Bills of Interest Recently Signed Into Law
HB 4661, Utility Infrastructure was signed into law. This bill provides that no electric utility shall establish or maintain any unreasonable difference as to rates or other charges, services, contractual terms, or facilities for access to or the use of its utility infrastructure by another person or for any other purpose. Prohibits an electric utