | ||||||
18 | hand at the same time upon the
complainant, the executive | ||||||
19 | director, and the general
counsel of the Commission within | ||||||
20 | 7 days after the
date on which the complaint is filed.
| ||||||
21 | (5) If the answer or responsive pleading raises the | ||||||
22 | issue that the
complaint violates subsection (i) of this | ||||||
23 | Section, the complainant may file a
reply to
such | ||||||
24 | allegation within 3 days after actual service of such | ||||||
25 | answer or responsive
pleading. Within 4 days after the time | ||||||
26 | for filing a reply has expired, the
hearing officer or |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | arbitrator shall either issue a written decision | ||||||
2 | dismissing
the complaint as frivolous in violation of | ||||||
3 | subsection (i) of this Section
including the
reasons for | ||||||
4 | such disposition or shall issue an order directing that the
| ||||||
5 | complaint shall proceed.
| ||||||
6 | (6) A pre-hearing conference shall be held within 14 | ||||||
7 | days
after the date on which the complaint is filed.
| ||||||
8 | (7) The hearing shall commence within 30 days of the
| ||||||
9 | date on which the complaint is filed. The hearing may
be | ||||||
10 | conducted by a hearing examiner or by an
arbitrator. | ||||||
11 | Parties and the Commission staff shall be
entitled to | ||||||
12 | present evidence and legal argument in oral
or written form | ||||||
13 | as deemed appropriate by the hearing examiner or | ||||||
14 | arbitrator.
The hearing examiner or arbitrator shall issue
| ||||||
15 | a written decision within 60 days after the date on
which | ||||||
16 | the complaint is filed. The decision shall
include reasons | ||||||
17 | for the disposition of the complaint
and, if a violation of | ||||||
18 | Section 13-514 is found, directions
and a deadline for | ||||||
19 | correction of the violation.
| ||||||
20 | (8) Any party may file a petition requesting the | ||||||
21 | Commission to review
the decision of the hearing examiner | ||||||
22 | or arbitrator within 5 days of such
decision. Any party may | ||||||
23 | file a response to a petition for review within 3
business | ||||||
24 | days after actual service of the petition. After the time | ||||||
25 | for filing
of the petition for review, but no later than 15 | ||||||
26 | days after the decision of the
hearing examiner or |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | arbitrator, the Commission shall decide to adopt the
| ||||||
2 | decision of the hearing examiner or arbitrator or shall | ||||||
3 | issue its own final
order.
| ||||||
4 | (e) If the alleged violation has a substantial adverse | ||||||
5 | effect
on the ability of the complainant to provide service to
| ||||||
6 | customers, the complainant may include in its complaint a
| ||||||
7 | request for an order for emergency relief. The
Commission, | ||||||
8 | acting through its designated hearing
examiner or arbitrator, | ||||||
9 | shall act upon such a request
within 2 business days of the | ||||||
10 | filing of the complaint. An order for
emergency relief may be | ||||||
11 | granted, without an evidentiary
hearing, upon a verified | ||||||
12 | factual showing that the party
seeking relief will likely | ||||||
13 | succeed on the merits, that the
party will suffer irreparable | ||||||
14 | harm in its ability to serve
customers if emergency relief is | ||||||
15 | not granted, and that the
order is in the public interest. An | ||||||
16 | order for emergency
relief shall include a finding that the | ||||||
17 | requirements of this
subsection have been fulfilled and shall | ||||||
18 | specify the
directives that must be fulfilled by the respondent | ||||||
19 | and
deadlines for meeting those directives. The decision of
the | ||||||
20 | hearing examiner or arbitrator to grant or deny
emergency | ||||||
21 | relief shall be considered an order of the
Commission unless | ||||||
22 | the Commission enters its own order within 2 calendar days of
| ||||||
23 | the decision of the hearing examiner or arbitrator. The order | ||||||
24 | for emergency
relief may require
the responding party to act or | ||||||
25 | refrain from acting so as to
protect the provision of | ||||||
26 | competitive service offerings to
customers. Any action |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | required by an emergency relief
order must be technically | ||||||
2 | feasible and economically reasonable and the
respondent
must be | ||||||
3 | given a reasonable period of time to comply with
the order.
| ||||||
4 | (f) The Commission is authorized to obtain outside | ||||||
5 | resources
including, but not limited to, arbitrators and | ||||||
6 | consultants for
the purposes of the hearings authorized by this | ||||||
7 | Section.
Any arbitrator or consultant obtained by the | ||||||
8 | Commission
shall be approved by both parties to the hearing.
| ||||||
9 | The cost of such outside resources including, but not limited | ||||||
10 | to, arbitrators
and consultants shall be borne by the parties. | ||||||
11 | The Commission shall review
the bill for reasonableness and | ||||||
12 | assess the parties for reasonable costs
dividing the costs | ||||||
13 | according to the resolution of the complaint brought under
this | ||||||
14 | Section. Such costs shall be paid by the parties directly to | ||||||
15 | the
arbitrators, consultants, and other providers of outside | ||||||
16 | resources within 60
days after receiving notice of the | ||||||
17 | assessments from the Commission. Interest
at the statutory rate | ||||||
18 | shall accrue after expiration of the 60-day period. The
| ||||||
19 | Commission, arbitrators, consultants, or other providers of | ||||||
20 | outside
resources may apply to a court of competent | ||||||
21 | jurisdiction for an order
requiring payment.
| ||||||
22 | (g) The Commission shall assess the parties under this | ||||||
23 | subsection for
all of the
Commission's costs of investigation | ||||||
24 | and conduct of the
proceedings brought under this Section | ||||||
25 | including, but not limited to, the
prorated salaries of staff, | ||||||
26 | attorneys, hearing examiners, and support
personnel and |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | including any travel and per diem, directly attributable to the
| ||||||
2 | complaint brought pursuant to this Section, but excluding those | ||||||
3 | costs provided
for in subsection (f), dividing the costs | ||||||
4 | according to the resolution of
the complaint brought under this | ||||||
5 | Section. All
assessments made under this subsection shall be | ||||||
6 | paid into the Public
Utility Fund within
60 days after | ||||||
7 | receiving notice of the assessments from the
Commission. | ||||||
8 | Interest at the statutory rate shall accrue after
the | ||||||
9 | expiration of the 60 day period. The Commission is
authorized | ||||||
10 | to apply to a court of competent jurisdiction for an
order | ||||||
11 | requiring payment.
| ||||||
12 | (h) If the Commission determines that there is an imminent
| ||||||
13 | threat to competition or to the public interest, the
Commission | ||||||
14 | may, notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, seek
| ||||||
15 | temporary, preliminary, or permanent
injunctive relief from a | ||||||
16 | court of competent jurisdiction either
prior to or after the | ||||||
17 | hearing.
| ||||||
18 | (i) A party shall not bring or defend a proceeding brought | ||||||
19 | under
this Section or assert or controvert an issue in a | ||||||
20 | proceeding brought under
this Section, unless
there is a | ||||||
21 | non-frivolous basis for doing so. By presenting a
pleading, | ||||||
22 | written motion, or other paper in complaint or
defense of the | ||||||
23 | actions or inaction of a party under this
Section, a party is | ||||||
24 | certifying to the Commission that to the
best of that party's | ||||||
25 | knowledge, information, and belief,
formed after a reasonable | ||||||
26 | inquiry of the subject matter of the
complaint or defense, that |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | the complaint or defense is well
grounded in law and fact, and | ||||||
2 | under the circumstances:
| ||||||
3 | (1) it is not being presented to harass the other | ||||||
4 | party,
cause unnecessary delay in the provision of
| ||||||
5 | competitive telecommunications services to
consumers, or | ||||||
6 | create needless increases in the cost of
litigation; and
| ||||||
7 | (2) the allegations and other factual contentions have
| ||||||
8 | evidentiary support or, if specifically so identified, are
| ||||||
9 | likely to have evidentiary support after reasonable
| ||||||
10 | opportunity for further investigation or discovery as | ||||||
11 | defined herein.
| ||||||
12 | (j) If, after notice and a reasonable opportunity to | ||||||
13 | respond,
the Commission determines that subsection (i) has been
| ||||||
14 | violated, the Commission shall impose appropriate
sanctions | ||||||
15 | upon the party or parties that have violated
subsection (i) or | ||||||
16 | are responsible for the violation. The
sanctions shall be not | ||||||
17 | more than $30,000, plus the
amount of expenses accrued by the | ||||||
18 | Commission for
conducting the hearing. Payment of sanctions | ||||||
19 | imposed under this subsection
shall be made to the Common | ||||||
20 | School Fund within 30 days of
imposition of such sanctions.
| ||||||
21 | (k) An appeal of a Commission Order made pursuant to this
| ||||||
22 | Section shall not effectuate a stay of the Order unless a court
| ||||||
23 | of competent jurisdiction specifically finds that the party
| ||||||
24 | seeking the stay will likely succeed on the merits, that the | ||||||
25 | party
will suffer irreparable harm without the stay, and that | ||||||
26 | the stay is
in the public interest.
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (Source: P.A. 92-22, eff. 6-30-01 .)
| ||||||
2 | (220 ILCS 5/13-516)
| ||||||
3 | (Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2013)
| ||||||
4 | Sec. 13-516.
Enforcement remedies for prohibited actions | ||||||
5 | by
telecommunications
carriers.
| ||||||
6 | (a) In addition to any other provision of this Act, all of | ||||||
7 | the following
remedies
may be applied for violations of Section | ||||||
8 | 13-514 , provided that, for a violation of paragraph (8) of | ||||||
9 | Section 13-514 to qualify for the remedies in this Section, the | ||||||
10 | violation must be in a manner that unreasonably delays, | ||||||
11 | increases the cost, or impedes the availability of | ||||||
12 | telecommunications services to consumers. :
| ||||||
13 | (1) A Commission order directing the violating | ||||||
14 | telecommunications carrier
to cease and desist from | ||||||
15 | violating the Act or a Commission order or rule.
| ||||||
16 | (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, | ||||||
17 | for a second
and any subsequent violation of Section 13-514 | ||||||
18 | committed by a
telecommunications carrier after the | ||||||
19 | effective date of this amendatory Act of
the 92nd General | ||||||
20 | Assembly, the
Commission may impose penalties of up to | ||||||
21 | $30,000
or 0.00825% of the telecommunications carrier's | ||||||
22 | gross intrastate annual
telecommunications
revenue, | ||||||
23 | whichever is greater,
per violation unless the | ||||||
24 | telecommunications carrier has fewer than 35,000
| ||||||
25 | subscriber access
lines, in which case the civil penalty |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | may not exceed $2,000 per violation.
The second and any | ||||||
2 | subsequent violation of Section 13-514 need not be of the
| ||||||
3 | same nature or provision of the Section for a penalty to be | ||||||
4 | imposed.
Matters resolved through voluntary mediation | ||||||
5 | pursuant to Section 10-101.1
shall not be considered as a | ||||||
6 | violation of Section 13-514 in computing
eligibility for | ||||||
7 | imposition of a penalty under this subdivision (a)(2).
Each | ||||||
8 | day of a continuing offense shall be treated as a
separate | ||||||
9 | violation for purposes of levying any penalty under this
| ||||||
10 | Section. The period for which the penalty shall be levied | ||||||
11 | shall
commence on the day the
telecommunications carrier | ||||||
12 | first violated Section 13-514 or on the day of the
notice | ||||||
13 | provided to the telecommunications carrier pursuant to | ||||||
14 | subsection (c) of
Section 13-515, whichever is later, and | ||||||
15 | shall continue until
the telecommunications carrier is in | ||||||
16 | compliance with the
Commission order.
In assessing a | ||||||
17 | penalty under this subdivision (a)(2), the Commission may
| ||||||
18 | consider mitigating factors, including those specified in | ||||||
19 | items (1) through (4)
of subsection (a) of Section 13-304.
| ||||||
20 | (3) The Commission shall award damages, attorney's | ||||||
21 | fees, and costs to
any telecommunications carrier that was | ||||||
22 | subjected to a violation of
Section 13-514.
| ||||||
23 | (b) The Commission may waive penalties imposed under | ||||||
24 | subdivision (a)(2)
if it makes a written finding as to its | ||||||
25 | reasons for waiving the
penalty. Reasons for waiving a penalty | ||||||
26 | shall
include, but not be
limited
to, technological |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | infeasibility and acts of God.
| ||||||
2 | (c) The Commission shall establish by rule procedures for | ||||||
3 | the imposition of
remedies under subsection (a) that, at a | ||||||
4 | minimum, provide for
notice, hearing and a written order | ||||||
5 | relating to the imposition of remedies.
| ||||||
6 | (d) Unless enforcement of an order entered by the | ||||||
7 | Commission under Section
13-515 otherwise directs or is stayed | ||||||
8 | by the Commission or by an appellate
court reviewing the | ||||||
9 | Commission's order, at any time after 30
days from the entry of | ||||||
10 | the order, either the Commission, or the
telecommunications | ||||||
11 | carrier found by the Commission to have been subjected to
a | ||||||
12 | violation of Section 13-514, or both, is authorized to petition | ||||||
13 | a court of
competent jurisdiction for an order at law or in | ||||||
14 | equity requiring enforcement
of the Commission order. The court | ||||||
15 | shall determine (1) whether the Commission
entered the order | ||||||
16 | identified in the petition and (2) whether the violating
| ||||||
17 | telecommunications carrier has complied with the Commission's | ||||||
18 | order. A
certified copy of a Commission order shall be prima | ||||||
19 | facie evidence that the
Commission entered the order so | ||||||
20 | certified. Pending the court's resolution of
the petition, the | ||||||
21 | court may award temporary or preliminary injunctive relief,
or | ||||||
22 | such other equitable relief as may be necessary, to effectively | ||||||
23 | implement
and
enforce the Commission's order in a timely | ||||||
24 | manner.
| ||||||
25 | If after a hearing the court finds that the Commission | ||||||
26 | entered the order
identified in the petition and that the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | violating telecommunications carrier
has not complied with the | ||||||
2 | Commission's order, the court shall enter judgment
requiring | ||||||
3 | the violating telecommunications carrier to comply with the
| ||||||
4 | Commission's order and order such relief at law or in equity as | ||||||
5 | the court deems
necessary to effectively implement and enforce | ||||||
6 | the Commission's order in a
timely manner. The court shall also | ||||||
7 | award to the petitioner, or petitioners,
attorney's fees and | ||||||
8 | costs, which shall be taxed and collected as part of the
costs | ||||||
9 | of the case.
| ||||||
10 | If the court finds that the violating telecommunications
| ||||||
11 | carrier has failed to comply with the timely payment of | ||||||
12 | damages, attorney's
fees, or costs ordered by the Commission, | ||||||
13 | the court shall order the
violating telecommunications carrier | ||||||
14 | to pay to the telecommunications carrier
or carriers awarded | ||||||
15 | the damages, fees, or costs by the Commission
additional | ||||||
16 | damages for the sake of example and by way of punishment for | ||||||
17 | the
failure to timely comply with the order of the Commission, | ||||||
18 | unless the court
finds a reasonable basis for the violating | ||||||
19 | telecommunications carrier's failure
to make timely payment | ||||||
20 | according to the Commission's order, in which instance
the | ||||||
21 | court shall establish a new date for payment to be made.
| ||||||
22 | (e) Payment of damages, attorney's fees, and costs imposed
| ||||||
23 | under subsection (a) shall be made
within 30 days after | ||||||
24 | issuance of the Commission order imposing the penalties,
| ||||||
25 | damages, attorney's fees, or costs, unless otherwise directed | ||||||
26 | by the Commission
or a reviewing court under an appeal taken |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | pursuant to Article X. Payment of
penalties imposed under | ||||||
2 | subsection (a) shall be made
to the Common School Fund within | ||||||
3 | 30 days of issuance of the Commission order
imposing the | ||||||
4 | penalties.
| ||||||
5 | (Source: P.A. 92-22, eff. 6-30-01 .)
| ||||||
6 | (220 ILCS 5/13-712)
| ||||||
7 | (Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2013)
| ||||||
8 | Sec. 13-712. Basic local exchange service quality; | ||||||
9 | customer credits.
| ||||||
10 | (a) It is the intent of the General Assembly that every | ||||||
11 | telecommunications
carrier meet
minimum service quality | ||||||
12 | standards in providing noncompetitive basic local exchange | ||||||
13 | service on
a non-discriminatory basis to all classes of | ||||||
14 | customers.
| ||||||
15 | (b) Definitions:
| ||||||
16 | (1) (Blank).
| ||||||
17 | (2) "Basic local exchange service" means residential | ||||||
18 | and business lines
used
for local
exchange | ||||||
19 | telecommunications service as defined in Section 13-204 of | ||||||
20 | this Act, that have not been classified as competitive | ||||||
21 | pursuant to either Section 13-502 or subdivision (c)(5) of | ||||||
22 | Section 13-506.2 of this Act,
excluding:
| ||||||
23 | (A) services that employ advanced | ||||||
24 | telecommunications capability as
defined
in Section | ||||||
25 | 706(c)(1) of the federal Telecommunications Act of |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | 1996;
| ||||||
2 | (B) vertical services;
| ||||||
3 | (C) company official lines; and
| ||||||
4 | (D) records work only.
| ||||||
5 | (3) "Link Up" refers to the Link Up Assistance program | ||||||
6 | defined and
established
at 47
C.F.R. Section 54.411 et seq. | ||||||
7 | as amended.
| ||||||
8 | (c) The Commission shall promulgate service quality rules
| ||||||
9 | for basic local exchange service, which may include fines, | ||||||
10 | penalties, customer
credits, and other enforcement mechanisms. | ||||||
11 | In developing such service quality
rules, the Commission shall | ||||||
12 | consider, at a minimum, the carrier's gross annual
intrastate | ||||||
13 | revenue; the frequency, duration, and recurrence of the | ||||||
14 | violation;
and the relative harm caused to the affected | ||||||
15 | customer or other users of the
network. In imposing fines, the | ||||||
16 | Commission shall take into account
compensation or credits paid | ||||||
17 | by the telecommunications carrier to its customers
pursuant to | ||||||
18 | this Section in compensation for the violation found pursuant | ||||||
19 | to
this Section. These rules shall become effective within one | ||||||
20 | year after the
effective date of this amendatory Act of the | ||||||
21 | 92nd General Assembly.
| ||||||
22 | (d) The rules shall, at a minimum, require each | ||||||
23 | telecommunications carrier
to do all of the following:
| ||||||
24 | (1) Install basic local exchange service within 5 | ||||||
25 | business days after
receipt
of an
order from the customer | ||||||
26 | unless the customer requests an installation date that
is
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | beyond 5 business days after placing the order for basic | ||||||
2 | service and to inform
the customer of its duty to install | ||||||
3 | service within this timeframe. If
installation
of
service | ||||||
4 | is requested on or by a date more than 5 business days in | ||||||
5 | the future,
the
telecommunications carrier shall install | ||||||
6 | service by the date requested. A
telecommunications | ||||||
7 | carrier offering basic local exchange service utilizing | ||||||
8 | the
network or network elements of another carrier shall | ||||||
9 | install new lines for
basic local exchange service within 3 | ||||||
10 | business days after provisioning of the
line or lines by | ||||||
11 | the carrier whose network or network elements are being
| ||||||
12 | utilized is complete. This
subdivision (d)(1) does not | ||||||
13 | apply to the migration of a customer between
| ||||||
14 | telecommunications carriers, so long as the customer | ||||||
15 | maintains dial tone.
| ||||||
16 | (2) Restore basic local exchange service for a customer | ||||||
17 | within 30 hours of
receiving
notice that a customer is out | ||||||
18 | of service. This provision applies to service
disruptions | ||||||
19 | that occur when a customer switches existing basic local | ||||||
20 | exchange
service from one carrier to another.
| ||||||
21 | (3) Keep all repair and installation appointments for | ||||||
22 | basic local exchange
service,
when a customer premises | ||||||
23 | visit requires a customer to be present.
| ||||||
24 | (4) Inform a customer when a repair or installation | ||||||
25 | appointment requires
the customer to be present.
| ||||||
26 | (e) The rules shall include provisions for customers to be
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | credited by the
telecommunications carrier for violations of | ||||||
2 | basic local exchange service
quality
standards as described in | ||||||
3 | subsection (d).
The credits shall be applied on the statement | ||||||
4 | issued to the
customer for the next monthly billing cycle | ||||||
5 | following the violation or
following the discovery of the | ||||||
6 | violation.
The performance levels established in subsection | ||||||
7 | (c) are solely for the
purposes
of consumer credits and shall | ||||||
8 | not be used as performance levels for the
purposes of
assessing | ||||||
9 | penalties under Section 13-305.
At a minimum, the rules shall
| ||||||
10 | include the following:
| ||||||
11 | (1) If a carrier fails to repair an out-of-service | ||||||
12 | condition for basic
local
exchange service within 30 hours, | ||||||
13 | the carrier shall provide a credit to
the customer. If the | ||||||
14 | service disruption is for over 30 hours but less than 48 | ||||||
15 | hours, the
credit must be equal to a pro-rata portion of | ||||||
16 | the monthly recurring charges for
all
local services | ||||||
17 | disrupted. If the service disruption is for more than 48
| ||||||
18 | hours, but not more than 72 hours, the credit must be equal | ||||||
19 | to at least
33% of one month's recurring charges for all | ||||||
20 | local services disrupted. If the
service disruption is for | ||||||
21 | more than 72 hours, but not more than 96
hours, the credit | ||||||
22 | must be equal to at least 67% of one month's
recurring | ||||||
23 | charges for all local services disrupted. If the service | ||||||
24 | disruption
is for
more than 96 hours, but not more than 120 | ||||||
25 | hours, the credit must be equal to
one month's recurring | ||||||
26 | charges for all
local
services disrupted. For each day or |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | portion thereof that the service
disruption continues | ||||||
2 | beyond
the initial 120-hour period, the carrier shall also | ||||||
3 | provide
an additional credit of $20 per day.
| ||||||
4 | (2) If a carrier fails to install basic local exchange | ||||||
5 | service as required
under subdivision (d)(1),
the carrier | ||||||
6 | shall waive 50% of
any installation charges, or in the | ||||||
7 | absence of an installation charge or where
installation is | ||||||
8 | pursuant to the Link Up
program, the carrier shall provide | ||||||
9 | a credit of $25. If a carrier fails to
install service | ||||||
10 | within 10 business days after the service application is
| ||||||
11 | placed, or fails to install service within 5 business days | ||||||
12 | after the customer's
requested installation date, if the | ||||||
13 | requested date was more than 5 business
days after the date | ||||||
14 | of the order, the carrier shall waive 100% of the
| ||||||
15 | installation charge, or in the absence of an installation | ||||||
16 | charge or where
installation is provided pursuant to the | ||||||
17 | Link Up program, the carrier shall
provide a credit of $50. | ||||||
18 | For each day that the failure to install service
continues | ||||||
19 | beyond the initial 10 business days, or beyond 5 business | ||||||
20 | days after
the customer's requested installation date, if | ||||||
21 | the requested date was more than
5 business days after the | ||||||
22 | date of the order, the
carrier shall also provide an
| ||||||
23 | additional credit of $20 per day until service is
| ||||||
24 | installed.
| ||||||
25 | (3) If a carrier fails to keep a scheduled repair or | ||||||
26 | installation
appointment when a customer premises visit |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | requires a customer to be present,
the carrier shall credit | ||||||
2 | the customer $25 per missed appointment.
A credit required | ||||||
3 | by this subsection does not apply when the carrier provides
| ||||||
4 | the customer notice of its inability to keep the | ||||||
5 | appointment no later than 8 p.m. of the day prior to the | ||||||
6 | scheduled date of the appointment.
| ||||||
7 | (4) If the violation of a basic local exchange service | ||||||
8 | quality standard is
caused by a carrier other than the | ||||||
9 | carrier providing retail
service to the customer, the
| ||||||
10 | carrier providing retail service to the customer shall | ||||||
11 | credit the customer as
provided
in this Section. The | ||||||
12 | carrier causing the violation shall
reimburse the carrier | ||||||
13 | providing retail service the amount credited the
customer.
| ||||||
14 | When applicable, an interconnection agreement shall govern | ||||||
15 | compensation between
the carrier causing the violation, in | ||||||
16 | whole or in part, and the retail carrier
providing the | ||||||
17 | credit to the customer.
| ||||||
18 | (5) (Blank).
| ||||||
19 | (6) Credits required by this subsection do not apply if | ||||||
20 | the violation of a
service
quality standard:
| ||||||
21 | (i) occurs as a result of a negligent or willful | ||||||
22 | act on the part of the
customer;
| ||||||
23 | (ii) occurs as a result of a malfunction of | ||||||
24 | customer-owned telephone
equipment or inside wiring;
| ||||||
25 | (iii) occurs as a result of, or is extended by, an | ||||||
26 | emergency situation
as defined in
Commission rules;
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (iv) is extended by the carrier's inability to gain | ||||||
2 | access to the
customer's
premises due to the customer | ||||||
3 | missing an appointment, provided that the
violation is | ||||||
4 | not further extended by the carrier;
| ||||||
5 | (v) occurs as a result of a customer request to | ||||||
6 | change the scheduled
appointment, provided
that the | ||||||
7 | violation is not further extended by the carrier;
| ||||||
8 | (vi) occurs as a result of a carrier's right to | ||||||
9 | refuse service to a
customer as provided in Commission | ||||||
10 | rules; or
| ||||||
11 | (vii) occurs as a result of a lack of facilities | ||||||
12 | where a customer
requests service at a geographically
| ||||||
13 | remote location, a customer requests service in a | ||||||
14 | geographic area where the
carrier is not currently | ||||||
15 | offering service, or there are insufficient facilities
| ||||||
16 | to meet the customer's request for service, subject to | ||||||
17 | a carrier's obligation
for reasonable facilities | ||||||
18 | planning.
| ||||||
19 | (7) The provisions of this subsection are cumulative | ||||||
20 | and shall not in any
way
diminish or replace other civil or | ||||||
21 | administrative remedies available to a
customer
or a class | ||||||
22 | of customers.
| ||||||
23 | (f) The rules shall require each telecommunications | ||||||
24 | carrier to provide to
the Commission, on
a quarterly basis and | ||||||
25 | in a form suitable for posting on the Commission's
website, a | ||||||
26 | public
report that includes performance data for basic local |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | exchange service quality
of service.
The performance data shall | ||||||
2 | be disaggregated for each geographic area and each
customer | ||||||
3 | class of the
State for
which the telecommunications carrier | ||||||
4 | internally monitored performance data as
of a date
120 days | ||||||
5 | preceding the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 92nd
| ||||||
6 | General Assembly. The report shall
include, at
a minimum, | ||||||
7 | performance data on basic local exchange service | ||||||
8 | installations,
lines out of
service for more than 30 hours, | ||||||
9 | carrier response to customer calls, trouble
reports, and
missed | ||||||
10 | repair and installation commitments.
| ||||||
11 | (g) The Commission shall establish and implement carrier to | ||||||
12 | carrier
wholesale service
quality rules and establish remedies | ||||||
13 | to ensure enforcement of the rules.
| ||||||
14 | (Source: P.A. 96-927, eff. 6-15-10.)
| ||||||
15 | (220 ILCS 5/13-802.1 new) | ||||||
16 | Sec. 13-802.1. Depreciation; examination and audit; | ||||||
17 | agreement conditions; Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996. | ||||||
18 | (a) In performing any cost analysis authorized pursuant to | ||||||
19 | this Act, the Commission may ascertain and determine and by | ||||||
20 | order fix the proper and adequate rate of depreciation of the | ||||||
21 | property for a telecommunications carrier for the purpose of | ||||||
22 | such cost analysis. | ||||||
23 | (b) The Commission may provide for the examination and | ||||||
24 | audit of all accounts. Items subject to the Commission's | ||||||
25 | regulatory requirements shall be so allocated in the manner |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | prescribed by the Commission. The officers and employees of the | ||||||
2 | Commission shall have the authority under the direction of the | ||||||
3 | Commission to inspect and examine any and all books, accounts, | ||||||
4 | papers, records, and memoranda kept by the telecommunications | ||||||
5 | carrier. | ||||||
6 | (c) The Commission is authorized to adopt rules and | ||||||
7 | regulations concerning the conditions to be contained in and | ||||||
8 | become a part of contracts for noncompetitive | ||||||
9 | telecommunications services in a manner consistent with this | ||||||
10 | Act and federal law. | ||||||
11 | (d) The Commission shall have the authority to, and shall | ||||||
12 | engage in, all state regulatory actions needed to implement and | ||||||
13 | enforce the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 consistent | ||||||
14 | with federal law, including, but not limited to, the | ||||||
15 | negotiation, arbitration, implementation, resolution of | ||||||
16 | disputes and enforcement of interconnection agreements arising | ||||||
17 | under Sections 251 and 252 of the federal Telecommunications | ||||||
18 | Act of 1996.
| ||||||
19 | (220 ILCS 5/13-1200) | ||||||
20 | (Section scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2013) | ||||||
21 | Sec. 13-1200. Repealer. This Article is repealed July 1, | ||||||
22 | 2015 2013 . | ||||||
23 | (Source: P.A. 95-9, eff. 6-30-07; 96-24, eff. 6-30-09; 96-927, | ||||||
24 | eff. 6-15-10.)
|
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (220 ILCS 5/21-401) | ||||||
2 | (Section scheduled to be repealed on October 1, 2013) | ||||||
3 | Sec. 21-401. Applications. | ||||||
4 | (a)(1) A person or entity seeking to provide cable service | ||||||
5 | or video service pursuant to this Article shall not use the | ||||||
6 | public rights-of-way for the installation or construction of | ||||||
7 | facilities for the provision of cable service or video service | ||||||
8 | or offer cable service or video service until it has obtained a | ||||||
9 | State-issued authorization to offer or provide cable or video | ||||||
10 | service under this Section, except as provided for in item (2) | ||||||
11 | of this subsection (a). All cable or video providers offering | ||||||
12 | or providing service in this State shall have authorization | ||||||
13 | pursuant to either (i) the Cable and Video Competition Law of | ||||||
14 | 2007 (220 ILCS 5/21-100 et seq.); (ii) Section 11-42-11 of the | ||||||
15 | Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5/11-42-11); or (iii) Section | ||||||
16 | 5-1095 of the Counties Code (55 ILCS 5/5-1095). | ||||||
17 | (2) Nothing in this Section shall prohibit a local unit | ||||||
18 | of government from granting a permit to a person or entity | ||||||
19 | for the use of the public rights-of-way to install or | ||||||
20 | construct facilities to provide cable service or video | ||||||
21 | service, at its sole discretion. No unit of local | ||||||
22 | government shall be liable for denial or delay of a permit | ||||||
23 | prior to the issuance of a State-issued authorization. | ||||||
24 | (b) The application to the Commission for State-issued | ||||||
25 | authorization shall contain a completed affidavit submitted by | ||||||
26 | the applicant and signed by an officer or general partner of |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | the applicant affirming all of the following: | ||||||
2 | (1) That the applicant has filed or will timely file | ||||||
3 | with the Federal Communications Commission all forms | ||||||
4 | required by that agency in advance of offering cable | ||||||
5 | service or video service in this State. | ||||||
6 | (2) That the applicant agrees to comply with all | ||||||
7 | applicable federal and State statutes and regulations. | ||||||
8 | (3) That the applicant agrees to comply with all | ||||||
9 | applicable local unit of government regulations. | ||||||
10 | (4) An exact description of the cable service or video | ||||||
11 | service area where the cable service or video service will | ||||||
12 | be offered during the term of the State-issued | ||||||
13 | authorization. The service area shall be identified in | ||||||
14 | terms of either (i) exchanges, as that term is defined in | ||||||
15 | Section 13-206 of this Act; (ii) a collection of United | ||||||
16 | States Census Bureau Block numbers (13 digit); (iii) if the | ||||||
17 | area is smaller than the areas identified in either (i) or | ||||||
18 | (ii), by geographic information system digital boundaries | ||||||
19 | meeting or exceeding national map accuracy standards; or | ||||||
20 | (iv) local unit of government. The description shall | ||||||
21 | include the number of low-income households within the | ||||||
22 | service area or footprint. If an applicant is a an | ||||||
23 | incumbent cable operator, the incumbent cable operator and | ||||||
24 | any successor-in-interest shall be obligated to provide | ||||||
25 | access to cable services or video services within any local | ||||||
26 | units of government at the same levels required by the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | local franchising authorities for the local unit of | ||||||
2 | government on June 30, 2007
(the effective date of Public | ||||||
3 | Act 95-9),
and its application shall provide a description | ||||||
4 | of an area no smaller than the service areas contained in | ||||||
5 | its franchise or franchises
within the jurisdiction of the | ||||||
6 | local unit of government in which it seeks to offer cable | ||||||
7 | or video service. | ||||||
8 | (5) The location and telephone number of the | ||||||
9 | applicant's principal place of business within this State | ||||||
10 | and the names of the applicant's principal executive | ||||||
11 | officers who are responsible for communications concerning | ||||||
12 | the application and the services to be offered pursuant to | ||||||
13 | the application, the applicant's legal name, and any name | ||||||
14 | or names under which the applicant does or will provide | ||||||
15 | cable services or video services in this State. | ||||||
16 | (6) A certification that the applicant has | ||||||
17 | concurrently delivered a copy of the application to all | ||||||
18 | local units of government that include all or any part of | ||||||
19 | the service area identified in item (4) of this subsection | ||||||
20 | (b)
within such local unit of government's jurisdictional | ||||||
21 | boundaries. | ||||||
22 | (7) The expected date that cable service or video | ||||||
23 | service will be initially offered in the area identified in | ||||||
24 | item (4) of this subsection (b). In the event that a holder | ||||||
25 | does not offer cable services or video services within 3
| ||||||
26 | months after the expected date, it shall amend its |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | application and update the expected date service will be | ||||||
2 | offered and explain the delay in offering cable services or | ||||||
3 | video services. | ||||||
4 | (8) For any entity that received State-issued | ||||||
5 | authorization prior to this amendatory Act of the 98th | ||||||
6 | General Assembly as a cable operator and that intends to | ||||||
7 | proceed as a cable operator under this Article, the entity | ||||||
8 | shall file a written affidavit with the Commission and | ||||||
9 | shall serve a copy of the affidavit with any local units of | ||||||
10 | government affected by the authorization within 30 days | ||||||
11 | after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 98th | ||||||
12 | General Assembly stating that the holder will be providing | ||||||
13 | cable service under the State-issued authorization. | ||||||
14 | The application shall include adequate assurance that the | ||||||
15 | applicant possesses the financial, managerial, legal, and | ||||||
16 | technical qualifications necessary to construct and operate | ||||||
17 | the proposed system, to promptly repair any damage to the | ||||||
18 | public right-of-way caused by the applicant, and to pay the | ||||||
19 | cost of removal of its facilities. To accomplish these | ||||||
20 | requirements, the applicant may, at the time the applicant | ||||||
21 | seeks to use the public rights-of-way in that jurisdiction, be | ||||||
22 | required by the State of Illinois or
later be required by the | ||||||
23 | local unit of government, or both, to post a bond, produce a | ||||||
24 | certificate of insurance, or otherwise demonstrate its | ||||||
25 | financial responsibility. | ||||||
26 | The application shall include the applicant's general |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | standards related to customer service required by Section | ||||||
2 | 22-501 of this Act, which shall include, but not be limited to, | ||||||
3 | installation, disconnection, service and repair obligations; | ||||||
4 | appointment hours; employee ID requirements; customer service | ||||||
5 | telephone numbers and hours; procedures for billing, charges, | ||||||
6 | deposits, refunds, and credits; procedures for termination of | ||||||
7 | service; notice of deletion of programming service and changes | ||||||
8 | related to transmission of programming or changes or increases | ||||||
9 | in rates; use and availability of parental control or lock-out | ||||||
10 | devices; complaint procedures and procedures for bill dispute | ||||||
11 | resolution and a description of the rights and remedies | ||||||
12 | available to consumers if the holder does not materially meet | ||||||
13 | their customer service standards; and special services for | ||||||
14 | customers with visual, hearing, or mobility disabilities. | ||||||
15 | (c)(1) The applicant may designate information that it | ||||||
16 | submits in its application or subsequent reports as | ||||||
17 | confidential or proprietary, provided that the applicant | ||||||
18 | states the reasons the confidential designation is necessary. | ||||||
19 | The Commission shall provide adequate protection for such | ||||||
20 | information pursuant to Section 4-404 of this Act. If the | ||||||
21 | Commission, a local unit of government, or any other party | ||||||
22 | seeks public disclosure of information designated as | ||||||
23 | confidential, the Commission shall consider the confidential | ||||||
24 | designation in a proceeding under the Illinois Administrative | ||||||
25 | Procedure
Act, and the burden of proof to demonstrate that the | ||||||
26 | designated information is confidential shall be upon the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | applicant. Designated information shall remain confidential | ||||||
2 | pending the Commission's determination of whether the | ||||||
3 | information is entitled to confidential treatment. Information | ||||||
4 | designated as confidential shall be provided to local units of | ||||||
5 | government for purposes of assessing compliance with this | ||||||
6 | Article as permitted under a Protective Order issued by the | ||||||
7 | Commission pursuant to the Commission's rules and to the | ||||||
8 | Attorney General pursuant to Section 6.5 of the Attorney | ||||||
9 | General Act
(15 ILCS 205/6.5). Information designated as | ||||||
10 | confidential under this Section or determined to be | ||||||
11 | confidential upon Commission review shall only be disclosed | ||||||
12 | pursuant to a valid and enforceable subpoena or court order or | ||||||
13 | as required by the Freedom of Information Act. Nothing herein | ||||||
14 | shall delay the application approval timeframes set forth in | ||||||
15 | this Article. | ||||||
16 | (2) Information regarding the location of video | ||||||
17 | services that have been or are being offered to the public | ||||||
18 | and aggregate information included in the reports required | ||||||
19 | by this Article shall not be designated or treated as | ||||||
20 | confidential. | ||||||
21 | (d)(1) The Commission shall post all applications it | ||||||
22 | receives under this Article on its web site within 5
business | ||||||
23 | days. | ||||||
24 | (2) The Commission shall notify an applicant for a | ||||||
25 | cable service or video service authorization whether the | ||||||
26 | applicant's application and affidavit are complete on or |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | before the 15th business day after the applicant submits | ||||||
2 | the application. If the application and affidavit are not | ||||||
3 | complete, the Commission shall state in its notice all of | ||||||
4 | the reasons the application or affidavit are incomplete, | ||||||
5 | and the applicant shall resubmit a complete application. | ||||||
6 | The Commission shall have 30 days after submission by the | ||||||
7 | applicant of a complete application and affidavit to issue | ||||||
8 | the service authorization. If the Commission does not | ||||||
9 | notify the applicant regarding the completeness of the | ||||||
10 | application and affidavit or issue the service | ||||||
11 | authorization within the time periods required under this | ||||||
12 | subsection, the application and affidavit shall be | ||||||
13 | considered complete and the service authorization issued | ||||||
14 | upon the expiration of the 30th day. | ||||||
15 | (e) Any The authorization issued by the Commission will | ||||||
16 | expire on December 31, 2015 the date listed in Section 21-1601 | ||||||
17 | of this Act and shall contain or include all of the following: | ||||||
18 | (1) A grant of authority , including an authorization | ||||||
19 | issued prior to this amendatory Act of the 98th General | ||||||
20 | Assembly, to provide cable service or video service in the | ||||||
21 | service area footprint as requested in the application, | ||||||
22 | subject to the provisions of this Article in existence on | ||||||
23 | the date the grant of authority was issued, and any | ||||||
24 | modifications to this Article enacted at any time prior to | ||||||
25 | the date in Section 21-1601 of this Act, and to the laws of | ||||||
26 | the State and the ordinances, rules, and regulations of the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | local units of government. | ||||||
2 | (2) A grant of authority to use, occupy, and construct | ||||||
3 | facilities in the public rights-of-way for the delivery of | ||||||
4 | cable service or video service in the service area | ||||||
5 | footprint, subject to the laws, ordinances, rules, or | ||||||
6 | regulations of this State and local units of governments. | ||||||
7 | (3) A statement that the grant of authority is subject | ||||||
8 | to lawful operation of the cable service or video service | ||||||
9 | by the applicant, its affiliated entities, or its | ||||||
10 | successors-in-interest. | ||||||
11 | (4) The Commission shall notify a local unit of | ||||||
12 | government within 3
business days of the grant of any | ||||||
13 | authorization within a service area footprint if that | ||||||
14 | authorization includes any part of the local unit of | ||||||
15 | government's jurisdictional boundaries and state whether | ||||||
16 | the holder will be providing video service or cable service | ||||||
17 | under the authorization . | ||||||
18 | (f) The authorization issued pursuant to this Section
by | ||||||
19 | the Commission may be transferred to any successor-in-interest | ||||||
20 | to the applicant to which it is initially granted without | ||||||
21 | further Commission action if the successor-in-interest (i) | ||||||
22 | submits an application and the information required by | ||||||
23 | subsection (b) of this Section
for the successor-in-interest | ||||||
24 | and (ii) is not in violation of this Article or of any federal, | ||||||
25 | State, or local law, ordinance, rule, or regulation. A | ||||||
26 | successor-in-interest shall file its application and notice of |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | transfer with the Commission and the relevant local units of | ||||||
2 | government no less than 15
business days prior to the | ||||||
3 | completion of the transfer. The Commission is not required or | ||||||
4 | authorized to act upon the notice of transfer; however, the | ||||||
5 | transfer is not effective until the Commission approves the | ||||||
6 | successor-in-interest's application. A local unit of | ||||||
7 | government or the Attorney General may seek to bar a transfer | ||||||
8 | of ownership by filing suit in a court of competent | ||||||
9 | jurisdiction predicated on the existence of a material and | ||||||
10 | continuing breach of this Article by the holder, a pattern of | ||||||
11 | noncompliance with customer service standards by the potential | ||||||
12 | successor-in-interest, or the insolvency of the potential | ||||||
13 | successor-in-interest. If a transfer is made when there are | ||||||
14 | violations of this Article or of any federal, State, or local | ||||||
15 | law, ordinance, rule, or regulation, the successor-in-interest | ||||||
16 | shall be subject to 3
times the penalties provided for in this | ||||||
17 | Article. | ||||||
18 | (g) The authorization issued pursuant to Section 21-401 of | ||||||
19 | this Article by the Commission may be terminated, or its cable | ||||||
20 | service or video service area footprint may be modified, by the | ||||||
21 | cable service provider or video service provider by submitting | ||||||
22 | notice to the Commission and to the relevant local unit of | ||||||
23 | government containing a description of the change on the same | ||||||
24 | terms as the initial description pursuant to item (4) of | ||||||
25 | subsection (b) of this Section. The Commission is not required | ||||||
26 | or authorized to act upon that notice. It shall be a violation |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | of this Article for a holder to discriminate against potential | ||||||
2 | residential subscribers because of the race or income of the | ||||||
3 | residents in the local area in which the group resides by | ||||||
4 | terminating or modifying its cable service or video service | ||||||
5 | area footprint. It shall be a violation of this Article for a | ||||||
6 | holder to terminate or modify its cable service or video | ||||||
7 | service area footprint if it leaves an area with no cable | ||||||
8 | service or video service from any provider. | ||||||
9 | (h) The Commission's authority to administer this Article | ||||||
10 | is limited to the powers and duties explicitly provided under | ||||||
11 | this Article. Its authority under this Article does not include | ||||||
12 | or limit the powers and duties that the Commission has under | ||||||
13 | the other Articles of this Act, the Illinois Administrative | ||||||
14 | Procedure Act,
or any other law or regulation to conduct | ||||||
15 | proceedings, other than as provided in subsection (c), or has | ||||||
16 | to promulgate rules or regulations. The Commission shall not | ||||||
17 | have the authority to limit or expand the obligations and | ||||||
18 | requirements provided in this Section or to regulate or control | ||||||
19 | a person or entity to the extent that person or entity is | ||||||
20 | providing cable service or video service, except as provided in | ||||||
21 | this Article.
| ||||||
22 | (Source: P.A. 95-9, eff. 6-30-07; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08.)
| ||||||
23 | (220 ILCS 5/21-801) | ||||||
24 | (Section scheduled to be repealed on October 1, 2013) | ||||||
25 | Sec. 21-801. Applicable fees payable to the local unit of |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | government. | ||||||
2 | (a) Prior to offering cable service or video service in a | ||||||
3 | local unit of government's jurisdiction, a holder shall notify | ||||||
4 | the local unit of government. The notice shall be given to the | ||||||
5 | local unit of government at least 10 days before the holder | ||||||
6 | begins to offer cable service or video service within the | ||||||
7 | boundaries of that local unit of government. | ||||||
8 | (b) In any local unit of government in which a holder | ||||||
9 | offers cable service or video service on a commercial basis, | ||||||
10 | the holder shall be liable for and pay the service provider fee | ||||||
11 | to the local unit of government. The local unit of government | ||||||
12 | shall adopt an ordinance imposing such a fee. The holder's | ||||||
13 | liability for the fee shall commence on the first day of the | ||||||
14 | calendar month that is at least 30 days after the holder | ||||||
15 | receives such ordinance. The ordinance shall be sent by mail, | ||||||
16 | postage prepaid, to the address listed on the holder's | ||||||
17 | application provided to the local unit of government pursuant | ||||||
18 | to item (6) of subsection (b) of Section 21-401 of this Act. | ||||||
19 | The fee authorized by this Section shall be 5% of gross | ||||||
20 | revenues or the same as the fee paid to the local unit of | ||||||
21 | government by any incumbent cable operator providing cable | ||||||
22 | service. The payment of the service provider fee shall be due | ||||||
23 | on a quarterly basis, 45 days after the close of the calendar | ||||||
24 | quarter. If mailed, the fee is considered paid on the date it | ||||||
25 | is postmarked. Except as provided in this Article, the local | ||||||
26 | unit of government may not demand any additional fees or |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | charges from the holder and may not demand the use of any other | ||||||
2 | calculation method other than allowed under this Article. | ||||||
3 | (c) For purposes of this Article, "gross revenues" means | ||||||
4 | all consideration of any kind or nature, including, without | ||||||
5 | limitation, cash, credits, property, and in-kind contributions | ||||||
6 | received by the holder for the operation of a cable or video | ||||||
7 | system to provide cable service or video service within the | ||||||
8 | holder's cable service or video service area within the local | ||||||
9 | unit of government's jurisdiction. | ||||||
10 | (1) Gross revenues shall include the following: | ||||||
11 | (i) Recurring charges for cable service or video | ||||||
12 | service. | ||||||
13 | (ii) Event-based charges for cable service or | ||||||
14 | video service, including, but not limited to, | ||||||
15 | pay-per-view and video-on-demand charges. | ||||||
16 | (iii) Rental of set-top
boxes and other cable | ||||||
17 | service or video service equipment. | ||||||
18 | (iv) Service charges related to the provision of | ||||||
19 | cable service or video service, including, but not | ||||||
20 | limited to, activation, installation, and repair | ||||||
21 | charges. | ||||||
22 | (v) Administrative charges related to the | ||||||
23 | provision of cable service or video service, including | ||||||
24 | but not limited to service order and service | ||||||
25 | termination charges. | ||||||
26 | (vi) Late payment fees or charges, insufficient |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | funds check charges, and other charges assessed to | ||||||
2 | recover the costs of collecting delinquent payments. | ||||||
3 | (vii) A pro rata portion of all revenue derived by | ||||||
4 | the holder or its affiliates pursuant to compensation | ||||||
5 | arrangements for advertising or for promotion or | ||||||
6 | exhibition of any products or services derived from the | ||||||
7 | operation of the holder's network to provide cable | ||||||
8 | service or video service within the local unit of | ||||||
9 | government's jurisdiction. The allocation shall be | ||||||
10 | based on the number of subscribers in the local unit of | ||||||
11 | government divided by the total number of subscribers | ||||||
12 | in relation to the relevant regional or national | ||||||
13 | compensation arrangement. | ||||||
14 | (viii) Compensation received by the holder that is | ||||||
15 | derived from the operation of the holder's network to | ||||||
16 | provide cable service or video service with respect to | ||||||
17 | commissions that are received by the holder as | ||||||
18 | compensation for promotion or exhibition of any | ||||||
19 | products or services on the holder's network, such as a | ||||||
20 | "home shopping" or similar channel, subject to item | ||||||
21 | (ix) of this paragraph (1). | ||||||
22 | (ix) In the case of a cable service or video | ||||||
23 | service that is bundled or integrated functionally | ||||||
24 | with other services, capabilities, or applications, | ||||||
25 | the portion of the holder's revenue attributable to the | ||||||
26 | other services, capabilities, or applications shall be |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | included in gross revenue unless the holder can | ||||||
2 | reasonably identify the division or exclusion of the | ||||||
3 | revenue from its books and records that are kept in the | ||||||
4 | regular course of business. | ||||||
5 | (x) The service provider fee permitted by | ||||||
6 | subsection (b) of this Section. | ||||||
7 | (2) Gross revenues do not include any of the following: | ||||||
8 | (i) Revenues not actually received, even if | ||||||
9 | billed, such as bad debt, subject to item (vi) of | ||||||
10 | paragraph (1) of this subsection (c). | ||||||
11 | (ii) Refunds, discounts, or other price | ||||||
12 | adjustments that reduce the amount of gross revenues | ||||||
13 | received by the holder of the State-issued | ||||||
14 | authorization to the extent the refund, rebate, | ||||||
15 | credit, or discount is attributable to cable service or | ||||||
16 | video service. | ||||||
17 | (iii) Regardless of whether the services are | ||||||
18 | bundled, packaged, or functionally integrated with | ||||||
19 | cable service or video service, any revenues received | ||||||
20 | from services not classified as cable service or video | ||||||
21 | service, including, without limitation, revenue | ||||||
22 | received from telecommunications services, information | ||||||
23 | services, or the provision of directory or Internet | ||||||
24 | advertising, including yellow pages, white pages, | ||||||
25 | banner advertisement, and electronic publishing, or | ||||||
26 | any other revenues attributed by the holder to noncable |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | service or nonvideo service in accordance with the | ||||||
2 | holder's books and records and records kept in the | ||||||
3 | regular course of business and any applicable laws, | ||||||
4 | rules, regulations, standards, or orders. | ||||||
5 | (iv) The sale of cable services or video services | ||||||
6 | for resale in which the purchaser is required to | ||||||
7 | collect the service provider fee from the purchaser's | ||||||
8 | subscribers to the extent the purchaser certifies in | ||||||
9 | writing that it will resell the service within the | ||||||
10 | local unit of government's jurisdiction and pay the fee | ||||||
11 | permitted by subsection (b) of this Section
with | ||||||
12 | respect to the service. | ||||||
13 | (v) Any tax or fee of general applicability imposed | ||||||
14 | upon the subscribers or the transaction by a city, | ||||||
15 | State, federal, or any other governmental entity and | ||||||
16 | collected by the holder of the State-issued | ||||||
17 | authorization and required to be remitted to the taxing | ||||||
18 | entity, including sales and use taxes. | ||||||
19 | (vi) Security deposits collected from subscribers. | ||||||
20 | (vii) Amounts paid by subscribers to "home | ||||||
21 | shopping" or similar vendors for merchandise sold | ||||||
22 | through any home shopping channel offered as part of | ||||||
23 | the cable service or video service. | ||||||
24 | (3) Revenue of an affiliate of a holder shall be | ||||||
25 | included in the calculation of gross revenues to the extent | ||||||
26 | the treatment of the revenue as revenue of the affiliate |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | rather than the holder has the effect of evading the | ||||||
2 | payment of the fee permitted by subsection (b) of this | ||||||
3 | Section
which would otherwise be paid by the cable service | ||||||
4 | or video service. | ||||||
5 | (d)(1) Except for a holder providing cable service that is | ||||||
6 | subject to the fee in subsection (i) of this Section, the The | ||||||
7 | holder shall pay to the local unit of government or the entity | ||||||
8 | designated by that local unit of government to manage public, | ||||||
9 | education, and government access, upon request as support for | ||||||
10 | public, education, and government access, a fee equal to no | ||||||
11 | less than (i) 1% of gross revenues or (ii) if greater, the | ||||||
12 | percentage of gross revenues that incumbent cable operators pay | ||||||
13 | to the local unit of government or its designee for public, | ||||||
14 | education, and government access support in the local unit of | ||||||
15 | government's jurisdiction. For purposes of item (ii) of | ||||||
16 | paragraph (1) of this subsection (d), the percentage of gross | ||||||
17 | revenues that all incumbent cable operators pay shall be equal | ||||||
18 | to the annual sum of the payments that incumbent cable | ||||||
19 | operators in the service area are obligated to pay by | ||||||
20 | franchises and agreements or by contracts with the local | ||||||
21 | government designee for public, education and government | ||||||
22 | access in effect on January 1, 2007, including the total of any | ||||||
23 | lump sum payments required to be made over the term of each | ||||||
24 | franchise or agreement divided by the number of years of the | ||||||
25 | applicable term, divided by the annual sum of such incumbent | ||||||
26 | cable operator's or operators'
gross revenues during the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | immediately prior calendar year. The sum of payments includes | ||||||
2 | any payments that an incumbent cable operator is required to | ||||||
3 | pay pursuant to item (3) of subsection (c) of Section 21-301. | ||||||
4 | (2) A local unit of government may require all holders | ||||||
5 | of a State-issued authorization and all cable operators | ||||||
6 | franchised by that local unit of government on June 30, | ||||||
7 | 2007 (the effective date of this Section)
in the franchise | ||||||
8 | area to provide to the local unit of government, or to the | ||||||
9 | entity designated by that local unit of government to | ||||||
10 | manage public, education, and government access, | ||||||
11 | information sufficient to calculate the public, education, | ||||||
12 | and government access equivalent fee and any credits under | ||||||
13 | paragraph (1) of this subsection (d). | ||||||
14 | (3) The fee shall be due on a quarterly basis and paid | ||||||
15 | 45 days after the close of the calendar quarter. Each | ||||||
16 | payment shall include a statement explaining the basis for | ||||||
17 | the calculation of the fee. If mailed, the fee is | ||||||
18 | considered paid on the date it is postmarked. The liability | ||||||
19 | of the holder for payment of the fee under this subsection | ||||||
20 | shall commence on the same date as the payment of the | ||||||
21 | service provider fee pursuant to subsection (b) of this | ||||||
22 | Section. | ||||||
23 | (e) The holder may identify and collect the amount of the | ||||||
24 | service provider fee as a separate line item on the regular | ||||||
25 | bill of each subscriber. | ||||||
26 | (f) The holder may identify and collect the amount of the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | public, education, and government programming support fee as a | ||||||
2 | separate line item on the regular bill of each subscriber. | ||||||
3 | (g) All determinations and computations under this Section | ||||||
4 | shall be made pursuant to the definition of gross revenues set | ||||||
5 | forth in this Section and shall be made pursuant to generally | ||||||
6 | accepted accounting principles. | ||||||
7 | (h) Nothing contained in this Article shall be construed to | ||||||
8 | exempt a holder from any tax that is or may later be imposed by | ||||||
9 | the local unit of government, including any tax that is or may | ||||||
10 | later be required to be paid by or through the holder with | ||||||
11 | respect to cable service or video service. A State-issued | ||||||
12 | authorization shall not affect any requirement of the holder | ||||||
13 | with respect to payment of the local unit of government's | ||||||
14 | simplified municipal telecommunications tax or any other tax as | ||||||
15 | it applies to any telephone service provided by the holder. A | ||||||
16 | State-issued authorization shall not affect any requirement of | ||||||
17 | the holder with respect to payment of the local unit of | ||||||
18 | government's 911 or E911 fees, taxes, or charges.
| ||||||
19 | (i) Except for a municipality having a population of | ||||||
20 | 2,000,000 or more, the fee imposed under paragraph (1) of | ||||||
21 | subsection (d) by a local unit of government against a holder | ||||||
22 | who is a cable operator shall be as follows: | ||||||
23 | (1) the fee shall be collected and paid only for | ||||||
24 | capital costs that are considered lawful under Subchapter | ||||||
25 | VI of the federal Communications Act of 1934, as amended, | ||||||
26 | and as implemented by the Federal Communications |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | Commission; | ||||||
2 | (2) the local unit of government shall impose any fee | ||||||
3 | by ordinance; and | ||||||
4 | (3) the fee may not exceed 1% of gross revenue; if, | ||||||
5 | however, on the date that an incumbent cable operator files | ||||||
6 | an application under Section 21-401, the incumbent cable | ||||||
7 | operator is operating under a franchise agreement that | ||||||
8 | imposes a fee for support for capital costs for public, | ||||||
9 | education, and government access facilities obligations in | ||||||
10 | excess of 1% of gross revenue, then the cable operator | ||||||
11 | shall continue to provide support for capital costs for | ||||||
12 | public, education, and government access facilities | ||||||
13 | obligations at the rate stated in such agreement. | ||||||
14 | (Source: P.A. 95-9, eff. 6-30-07; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08.)
| ||||||
15 | (220 ILCS 5/21-1101) | ||||||
16 | (Section scheduled to be repealed on October 1, 2013) | ||||||
17 | Sec. 21-1101. Requirements to provide video services. | ||||||
18 | (a) The holder of a State-issued authorization shall not | ||||||
19 | deny access to cable service or video service to any potential | ||||||
20 | residential subscribers because of the race or income of the | ||||||
21 | residents in the local area in which the potential subscribers | ||||||
22 | reside. | ||||||
23 | (b) (Blank). (1) If the holder is using telecommunications | ||||||
24 | facilities to provide cable or video service and has 1,000,000 | ||||||
25 | or less telecommunications access lines in this State, but more |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | than 300,000 telecommunications access lines in this State, the | ||||||
2 | holder shall provide access to its cable or video service to a | ||||||
3 | number of households equal to at least 25% of its | ||||||
4 | telecommunications access lines in this State within 3 years | ||||||
5 | after the date a holder receives a State-issued authorization | ||||||
6 | from the Commission and to a number not less than 35% of these | ||||||
7 | households within 5 years after the date a holder receives a | ||||||
8 | State-issued authorization from the Commission; provided that | ||||||
9 | the holder of a State-issued authorization is not required to | ||||||
10 | meet the 35% requirement in this paragraph (1)
until 2 years | ||||||
11 | after at least 15% of the households with access to the | ||||||
12 | holder's video service subscribe to the service for 6 | ||||||
13 | consecutive months. The holder's obligation to provide such | ||||||
14 | access in the State shall be distributed, as the holder | ||||||
15 | determines, within 3
different designated market areas. | ||||||
16 | (2) Within 3 years after the date a holder receives a | ||||||
17 | State-issued authorization from the Commission, at least | ||||||
18 | 30% of the total households with access to the holder's | ||||||
19 | cable or video service shall be low-income. | ||||||
20 | Within each designated market area identified in | ||||||
21 | paragraph (1) of this subsection (b), the holder's | ||||||
22 | obligation to offer service to low-income households shall | ||||||
23 | be measured by each exchange, as that term is defined in | ||||||
24 | Section 13-206 of this
Act, in which the holder chooses to | ||||||
25 | provide cable or video service. The holder is under no | ||||||
26 | obligation to serve or provide access to an entire |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | exchange; however, in addition to the statewide obligation | ||||||
2 | to provide low-income access provided by this Section, in | ||||||
3 | each exchange in which the holder chooses to provide cable | ||||||
4 | or video service, the holder shall provide access to a | ||||||
5 | percentage of low-income households that is at least equal | ||||||
6 | to the percentage of the total low-income households within | ||||||
7 | that exchange. | ||||||
8 | (3) The number of telecommunication access lines in | ||||||
9 | this Section shall be based on the number of access lines | ||||||
10 | that exist as of June 30, 2007 (the effective date of | ||||||
11 | Public Act 95-9). | ||||||
12 | (c)(1) If the holder of a State-issued authorization is | ||||||
13 | using telecommunications facilities to provide cable or video | ||||||
14 | service and has more than 1,000,000 telecommunications access | ||||||
15 | lines in this State, the holder shall provide access to its | ||||||
16 | cable or video service to a number of households equal to at | ||||||
17 | least 35% of the households in the holder's telecommunications | ||||||
18 | service area in the State within 3 years after the date a | ||||||
19 | holder receives a State-issued authorization from the | ||||||
20 | Commission and to a number not less than 50% of these | ||||||
21 | households within 5 years after the date a holder receives a | ||||||
22 | State-issued authorization from the Commission; provided that | ||||||
23 | the holder of a State-issued authorization is not required to | ||||||
24 | meet the 50% requirement in this paragraph (1)
until 2 years | ||||||
25 | after at least 15% of the households with access to the | ||||||
26 | holder's video service subscribe to the service for 6 |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | consecutive months. | ||||||
2 | The holder's obligation to provide such access in the State | ||||||
3 | shall be distributed, as the holder determines, within 3
| ||||||
4 | designated market areas, one in each of the northeastern, | ||||||
5 | central, and southwestern portions of the holder's | ||||||
6 | telecommunications service area in the State. The designated | ||||||
7 | market area for the northeastern portion shall consist of 2
| ||||||
8 | separate and distinct reporting areas: (i) a city with more | ||||||
9 | than 1,000,000 inhabitants, and (ii) all other local units of | ||||||
10 | government on a combined basis within such designated market | ||||||
11 | area in which it offers video service. | ||||||
12 | If any state, in which a holder subject to this subsection | ||||||
13 | (c) or one of its affiliates provides or seeks to provide cable | ||||||
14 | or video service, adopts a law permitting state-issued | ||||||
15 | authorization or statewide franchises to provide cable or video | ||||||
16 | service that requires a cable or video provider to offer | ||||||
17 | service to more than 35% of the households in the cable or | ||||||
18 | video provider's service area in that state within 3 years, | ||||||
19 | holders subject to this subsection (c) shall provide service in | ||||||
20 | this State to the same percentage of households within 3 years | ||||||
21 | of adoption of such law in that state. | ||||||
22 | Furthermore, if any state, in which a holder subject to | ||||||
23 | this subsection (c) or one of its affiliates provides or seeks | ||||||
24 | to provide cable or video service, adopts a law requiring a | ||||||
25 | holder of a state-issued authorization or statewide franchises | ||||||
26 | to offer cable or video service to more than 35% of its |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | households if less than 15% of the households with access to | ||||||
2 | the holder's video service subscribe to the service for 6 | ||||||
3 | consecutive months, then as a precondition to further | ||||||
4 | build-out, holders subject to this subsection (c) shall be | ||||||
5 | subject to the same percentage of service subscription in | ||||||
6 | meeting its obligation to provide service to 50% of the | ||||||
7 | households in this State.
| ||||||
8 | (2) Within 3 years after the date a holder receives a | ||||||
9 | State-issued authorization from the Commission, at least | ||||||
10 | 30% of the total households with access to the holder's | ||||||
11 | cable or video service shall be low-income. | ||||||
12 | Within each designated market area listed in paragraph | ||||||
13 | (1) of this subsection (c), the holder's obligation to | ||||||
14 | offer service to low-income households shall be measured by | ||||||
15 | each exchange, as that term is defined in Section 13-206 of | ||||||
16 | this
Act in which the holder chooses to provide cable or | ||||||
17 | video service. The holder is under no obligation to serve | ||||||
18 | or provide access to an entire exchange; however, in | ||||||
19 | addition to the statewide obligation to provide low-income | ||||||
20 | access provided by this Section, in each exchange in which | ||||||
21 | the holder chooses to provide cable or video service, the | ||||||
22 | holder shall provide access to a percentage of low-income | ||||||
23 | households that is at least equal to the percentage of the | ||||||
24 | total low-income households within that exchange. | ||||||
25 | (d)(1) All other holders shall only provide access to one | ||||||
26 | or more exchanges, as that term is defined in Section 13-206 of |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | this
Act, or to local units of government and shall provide | ||||||
2 | access to their cable or video service to a number of | ||||||
3 | households equal to 35% of the households in the exchange or | ||||||
4 | local unit of government within 3 years after the date a holder | ||||||
5 | receives a State-issued authorization from the Commission and | ||||||
6 | to a number not less than 50% of these households within 5 | ||||||
7 | years after the date a holder receives a State-issued | ||||||
8 | authorization from the Commission, provided that if the holder | ||||||
9 | is an incumbent cable operator or any successor-in-interest | ||||||
10 | company, it shall be obligated to provide access to cable or | ||||||
11 | video services within the jurisdiction of a local unit of | ||||||
12 | government at the same levels required by the local franchising | ||||||
13 | authorities for that local unit of government on June 30, 2007 | ||||||
14 | (the effective date of Public Act 95-9). | ||||||
15 | (2) Within 3 years after the date a holder receives a | ||||||
16 | State-issued authorization from the Commission, at least | ||||||
17 | 30% of the total households with access to the holder's | ||||||
18 | cable or video service shall be low-income. | ||||||
19 | Within each designated exchange, as that term is | ||||||
20 | defined in Section 13-206 of this
Act, or local unit of | ||||||
21 | government listed in paragraph (1) of this subsection (d), | ||||||
22 | the holder's obligation to offer service to low-income | ||||||
23 | households shall be measured by each exchange or local unit | ||||||
24 | of government in which the holder chooses to provide cable | ||||||
25 | or video service. Except as provided in paragraph (1) of | ||||||
26 | this subsection (d), the holder is under no obligation to |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | serve or provide access to an entire exchange or local unit | ||||||
2 | of government; however, in addition to the statewide | ||||||
3 | obligation to provide low-income access provided by this | ||||||
4 | Section, in each exchange or local unit of government in | ||||||
5 | which the holder chooses to provide cable or video service, | ||||||
6 | the holder shall provide access to a percentage of | ||||||
7 | low-income households that is at least equal to the | ||||||
8 | percentage of the total low-income households within that | ||||||
9 | exchange or local unit of government. | ||||||
10 | (e) A holder subject to subsection (c) of this Section | ||||||
11 | shall provide wireline broadband service, defined as wireline | ||||||
12 | service, capable of supporting, in at least one direction, a | ||||||
13 | speed in excess of 200 kilobits per second (kbps), to the | ||||||
14 | network demarcation point at the subscriber's premises, to a | ||||||
15 | number of households equal to 90% of the households in the | ||||||
16 | holder's telecommunications service area by December 31, 2008, | ||||||
17 | or shall pay within 30 days of December 31, 2008 a sum of | ||||||
18 | $15,000,000 to the Digital Divide Elimination Infrastructure | ||||||
19 | Fund established pursuant to Section 13-301.3 of this Act, or | ||||||
20 | any successor fund established by the General Assembly. In that | ||||||
21 | event the holder is required to make a payment pursuant to this | ||||||
22 | subsection (e), the holder shall have no further accounting for | ||||||
23 | this payment, which shall be used in any part of the State for | ||||||
24 | the purposes established in the Digital Divide Elimination | ||||||
25 | Infrastructure Fund or for broadband deployment. | ||||||
26 | (f) The holder of a State-issued authorization may satisfy |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | the requirements of subsections (b), (c) , and (d) of this | ||||||
2 | Section through the use of any technology, which shall not | ||||||
3 | include direct-to-home satellite service, that offers service, | ||||||
4 | functionality, and content that is demonstrably similar to that | ||||||
5 | provided through the holder's video service system. | ||||||
6 | (g) In any investigation into or complaint alleging that | ||||||
7 | the holder of a State-issued authorization has failed to meet | ||||||
8 | the requirements of this Section, the following factors may be | ||||||
9 | considered in justification or mitigation or as justification | ||||||
10 | for an extension of time to meet the requirements of | ||||||
11 | subsections (b), (c) , and (d) of this Section: | ||||||
12 | (1) The inability to obtain access to public and | ||||||
13 | private rights-of-way under reasonable terms and | ||||||
14 | conditions. | ||||||
15 | (2) Barriers to competition arising from existing | ||||||
16 | exclusive service arrangements in developments or | ||||||
17 | buildings. | ||||||
18 | (3) The inability to access developments or buildings | ||||||
19 | using reasonable technical solutions under commercially | ||||||
20 | reasonable terms and conditions. | ||||||
21 | (4) Natural disasters. | ||||||
22 | (5) Other factors beyond the control of the holder. | ||||||
23 | (h) If the holder relies on the factors identified in | ||||||
24 | subsection (g) of this Section in response to an investigation | ||||||
25 | or complaint, the holder shall demonstrate the following: | ||||||
26 | (1) what substantial effort the holder of a |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | State-issued authorization has taken to meet the | ||||||
2 | requirements of subsection
(a) , (b), or (c) of this | ||||||
3 | Section; | ||||||
4 | (2) which portions of subsection (g) of this Section | ||||||
5 | apply; and | ||||||
6 | (3) the number of days it has been delayed or the | ||||||
7 | requirements it cannot perform as a consequence of | ||||||
8 | subsection (g) of this Section. | ||||||
9 | (i) The factors in subsection (g) of this Section may be | ||||||
10 | considered by the Attorney General or by a court of competent | ||||||
11 | jurisdiction in determining whether the holder is in violation | ||||||
12 | of this Article. | ||||||
13 | (j) Every holder of a State-issued authorization, no later | ||||||
14 | than April 1, 2009, and annually no later than April 1 | ||||||
15 | thereafter, shall report to the Commission for each of the | ||||||
16 | service areas as described in subsections (b), (c) , and (d) of | ||||||
17 | this Section in which it provides access to its video service | ||||||
18 | in the State, the following information: | ||||||
19 | (1) Cable service and video service information: | ||||||
20 | (A) The number of households in the holder's | ||||||
21 | telecommunications service area within each designated | ||||||
22 | market area as described in subsection subsections (b) | ||||||
23 | and (c) of this Section or exchange or local unit of | ||||||
24 | government as described in subsection (d) of this | ||||||
25 | Section in which it offers video service. | ||||||
26 | (B) The number of households in the holder's |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | telecommunications service area within each designated | ||||||
2 | market area as described in subsection subsections (b) | ||||||
3 | and (c) of this Section or exchange or local unit of | ||||||
4 | government as described in subsection (d) of this | ||||||
5 | Section that are offered access to video service by the | ||||||
6 | holder. | ||||||
7 | (C) The number of households in the holder's | ||||||
8 | telecommunications service area in the State. | ||||||
9 | (D) The number of households in the holder's | ||||||
10 | telecommunications service area in the State that are | ||||||
11 | offered access to video service by the holder. | ||||||
12 | (2) Low-income household information: | ||||||
13 | (A) The number of low-income households in the | ||||||
14 | holder's telecommunications service area within each | ||||||
15 | designated market area as described in subsection | ||||||
16 | subsections (b) and (c) of this Section, as further | ||||||
17 | identified in terms of exchanges, or exchange or local | ||||||
18 | unit of government as described in subsection (d) of | ||||||
19 | this Section in which it offers video service. | ||||||
20 | (B) The number of low-income households in the | ||||||
21 | holder's telecommunications service area within each | ||||||
22 | designated market area as described in subsection | ||||||
23 | subsections (b) and (c) of this Section, as further | ||||||
24 | identified in terms of exchanges, or exchange or local | ||||||
25 | unit of government as described in subsection (d) of | ||||||
26 | this Section in the State that are offered access to |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | video service by the holder. | ||||||
2 | (C) The number of low-income households in the | ||||||
3 | holder's telecommunications service area in the State. | ||||||
4 | (D) The number of low-income households in the | ||||||
5 | holder's telecommunications service area in the State | ||||||
6 | that are offered access to video service by the holder. | ||||||
7 | (j-5) The requirements of subsection (c) of this Section | ||||||
8 | shall be satisfied upon the filing of an annual report with the | ||||||
9 | Commission in compliance with subsection (j) of this Section, | ||||||
10 | including an annual report filed prior to this amendatory Act | ||||||
11 | of the 98th General Assembly, that demonstrates the holder of | ||||||
12 | the authorization has satisfied the requirements of subsection | ||||||
13 | (c) of this Section for each of the service areas in which it | ||||||
14 | provides access to its cable service or video service in the | ||||||
15 | State. Notwithstanding the continued application of this | ||||||
16 | Article to the holder, upon satisfaction of the requirements of | ||||||
17 | subsection (c) of this Section, only the requirements of | ||||||
18 | subsection (a) of this Section 21-1101 of this Act and the | ||||||
19 | following reporting requirements shall continue to apply to | ||||||
20 | such holder: | ||||||
21 | (1) Cable service and video service information: | ||||||
22 | (A) The number of households in the holder's | ||||||
23 | telecommunications service area within each designated | ||||||
24 | market area in which it offers cable service or video | ||||||
25 | service. | ||||||
26 | (B) The number of households in the holder's |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | telecommunications service area within each designated | ||||||
2 | market area that are offered access to cable service or | ||||||
3 | video service by the holder. | ||||||
4 | (C) The number of households in the holder's | ||||||
5 | telecommunications service area in the State. | ||||||
6 | (D) The number of households in the holder's | ||||||
7 | telecommunications service area in the State that are | ||||||
8 | offered access to cable service or video service by the | ||||||
9 | holder. | ||||||
10 | (E) The exchanges or local units of government in | ||||||
11 | which the holder added cable service or video service | ||||||
12 | in the prior year. | ||||||
13 | (2) Low-income household information: | ||||||
14 | (A) The number of low-income households in the | ||||||
15 | holder's telecommunications service area within each | ||||||
16 | designated market area in which it offers video | ||||||
17 | service. | ||||||
18 | (B) The number of low-income households in the | ||||||
19 | holder's telecommunications service area within each | ||||||
20 | designated market area that are offered access to video | ||||||
21 | service by the holder. | ||||||
22 | (C) The number of low-income households in the | ||||||
23 | holder's telecommunications service area in the State. | ||||||
24 | (D) The number of low-income households in the | ||||||
25 | holder's telecommunications service area in the State | ||||||
26 | that are offered access to video service by the holder. |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (j-10) The requirements of subsection (d) of this Section | ||||||
2 | shall be satisfied upon the filing of an annual report with the | ||||||
3 | Commission in compliance with subsection (j) of this Section, | ||||||
4 | including an annual report filed prior to this amendatory Act | ||||||
5 | of the 98th General Assembly, that demonstrates the holder of | ||||||
6 | the authorization has satisfied the requirements of subsection | ||||||
7 | (d) of this Section for each of the service areas in which it | ||||||
8 | provides access to its cable service or video service in the | ||||||
9 | State. Notwithstanding the continued application of this | ||||||
10 | Article to the holder, upon satisfaction of the requirements of | ||||||
11 | subsection (d) of this Section, only the requirements of | ||||||
12 | subsection (a) of this Section and the following reporting | ||||||
13 | requirements shall continue to apply to such holder: | ||||||
14 | (1) Cable service and video service information: | ||||||
15 | (A) The number of households in the holder's | ||||||
16 | footprint in which it offers cable service or video | ||||||
17 | service. | ||||||
18 | (B) The number of households in the holder's | ||||||
19 | footprint that are offered access to cable service or | ||||||
20 | video service by the holder. | ||||||
21 | (C) The exchanges or local units of government in | ||||||
22 | which the holder added cable service or video service | ||||||
23 | in the prior year. | ||||||
24 | (2) Low-income household information: | ||||||
25 | (A) The number of low-income households in the | ||||||
26 | holder's footprint in which it offers cable service or |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | video service. | ||||||
2 | (B) The number of low-income households in the | ||||||
3 | holder's footprint that are offered access to cable | ||||||
4 | service or video service by the holder. | ||||||
5 | (k) The Commission, within 30 days of receiving the first | ||||||
6 | report from holders under this Section, and annually no later | ||||||
7 | than July 1 thereafter, shall submit to the General Assembly a | ||||||
8 | report that includes, based on year-end data, the information | ||||||
9 | submitted by holders pursuant to subdivisions (1) and (2) of | ||||||
10 | subsections subsection (j) , (j-5), and (j-10)
of this Section. | ||||||
11 | The Commission shall make this report available to any member | ||||||
12 | of the public or any local unit of government upon request. All | ||||||
13 | information submitted to the Commission and designated by | ||||||
14 | holders as confidential and proprietary shall be subject to the | ||||||
15 | disclosure provisions in subsection (c) of Section 21-401 of | ||||||
16 | this Act. No individually identifiable customer information | ||||||
17 | shall be subject to public disclosure.
| ||||||
18 | (Source: P.A. 95-9, eff. 6-30-07; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08.)
| ||||||
19 | (220 ILCS 5/21-1201) | ||||||
20 | (Section scheduled to be repealed on October 1, 2013) | ||||||
21 | Sec. 21-1201. Multiple-unit dwellings; interference with | ||||||
22 | holder prohibited. | ||||||
23 | (a) Neither the owner of any multiple-unit residential | ||||||
24 | dwelling nor an agent or representative nor an assignee, | ||||||
25 | grantee, licensee, or similar holders of rights, including |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | easements, in any multiple-unit residential dwelling (the | ||||||
2 | "owner, agent or representative") shall unreasonably interfere | ||||||
3 | with the right of any tenant or lawful resident thereof to | ||||||
4 | receive cable service or video service installation or | ||||||
5 | maintenance from a holder of a State-issued authorization , or | ||||||
6 | related service that includes, but is not limited to, voice | ||||||
7 | service, Internet access or other broadband services (alone or | ||||||
8 | in combination) provided over the holder's cable services or | ||||||
9 | video services facilities ; provided, however, the owner, | ||||||
10 | agent, or representative may require just and reasonable | ||||||
11 | compensation from the holder for its access to and use of such | ||||||
12 | property to provide installation, operation, maintenance, or | ||||||
13 | removal of such cable service or video service or related | ||||||
14 | services. For purposes of this Section "access to and use of | ||||||
15 | such property" shall be provided in a nondiscriminatory manner | ||||||
16 | to all cable and video providers offering or providing services | ||||||
17 | at such property and includes common areas of such | ||||||
18 | multiple-unit dwelling, inside wire in the individual unit of | ||||||
19 | any tenant or lawful resident thereof that orders or receives | ||||||
20 | such service and the right to use and connect to building | ||||||
21 | infrastructure, including but not limited to existing cables, | ||||||
22 | wiring, conduit or inner duct, to provide cable service or | ||||||
23 | video service or related services. If there is a dispute | ||||||
24 | regarding the just compensation for such access and use, the | ||||||
25 | owner, agent, or representative shall obtain the payment of | ||||||
26 | just compensation from the holder pursuant to the process and |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | procedures applicable to an owner and franchisee in subsections | ||||||
2 | (c), (d), and (e) of Section 11-42-11.1 of the Illinois | ||||||
3 | Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5/11-42-11.1) . | ||||||
4 | (b) Neither the owner of any multiple-unit residential | ||||||
5 | dwelling nor an agent or representative shall ask, demand, or | ||||||
6 | receive any additional payment, service, or gratuity in any | ||||||
7 | form from any tenant or lawful resident thereof as a condition | ||||||
8 | for permitting or cooperating with the installation of a cable | ||||||
9 | service or video service or related services to the dwelling | ||||||
10 | unit occupied by a tenant or resident requesting such service. | ||||||
11 | (c) Neither the owner of any multiple-unit residential | ||||||
12 | dwelling nor an agent or representative shall penalize, charge, | ||||||
13 | or surcharge a tenant or resident, forfeit or threaten to | ||||||
14 | forfeit any right of such tenant or resident, or discriminate | ||||||
15 | in any way against such tenant or resident who requests or | ||||||
16 | receives cable service or video service or related services | ||||||
17 | from a holder. | ||||||
18 | (d) Nothing in this Section shall prohibit the owner of any | ||||||
19 | multiple-unit residential dwelling nor an agent or | ||||||
20 | representative from requiring that a holder's facilities | ||||||
21 | conform to reasonable conditions necessary to protect safety, | ||||||
22 | functioning, appearance, and value of premises or the | ||||||
23 | convenience and safety of persons or property. | ||||||
24 | (e) The owner of any multiple-unit residential dwelling or | ||||||
25 | an agent or representative may require a holder to agree to | ||||||
26 | indemnify the owner, or his agents or representatives, for |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | damages or from liability for damages caused by the | ||||||
2 | installation, operation, maintenance, or removal of cable | ||||||
3 | service or video service facilities.
| ||||||
4 | (f) For purposes of this Section "multiple-unit dwelling" | ||||||
5 | or "such property" means a multiple dwelling unit building | ||||||
6 | (such as an apartment building, condominium building, or | ||||||
7 | cooperative) and any other centrally managed residential real | ||||||
8 | estate development (such as a gated community, mobile home | ||||||
9 | park, or garden apartment); provided however, that | ||||||
10 | multiple-unit dwelling shall not include time share units, | ||||||
11 | academic campuses and dormitories, military bases, hotels, | ||||||
12 | rooming houses, prisons, jails, halfway houses, nursing homes | ||||||
13 | or other assisted living facilities, and hospitals. | ||||||
14 | (Source: P.A. 95-9, eff. 6-30-07; 95-876, eff. 8-21-08.)
| ||||||
15 | (220 ILCS 5/21-1502 new) | ||||||
16 | Sec. 21-1502. Renewal upon repeal of Article. This Section | ||||||
17 | shall apply only to holders who received their State-issued | ||||||
18 | authorization as a cable operator. In the event this Article 21 | ||||||
19 | is repealed, the cable operator may seek a renewal under 47 | ||||||
20 | U.S.C. 546 subject to the following: | ||||||
21 | (1) Each municipality or county in which a cable | ||||||
22 | operator provided service under the State-issued | ||||||
23 | authorization shall be the franchising authority with | ||||||
24 | respect to any right of renewal under 47 U.S.C. 546 and the | ||||||
25 | provisions of this Section shall apply during the renewal |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | process. | ||||||
2 | (2) If the cable operator was an incumbent cable | ||||||
3 | operator in the local unit of government immediately prior | ||||||
4 | to obtaining a State-issued authorization, then the terms | ||||||
5 | of the local franchise agreement under which the incumbent | ||||||
6 | cable operator operated shall be effective until the later | ||||||
7 | of: (A) the expiration of what would have been the | ||||||
8 | remaining term of the agreement at the time of the | ||||||
9 | termination of the local franchise agreement pursuant to | ||||||
10 | subsection (c) of Section 21-301 of this Act or (B) the | ||||||
11 | expiration of the renewal process under 47 U.S.C. 546. | ||||||
12 | (3) If the cable operator was not an incumbent cable | ||||||
13 | operator in the service territory immediately prior to the | ||||||
14 | issuance of the State-issued authorization, then the | ||||||
15 | State-issued authorization shall continue in effect until | ||||||
16 | the expiration of the renewal process under 47 U.S.C. 546. | ||||||
17 | (4) In seeking a renewal under this Section, the cable | ||||||
18 | operator must provide the following information to the | ||||||
19 | local franchising authority: | ||||||
20 | (A) the number of subscribers within the franchise | ||||||
21 | area; | ||||||
22 | (B) the number of eligible local government | ||||||
23 | buildings that have access to cable services; | ||||||
24 | (C) the statistical records of performance under | ||||||
25 | the standards established by the Cable and Video | ||||||
26 | Customer Protection Law; |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | (D) cable system improvement and construction | ||||||
2 | plans during the term of the proposed franchise; and | ||||||
3 | (E) the proposed level of support for public, | ||||||
4 | educational, and governmental access programming.
| ||||||
5 | (220 ILCS 5/21-1601) | ||||||
6 | (Section scheduled to be repealed on October 1, 2013)
| ||||||
7 | Sec. 21-1601. Repealer. Sections 21-101 through 21-1501 of | ||||||
8 | this This Article are is repealed July 1, 2015 October 1, 2013 .
| ||||||
9 | (Source: P.A. 95-9, eff. 6-30-07.)
| ||||||
10 | (220 ILCS 5/22-501) | ||||||
11 | Sec. 22-501. Customer service and privacy protection. All | ||||||
12 | cable or video providers in this State shall comply with the | ||||||
13 | following customer service requirements and privacy | ||||||
14 | protections. The provisions of this Act shall not apply to an | ||||||
15 | incumbent cable operator prior to January 1, 2008. For purposes | ||||||
16 | of this paragraph, an incumbent cable operator means a person | ||||||
17 | or entity that provided cable services in a particular area | ||||||
18 | under a franchise agreement with a local unit of government | ||||||
19 | pursuant to Section 11-42-11 of the Illinois
Municipal Code or | ||||||
20 | Section 5-1095 of the Counties Code on January 1, 2007.
A | ||||||
21 | master antenna television, satellite master antenna | ||||||
22 | television, direct broadcast satellite, multipoint | ||||||
23 | distribution service, and other provider of video programming | ||||||
24 | shall only be subject to the provisions of this Article to the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | extent permitted by federal law. | ||||||
2 | The following definitions apply to the terms used in this | ||||||
3 | Article: | ||||||
4 | "Basic cable or video service" means any service offering | ||||||
5 | or tier that
includes the retransmission of local television | ||||||
6 | broadcast signals. | ||||||
7 | "Cable or video provider" means any person or entity | ||||||
8 | providing cable service or video service pursuant to | ||||||
9 | authorization under (i) the Cable and Video Competition Law of | ||||||
10 | 2007; (ii) Section 11-42-11 of the Illinois Municipal Code; | ||||||
11 | (iii) Section 5-1095 of the Counties Code; or (iv) a master | ||||||
12 | antenna television, satellite master antenna television, | ||||||
13 | direct broadcast satellite, multipoint distribution services, | ||||||
14 | and other providers of video programming, whatever their | ||||||
15 | technology. A cable or video provider shall not include a | ||||||
16 | landlord providing only broadcast video programming to a | ||||||
17 | single-family home or other residential dwelling consisting of | ||||||
18 | 4
units or less. | ||||||
19 | "Franchise" has the same meaning as found in 47 U.S.C. | ||||||
20 | 522(9). | ||||||
21 | "Local unit of government" means a city, village, | ||||||
22 | incorporated town, or a county. | ||||||
23 | "Normal business hours" means those hours during which most | ||||||
24 | similar businesses in the geographic area of the local unit of | ||||||
25 | government are open to serve customers. In all cases, "normal | ||||||
26 | business hours" must include some evening hours at least one |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | night per week or some weekend hours. | ||||||
2 | "Normal operating conditions" means those service | ||||||
3 | conditions that are within the control of cable or video | ||||||
4 | providers. Those conditions that are not within the control of | ||||||
5 | cable or video providers include, but are not limited to, | ||||||
6 | natural disasters, civil disturbances, power outages, | ||||||
7 | telephone network outages, and severe or unusual weather | ||||||
8 | conditions. Those conditions that are ordinarily within the | ||||||
9 | control of cable or video providers include, but are not | ||||||
10 | limited to, special promotions, pay-per-view events, rate | ||||||
11 | increases, regular peak or seasonal demand periods, and | ||||||
12 | maintenance or upgrade of the cable service or video service | ||||||
13 | network. | ||||||
14 | "Service interruption" means the loss of picture or sound | ||||||
15 | on one or more cable service or video service on one or more | ||||||
16 | cable or video channels. | ||||||
17 | "Service line drop" means the point of connection between a | ||||||
18 | premises and the cable or video network that enables the | ||||||
19 | premises to receive cable service or video service. | ||||||
20 | (a) General customer service standards: | ||||||
21 | (1) Cable or video providers shall establish general | ||||||
22 | standards related to customer service, which shall | ||||||
23 | include, but not be limited to, installation, | ||||||
24 | disconnection, service and repair obligations; appointment | ||||||
25 | hours and employee ID requirements; customer service | ||||||
26 | telephone numbers and hours; procedures for billing, |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | charges, deposits, refunds, and credits; procedures for | ||||||
2 | termination of service; notice of deletion of programming | ||||||
3 | service; changes related to transmission of programming; | ||||||
4 | changes or increases in rates; the use and availability of | ||||||
5 | parental control or lock-out devices; the use and | ||||||
6 | availability of an A/B switch if applicable; complaint | ||||||
7 | procedures and procedures for bill dispute resolution; a | ||||||
8 | description of the rights and remedies available to | ||||||
9 | consumers if the cable or video provider does not | ||||||
10 | materially meet its
customer service standards; and | ||||||
11 | special services for customers with visual, hearing, or | ||||||
12 | mobility disabilities. | ||||||
13 | (2) Cable or video providers' rates for each level of | ||||||
14 | service, rules, regulations, and policies related to its | ||||||
15 | cable service or video service described in paragraph (1) | ||||||
16 | of this subsection (a)
must be made available to the public | ||||||
17 | and displayed clearly and conspicuously on the cable or | ||||||
18 | video provider's site on the Internet. If a promotional | ||||||
19 | price or a price for a specified period of time is offered, | ||||||
20 | the cable or video provider shall display the price at the | ||||||
21 | end of the promotional period or specified period of time | ||||||
22 | clearly and conspicuously with the display of the | ||||||
23 | promotional price or price for a specified period of time. | ||||||
24 | The cable or video provider shall provide this information | ||||||
25 | upon request. | ||||||
26 | (3) Cable or video providers shall provide notice |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | concerning their general customer service standards to all | ||||||
2 | customers. This notice shall be offered when service is | ||||||
3 | first activated and upon request thereafter and annually | ||||||
4 | thereafter . The information in the notice shall also be | ||||||
5 | available on the cable or video providers' websites and | ||||||
6 | shall include all of the information specified in paragraph | ||||||
7 | (1) of this subsection (a), as well as the following: a | ||||||
8 | listing of services offered by the cable or video | ||||||
9 | providers, which shall clearly describe programming for | ||||||
10 | all services and all levels of service; the rates for all | ||||||
11 | services and levels of service; a telephone number
through | ||||||
12 | which customers may subscribe to, change, or terminate | ||||||
13 | service, request customer service, or seek general or | ||||||
14 | billing information; instructions on the use of the cable | ||||||
15 | or video services; and a description of rights and remedies | ||||||
16 | that the cable or video providers shall make available to | ||||||
17 | their customers if they do not materially meet the general | ||||||
18 | customer service standards described in this Act. | ||||||
19 | (b) General customer service obligations: | ||||||
20 | (1) Cable or video providers shall render reasonably | ||||||
21 | efficient service, promptly make repairs, and interrupt | ||||||
22 | service only as necessary and for good cause, during | ||||||
23 | periods of minimum use of the system and for no more than | ||||||
24 | 24 hours. | ||||||
25 | (2) All service representatives or any other person who | ||||||
26 | contacts customers or potential customers on behalf of the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | cable or video provider shall have a visible identification | ||||||
2 | card with their name and photograph and shall orally | ||||||
3 | identify themselves upon first contact with the customer. | ||||||
4 | Customer service representatives shall orally identify | ||||||
5 | themselves to callers immediately following the greeting | ||||||
6 | during each telephone contact with the public. | ||||||
7 | (3) The cable or video providers shall: (i) maintain a | ||||||
8 | customer service facility within the boundaries of a local | ||||||
9 | unit of government staffed by customer service | ||||||
10 | representatives that have the capacity to accept payment, | ||||||
11 | adjust bills, and respond to repair, installation, | ||||||
12 | reconnection, disconnection, or other service calls and | ||||||
13 | distribute or receive converter boxes, remote control | ||||||
14 | units, digital stereo units, or other equipment related to | ||||||
15 | the provision of cable or video service; (ii) provide | ||||||
16 | customers with bill payment facilities through retail, | ||||||
17 | financial, or other commercial institutions located within | ||||||
18 | the boundaries of a local unit of government; (iii) provide | ||||||
19 | an address, toll-free telephone number or electronic | ||||||
20 | address to accept bill payments and correspondence and | ||||||
21 | provide secure collection boxes for the receipt of bill | ||||||
22 | payments and the return of equipment, provided that if a | ||||||
23 | cable or video provider provides secure collection boxes, | ||||||
24 | it shall provide a printed receipt when items are | ||||||
25 | deposited; or (iv) provide an address, toll-free telephone | ||||||
26 | number, or electronic address to accept bill payments and |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | correspondence and provide a method for customers to return | ||||||
2 | equipment to the cable or video provider at no cost to the | ||||||
3 | customer. | ||||||
4 | (4) In each contact with a customer, the service | ||||||
5 | representatives or any other person who contacts customers | ||||||
6 | or potential customers on behalf of the cable or video | ||||||
7 | provider shall state the estimated cost of the service, | ||||||
8 | repair, or installation orally prior to delivery of the | ||||||
9 | service or before any work is performed, shall provide the | ||||||
10 | customer with an oral statement of the total charges before | ||||||
11 | terminating the telephone call or other contact in which a | ||||||
12 | service is ordered, whether in-person or over the Internet, | ||||||
13 | and shall provide a written statement of the total charges | ||||||
14 | before leaving the location at which the work was | ||||||
15 | performed. In the event that the cost of service is a | ||||||
16 | promotional price or is for a limited period of time, the | ||||||
17 | cost of service at the end of the promotion or limited | ||||||
18 | period of time shall be disclosed. | ||||||
19 | (5) Cable or video providers shall provide customers a | ||||||
20 | minimum of 30 days' written notice before increasing rates | ||||||
21 | or eliminating transmission of programming and shall | ||||||
22 | submit the notice of any rate increase to the local unit of | ||||||
23 | government in advance of distribution to customers, | ||||||
24 | provided that the cable or video provider is not in | ||||||
25 | violation of this provision if the elimination of | ||||||
26 | transmission of programming was outside the control of the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | provider, in which case the provider shall use reasonable | ||||||
2 | efforts to provide as much notice as possible, and any rate | ||||||
3 | decrease related to the elimination of transmission of | ||||||
4 | programming shall be applied to the date of the change. | ||||||
5 | (6) Cable or video providers shall provide clear visual | ||||||
6 | and audio reception that meets or exceeds applicable | ||||||
7 | Federal Communications Commission technical standards. If | ||||||
8 | a customer experiences poor video or audio reception due to | ||||||
9 | the equipment of the cable or video provider, the cable or | ||||||
10 | video provider shall promptly repair the problem at its own | ||||||
11 | expense. | ||||||
12 | (c) Bills, payment, and termination: | ||||||
13 | (1) Cable or video providers shall render monthly bills | ||||||
14 | that are clear, accurate, and understandable. | ||||||
15 | (2) Every residential customer who pays bills directly | ||||||
16 | to the cable or video provider shall have at least 28 days | ||||||
17 | from the date of the bill to pay the listed charges. | ||||||
18 | (3) Customer payments shall be posted promptly. When | ||||||
19 | the payment is sent by United States mail, payment is | ||||||
20 | considered paid on the date it is postmarked. | ||||||
21 | (4) Cable or video providers may not terminate | ||||||
22 | residential service for nonpayment of a bill unless the | ||||||
23 | cable or video provider furnishes notice of the delinquency | ||||||
24 | and impending termination at least 15 21 days prior to the | ||||||
25 | proposed termination. Notice of proposed termination shall | ||||||
26 | be mailed, postage prepaid, to the customer to whom service |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | is billed. Notice of proposed termination shall not be | ||||||
2 | mailed until the 24th 29th day after the date of the bill | ||||||
3 | for services. Notice of delinquency and impending | ||||||
4 | termination may be part of a billing statement only if the | ||||||
5 | notice is presented in a different color than the bill and | ||||||
6 | is designed to be conspicuous. The cable or video providers | ||||||
7 | may not assess a late fee prior to the 24th 29th day after | ||||||
8 | the date of the bill for service. | ||||||
9 | (5) Every notice of impending termination shall | ||||||
10 | include all of the following: the name and address of | ||||||
11 | customer; the amount of the delinquency; the date on which | ||||||
12 | payment is required to avoid termination; and the telephone | ||||||
13 | number of the cable or video provider's service | ||||||
14 | representative to make payment arrangements and to provide | ||||||
15 | additional information about the charges for failure to | ||||||
16 | return equipment and for reconnection, if any. No customer | ||||||
17 | may be charged a fee for termination or disconnection of | ||||||
18 | service, irrespective of whether the customer initiated | ||||||
19 | termination or disconnection or the cable or video provider | ||||||
20 | initiated termination or disconnection. | ||||||
21 | (6) Service may only be terminated on days when the | ||||||
22 | customer is able to reach a service representative of the | ||||||
23 | cable or video providers, either in person or by telephone. | ||||||
24 | (7) Any service terminated by a cable or video provider | ||||||
25 | without good cause shall be restored without any | ||||||
26 | reconnection fee, charge, or penalty; good cause for |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | termination includes, but is not limited to, failure to pay | ||||||
2 | a bill by the date specified in the notice of impending | ||||||
3 | termination, payment by check for which there are | ||||||
4 | insufficient funds, theft of service, abuse of equipment or | ||||||
5 | personnel, or other similar subscriber actions. | ||||||
6 | (8) Cable or video providers shall cease charging a | ||||||
7 | customer for any or all services within one
business day | ||||||
8 | after it receives a request to immediately terminate | ||||||
9 | service or on the day requested by the customer if such a | ||||||
10 | date is at least 5 days from the date requested by the | ||||||
11 | customer. Nothing in this subsection (c) shall prohibit the | ||||||
12 | provider from billing for charges that the customer incurs | ||||||
13 | prior to the date of termination. Cable or video providers | ||||||
14 | shall issue a credit no later than the customer's next | ||||||
15 | billing cycle following the determination that a credit is | ||||||
16 | warranted. Cable or video providers shall issue or a refund | ||||||
17 | or return a deposit promptly, but not later than either the | ||||||
18 | customer's next billing cycle following resolution of the | ||||||
19 | request or 30 days, whichever is earlier, within 10 | ||||||
20 | business days after the close of the customer's billing | ||||||
21 | cycle following the request for termination or the return | ||||||
22 | of equipment, if any, whichever is later. | ||||||
23 | (9) The customers or subscribers of a cable or video | ||||||
24 | provider shall be allowed to disconnect their service at | ||||||
25 | any time within the first 30 60 days after subscribing to | ||||||
26 | or upgrading the service. Within this 30-day 60-day period, |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | cable or video providers shall not charge or impose any | ||||||
2 | fees or penalties on the customer for disconnecting | ||||||
3 | service, including, but not limited to, any installation | ||||||
4 | charge or the imposition of an early termination charge, | ||||||
5 | except the cable or video provider may impose a charge or | ||||||
6 | fee to offset any rebates or credits received by the | ||||||
7 | customer and may impose monthly service or maintenance | ||||||
8 | charges, including pay-per-view and premium services | ||||||
9 | charges, during such 30-day 60-day period. | ||||||
10 | (10) Cable and video providers shall guarantee | ||||||
11 | customer satisfaction for new or upgraded service and the | ||||||
12 | customer shall receive a pro-rata credit in an amount equal | ||||||
13 | to the pro-rata charge for the remaining days of service | ||||||
14 | being disconnected or replaced upon the customers request | ||||||
15 | if the customer is dissatisfied with the service and | ||||||
16 | requests to discontinue the service within the first 60 | ||||||
17 | days after subscribing to the upgraded service. | ||||||
18 | (d) Response to customer inquiries: | ||||||
19 | (1) Cable or video providers will maintain a toll-free | ||||||
20 | telephone access line that is
available to customers 24 | ||||||
21 | hours a day, 7
days a week to accept calls regarding | ||||||
22 | installation, termination, service, and complaints. | ||||||
23 | Trained, knowledgeable, qualified service representatives | ||||||
24 | of the cable or video providers will be available to | ||||||
25 | respond to customer telephone inquiries during normal | ||||||
26 | business hours. Customer service representatives shall be |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | able to provide credit, waive fees, schedule appointments, | ||||||
2 | and change billing cycles. Any difficulties that cannot be | ||||||
3 | resolved by the customer service representatives shall be | ||||||
4 | referred to a supervisor who shall make his or her best | ||||||
5 | efforts to resolve the issue immediately. If the supervisor | ||||||
6 | does not resolve the issue to the customer's satisfaction, | ||||||
7 | the customer shall be informed of the cable or video | ||||||
8 | provider's complaint procedures and procedures for billing | ||||||
9 | dispute resolution and given a description of the rights | ||||||
10 | and remedies available to customers to enforce the terms of | ||||||
11 | this Article, including the customer's rights to have the | ||||||
12 | complaint reviewed by the local unit of government, to | ||||||
13 | request mediation, and to review in a court of competent | ||||||
14 | jurisdiction. | ||||||
15 | (2) After normal business hours, the access line may be | ||||||
16 | answered by a service or an automated response system, | ||||||
17 | including an answering machine. Inquiries received by | ||||||
18 | telephone or e-mail after normal business hours shall be | ||||||
19 | responded to by a trained service representative on the | ||||||
20 | next business day. The cable or video provider shall | ||||||
21 | respond to a written billing inquiry within 10 days of | ||||||
22 | receipt of the inquiry. | ||||||
23 | (3) Cable or video providers shall provide customers | ||||||
24 | seeking non-standard installations with a total | ||||||
25 | installation cost estimate and an estimated date of | ||||||
26 | completion. The actual charge to the customer shall not |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | exceed 10% of the estimated cost without the written | ||||||
2 | consent of the customer. | ||||||
3 | (4) If the cable or video provider receives notice that | ||||||
4 | an unsafe condition exists with respect to its equipment, | ||||||
5 | it shall investigate such condition immediately and shall | ||||||
6 | take such measures as are necessary to remove or eliminate | ||||||
7 | the unsafe condition. The cable or video provider shall | ||||||
8 | inform the local unit of government promptly, but no later | ||||||
9 | than 2 hours after it receives notification of an unsafe | ||||||
10 | condition that it has not remedied. | ||||||
11 | (5) Under normal operating conditions, telephone | ||||||
12 | answer time by the cable or video provider's customer | ||||||
13 | representative, including wait time, shall not exceed 30 | ||||||
14 | seconds when the connection is made. If the call needs to | ||||||
15 | be transferred, transfer time shall not exceed 30 seconds. | ||||||
16 | These standards shall be met no less than 90% of the time | ||||||
17 | under normal operating conditions, measured on a quarterly | ||||||
18 | basis. The cable or video provider shall not be required to | ||||||
19 | acquire equipment or perform surveys to measure compliance | ||||||
20 | with these telephone answering standards unless an | ||||||
21 | historical record of complaints indicates a clear failure | ||||||
22 | to comply. | ||||||
23 | (6) Under normal operating conditions, the cable or | ||||||
24 | video provider's customers will receive a busy signal less | ||||||
25 | than 3% of the time. | ||||||
26 | (e) Under normal operating conditions, each of the |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | following standards related to installations, outages, and | ||||||
2 | service calls will be met no less than 95% of the time measured | ||||||
3 | on a quarterly basis: | ||||||
4 | (1) Standard installations will be performed within 7 | ||||||
5 | business days after an order has been placed. "Standard" | ||||||
6 | installations are those that are located up to 125 feet | ||||||
7 | from the existing distribution system. | ||||||
8 | (2) Excluding conditions beyond the control of the | ||||||
9 | cable or video providers, the cable or video providers will | ||||||
10 | begin working on "service interruptions" promptly and in no | ||||||
11 | event later than 24 hours after the interruption is | ||||||
12 | reported by the customer or otherwise becomes known to the | ||||||
13 | cable or video providers. Cable or video providers must | ||||||
14 | begin actions to correct other service problems the next | ||||||
15 | business day after notification of the service problem and | ||||||
16 | correct the problem within 48 hours after the interruption | ||||||
17 | is reported by the customer 95% of the time, measured on a | ||||||
18 | quarterly basis . | ||||||
19 | (3) The "appointment window" alternatives for | ||||||
20 | installations, service calls, and other installation | ||||||
21 | activities will be either a specific time or, at a maximum, | ||||||
22 | a 4-hour
time block during evening, weekend, and normal | ||||||
23 | business hours. The cable or video provider may schedule | ||||||
24 | service calls and other installation activities outside of | ||||||
25 | these hours for the express convenience of the customer. | ||||||
26 | (4) Cable or video providers may not cancel an |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | appointment with a customer after the close of business | ||||||
2 | 5:00 p.m. on the business day prior to the scheduled | ||||||
3 | appointment. If the cable or video provider's | ||||||
4 | representative is running late for an appointment with a | ||||||
5 | customer and will not be able to keep the appointment as | ||||||
6 | scheduled, the customer will be contacted. The appointment | ||||||
7 | will be rescheduled, as necessary, at a time that
is | ||||||
8 | convenient for the customer, even if the rescheduled | ||||||
9 | appointment is not within normal business hours. | ||||||
10 | (f) Public benefit obligation: | ||||||
11 | (1) All cable or video providers offering service | ||||||
12 | pursuant to the Cable and Video Competition Law of 2007, | ||||||
13 | the Illinois Municipal Code, or the Counties Code shall | ||||||
14 | provide a free service line drop and free basic service to | ||||||
15 | all current and future public buildings within their | ||||||
16 | footprint, including, but not limited to, all local unit of | ||||||
17 | government buildings, public libraries, and public primary | ||||||
18 | and secondary schools, whether owned or leased by that | ||||||
19 | local unit of government ("eligible buildings"). Such | ||||||
20 | service shall be used in a manner consistent with the | ||||||
21 | government purpose for the eligible building and shall not | ||||||
22 | be resold. | ||||||
23 | (2) This obligation only applies to those cable or | ||||||
24 | video service providers whose cable service or video | ||||||
25 | service systems pass eligible buildings and its cable or | ||||||
26 | video service is generally available to residential |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | subscribers in the same local unit of government in which | ||||||
2 | the eligible building is located. The burden of providing | ||||||
3 | such service at each eligible building shall be shared by | ||||||
4 | all cable and video providers whose systems pass the | ||||||
5 | eligible buildings in an equitable and competitively | ||||||
6 | neutral manner, and nothing herein shall require | ||||||
7 | duplicative installations by more than one cable or video | ||||||
8 | provider at each eligible building. Cable or video | ||||||
9 | providers operating in a local unit of government shall | ||||||
10 | meet as necessary and determine who will provide service to | ||||||
11 | eligible buildings under this subsection (f). If the cable | ||||||
12 | or video providers are unable to reach an agreement, they | ||||||
13 | shall meet with the local unit of government, which shall | ||||||
14 | determine which cable or video providers will serve each | ||||||
15 | eligible building. The local unit of government shall bear | ||||||
16 | the costs of any inside wiring or video equipment costs not | ||||||
17 | ordinarily provided as part of the cable or video | ||||||
18 | provider's basic offering. | ||||||
19 | (g) After the cable or video providers have offered service | ||||||
20 | for one year, the cable or video providers shall make an annual | ||||||
21 | report to the Commission, to the local unit of government, and | ||||||
22 | to the Attorney General that it is meeting the standards | ||||||
23 | specified in this Article, identifying the number of complaints | ||||||
24 | it received over the prior year in the State and specifying the | ||||||
25 | number of complaints related to each of the following: (1) | ||||||
26 | billing, charges, refunds, and credits; (2) installation or |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | termination of service; (3) quality of service and repair; (4) | ||||||
2 | programming; and (5) miscellaneous complaints that do not fall | ||||||
3 | within these categories. Thereafter, the cable or video | ||||||
4 | providers shall also provide, upon request by the local unit of | ||||||
5 | government where service is offered and to the Attorney | ||||||
6 | General, an annual public report that includes performance data | ||||||
7 | described in subdivisions (5) and (6) of subsection (d) and | ||||||
8 | subdivisions (1) and (2) of subsection (e)
of this Section for | ||||||
9 | cable services or video services. The performance data shall be | ||||||
10 | disaggregated for each requesting local unit of government or | ||||||
11 | local exchange, as that term is defined in Section 13-206 of | ||||||
12 | this
Act, in which the cable or video providers have customers. | ||||||
13 | (h) To the extent consistent with federal law, cable or | ||||||
14 | video providers shall offer the lowest-cost basic cable or | ||||||
15 | video service as a stand-alone service to residential customers | ||||||
16 | at reasonable rates. Cable or video providers shall not require | ||||||
17 | the subscription to any service other than the lowest-cost | ||||||
18 | basic service or to any telecommunications or information | ||||||
19 | service, as a condition of access to cable or video service, | ||||||
20 | including programming offered on a per channel or per program | ||||||
21 | basis. Cable or video providers shall not discriminate between | ||||||
22 | subscribers to the lowest-cost basic service, subscribers to | ||||||
23 | other cable services or video services, and other subscribers | ||||||
24 | with regard to the rates charged for cable or video programming | ||||||
25 | offered on a per channel or per program basis. | ||||||
26 | (i) To the extent consistent with federal law, cable or |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | video providers shall ensure that charges for changes in the | ||||||
2 | subscriber's selection of services or equipment shall be based | ||||||
3 | on the cost of such change and shall not exceed nominal amounts | ||||||
4 | when the system's configuration permits changes in service tier | ||||||
5 | selection to be effected solely by coded entry on a computer | ||||||
6 | terminal or by other similarly simple method. | ||||||
7 | (j) To the extent consistent with federal law, cable or | ||||||
8 | video providers shall have a rate structure for the provision | ||||||
9 | of cable or video service that is uniform throughout the area | ||||||
10 | within the boundaries of the local unit of government. This | ||||||
11 | subsection (j) is not intended to prohibit bulk discounts to | ||||||
12 | multiple dwelling units or to prohibit reasonable discounts to | ||||||
13 | senior citizens or other economically disadvantaged groups. | ||||||
14 | (k) To the extent consistent with federal law, cable or | ||||||
15 | video providers shall not charge a subscriber for any service | ||||||
16 | or equipment that the subscriber has not affirmatively | ||||||
17 | requested or affirmatively agreed to by name. For purposes of | ||||||
18 | this subsection (k), a subscriber's failure to refuse a cable | ||||||
19 | or video provider's proposal to provide service or equipment | ||||||
20 | shall not be deemed to be an affirmative request for such | ||||||
21 | service or equipment. | ||||||
22 | (l) No contract or service agreement containing an early | ||||||
23 | termination clause offering residential cable or video | ||||||
24 | services or any bundle including such services shall be for a | ||||||
25 | term longer than 2 years. Any contract or service offering with | ||||||
26 | a term of service that contains an early termination fee shall |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | limit the early termination fee to not more than the value of | ||||||
2 | any additional goods or services provided with the cable or | ||||||
3 | video services, the amount of the discount reflected in the | ||||||
4 | price for cable services or video services for the period | ||||||
5 | during which the consumer benefited from the discount, or a | ||||||
6 | declining fee based on the remainder of the contract term. | ||||||
7 | (m) Cable or video providers shall not discriminate in the | ||||||
8 | provision of services for the hearing and visually impaired, | ||||||
9 | and shall comply with the accessibility requirements of 47 | ||||||
10 | U.S.C. 613. Cable or video providers shall deliver and pick-up | ||||||
11 | or provide customers with pre-paid shipping and packaging for | ||||||
12 | the return of converters and other necessary equipment at the | ||||||
13 | home of customers with disabilities. Cable or video providers | ||||||
14 | shall provide free use of a converter or remote control unit to | ||||||
15 | mobility impaired customers. | ||||||
16 | (n)(1) To the extent consistent with federal law, cable or | ||||||
17 | video providers shall comply with the provisions of 47 U.S.C. | ||||||
18 | 532(h) and (j). The cable or video providers shall not exercise | ||||||
19 | any editorial control over any video programming provided | ||||||
20 | pursuant to this Section, or in any other way consider the | ||||||
21 | content of such programming, except that a cable or video | ||||||
22 | provider may refuse to transmit any leased access program or | ||||||
23 | portion of a leased access program that
contains obscenity, | ||||||
24 | indecency, or nudity and may consider such content to the | ||||||
25 | minimum extent necessary to establish a reasonable price for | ||||||
26 | the commercial use of designated channel capacity by an |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | unaffiliated person. This subsection (n) shall permit cable or | ||||||
2 | video providers to enforce prospectively a written and | ||||||
3 | published policy of prohibiting programming that the cable or | ||||||
4 | video provider reasonably believes describes or depicts sexual | ||||||
5 | or excretory activities or organs in a patently offensive | ||||||
6 | manner as measured by contemporary community standards. | ||||||
7 | (2) Upon customer request, the cable or video provider | ||||||
8 | shall, without charge, fully scramble or otherwise fully | ||||||
9 | block the audio and video programming of each channel | ||||||
10 | carrying such programming so that a person who is not a | ||||||
11 | subscriber does not receive the channel or programming. | ||||||
12 | (3) In providing sexually explicit adult programming | ||||||
13 | or other programming that is indecent on any channel of its | ||||||
14 | service primarily dedicated to sexually oriented | ||||||
15 | programming, the cable or video provider shall fully | ||||||
16 | scramble or otherwise fully block the video and audio | ||||||
17 | portion of such channel so that a person who is
not a | ||||||
18 | subscriber to such channel or programming does not receive | ||||||
19 | it. | ||||||
20 | (4) Scramble means to rearrange the content of the | ||||||
21 | signal of the programming so that the programming cannot be | ||||||
22 | viewed or heard in an understandable manner. | ||||||
23 | (o) Cable or video providers will maintain a listing, | ||||||
24 | specific to the level of street address, of the areas where its | ||||||
25 | cable or video services are available. Customers who inquire | ||||||
26 | about purchasing cable or video service shall be informed about |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | whether the cable or video provider's cable or video services | ||||||
2 | are currently available to them at their specific location. | ||||||
3 | (p) Cable or video providers shall not disclose the name, | ||||||
4 | address, telephone number or other personally identifying | ||||||
5 | information of a cable service or video service customer to be | ||||||
6 | used in mailing lists or to be used for other commercial | ||||||
7 | purposes not reasonably related to the conduct of its business | ||||||
8 | unless the cable or video provider has provided to the customer | ||||||
9 | a notice, separately or included in any other customer service | ||||||
10 | notice, that clearly and conspicuously describes the | ||||||
11 | customer's ability to prohibit the disclosure. Cable or video | ||||||
12 | providers shall provide an address and telephone number for a | ||||||
13 | customer to use without a toll charge to prevent disclosure of | ||||||
14 | the customer's name and address in mailing lists or for other | ||||||
15 | commercial purposes not reasonably related to the conduct of | ||||||
16 | its business to other businesses or affiliates of the cable or | ||||||
17 | video provider. Cable or video providers shall comply with the | ||||||
18 | consumer privacy requirements of Section 26-4.5 of the Criminal | ||||||
19 | Code of 2012, the Restricted Call Registry Act, and 47 U.S.C. | ||||||
20 | 551 that are in effect as of June 30, 2007 (the effective date | ||||||
21 | of Public Act 95-9)
and as amended thereafter. | ||||||
22 | (q) Cable or video providers shall implement an informal | ||||||
23 | process for handling inquiries from local units of government | ||||||
24 | and customers concerning billing issues, service issues, | ||||||
25 | privacy concerns, and other consumer complaints. In the event | ||||||
26 | that an issue is not resolved through this informal process, a |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | local unit of government or the customer may request nonbinding | ||||||
2 | mediation with the cable or video provider, with each party to | ||||||
3 | bear its own costs of such mediation. Selection of the mediator | ||||||
4 | will be by mutual agreement, and preference will be given to | ||||||
5 | mediation services that do not charge the consumer for their | ||||||
6 | services. In the event that the informal process does not | ||||||
7 | produce a satisfactory result to the customer or the local unit | ||||||
8 | of government, enforcement may be pursued as provided in | ||||||
9 | subdivision (4) of subsection (r) of this Section. | ||||||
10 | (r) The Attorney General and the local unit of government | ||||||
11 | may enforce all of the customer service and privacy protection | ||||||
12 | standards of this Section with respect to complaints received | ||||||
13 | from residents within the local unit of government's | ||||||
14 | jurisdiction, but it may not adopt or seek to enforce any | ||||||
15 | additional or different customer service or performance | ||||||
16 | standards under any other authority or provision of law. | ||||||
17 | (1) The local unit of government may, by ordinance, | ||||||
18 | provide a schedule of penalties for any material breach of | ||||||
19 | this Section by cable or video providers in addition to the | ||||||
20 | penalties provided herein. No monetary penalties shall be | ||||||
21 | assessed for a material breach if it is out of the | ||||||
22 | reasonable control of the cable or video providers or its | ||||||
23 | affiliate. Monetary penalties adopted in an ordinance | ||||||
24 | pursuant to this Section shall apply on a competitively | ||||||
25 | neutral basis to all providers of cable service or video | ||||||
26 | service within the local unit of government's |
| |||||||
| |||||||
1 | jurisdiction. In
no event shall the penalties imposed under | ||||||
2 | this subsection (r) exceed $750 for each day of the | ||||||
3 | material breach, and these penalties shall not exceed | ||||||
4 | $25,000 for each occurrence of a material breach per | ||||||
5 | customer. | ||||||
6 | (2) For purposes of this Section, "material breach" | ||||||
7 | means any substantial
failure of a cable or video service | ||||||
8 | provider to comply with service quality and other standards | ||||||
9 | specified in any provision of this Act. The Attorney | ||||||
10 | General or the local unit of government shall give the | ||||||
11 | cable or video provider written notice of any alleged | ||||||
12 | material breaches of this Act and allow such provider at | ||||||
13 | least 30 days from receipt of the notice to remedy the | ||||||
14 | specified material breach. | ||||||
15 | (3) A material breach, for the purposes of assessing | ||||||
16 | penalties, shall be deemed to have occurred for each day | ||||||
17 | that a material breach has not been remedied by the cable | ||||||
18 | service or video service provider after the expiration of | ||||||
19 | the period specified in subdivision (2) of this subsection | ||||||
20 | (r)
in each local unit of government's jurisdiction, | ||||||
21 | irrespective of the number of customers affected. | ||||||
22 | (4) Any customer, the Attorney General, or a local unit | ||||||
23 | of government may pursue alleged violations of this Act by | ||||||
24 | the cable or video provider in a court of competent | ||||||
25 | jurisdiction. A cable or video provider may seek judicial | ||||||
26 | review of a decision of a local unit of government imposing |
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1 | penalties in a court of competent jurisdiction. No local | ||||||
2 | unit of government shall be subject to suit for damages or | ||||||
3 | other relief based upon its action in connection with its | ||||||
4 | enforcement or review of any of the terms, conditions, and | ||||||
5 | rights contained in this Act except a court may require the | ||||||
6 | return of any penalty it finds was not properly assessed or | ||||||
7 | imposed. | ||||||
8 | (s) Cable or video providers shall credit customers for | ||||||
9 | violations in the amounts stated herein. The credits shall be | ||||||
10 | applied on the statement issued to the customer for the next | ||||||
11 | monthly billing cycle following the violation or following the | ||||||
12 | discovery of the violation. Cable or video providers are | ||||||
13 | responsible for providing the credits described herein and the | ||||||
14 | customer is under no obligation to request the credit. If the | ||||||
15 | customer is no longer taking service from the cable or video | ||||||
16 | provider, the credit amount will be refunded to the customer by | ||||||
17 | check within 30 days of the termination of service. A local | ||||||
18 | unit of government may, by ordinance, adopt a schedule of | ||||||
19 | credits payable directly to customers for breach of the | ||||||
20 | customer service standards and obligations contained in this | ||||||
21 | Article, provided the schedule of customer credits applies on a | ||||||
22 | competitively neutral basis to all providers of cable service | ||||||
23 | or video service in the local unit of government's jurisdiction | ||||||
24 | and the credits are not greater than the credits provided in | ||||||
25 | this Section. | ||||||
26 | (1) Failure to provide notice of customer service |
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1 | standards upon initiation of service: $25.00. | ||||||
2 | (2) Failure to install service within 7 days: Waiver of | ||||||
3 | 50% of the installation fee or the monthly fee for the | ||||||
4 | lowest-cost basic service, whichever is greater. Failure | ||||||
5 | to install service within 14 days: Waiver of 100% of the | ||||||
6 | installation fee or the monthly fee for the lowest-cost | ||||||
7 | basic service, whichever is greater. | ||||||
8 | (3) Failure to remedy service interruptions or poor | ||||||
9 | video or audio service quality within 48 hours: Pro-rata | ||||||
10 | credit of total regular monthly charges equal to the number | ||||||
11 | of days of the service interruption. | ||||||
12 | (1) (4) Failure to keep an appointment or to notify the | ||||||
13 | customer prior to the close of business on the business day | ||||||
14 | prior to the scheduled appointment: $25.00. | ||||||
15 | (5) Violation of privacy protections: $150.00. | ||||||
16 | (6) Failure to comply with scrambling requirements: | ||||||
17 | $50.00 per month. | ||||||
18 | (2) (7) Violation of customer service and billing | ||||||
19 | standards in subsections (c) and (d) of this Section: | ||||||
20 | $25.00 per occurrence. | ||||||
21 | (3) (8) Violation of the bundling rules in subsection
| ||||||
22 | (h) of this Section: $25.00 per month. | ||||||
23 | (t) The enforcement powers granted to the Attorney General | ||||||
24 | in Article XXI of this
Act shall apply to this Article, except | ||||||
25 | that the Attorney General may not seek penalties for violation | ||||||
26 | of this Article
other than in the amounts specified herein. |
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1 | Nothing in this Section shall limit or affect the powers of the | ||||||
2 | Attorney General to enforce the provisions of Article XXI
of | ||||||
3 | this
Act or the Consumer Fraud and Deceptive Business Practices | ||||||
4 | Act. | ||||||
5 | (u) This Article
applies to all cable and video providers | ||||||
6 | in the State, including but not limited to those operating | ||||||
7 | under a local franchise as that term is used in 47 U.S.C. | ||||||
8 | 522(9), those operating under authorization pursuant to | ||||||
9 | Section 11-42-11 of the Illinois Municipal Code, those | ||||||
10 | operating under authorization pursuant to Section 5-1095 of the | ||||||
11 | Counties Code, and those operating under a State-issued | ||||||
12 | authorization pursuant to Article XXI of this
Act.
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13 | (Source: P.A. 96-927, eff. 6-15-10; 97-1108, eff. 1-1-13; | ||||||
14 | 97-1150, eff. 1-25-13.)
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15 | Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon | ||||||
16 | becoming law.".
|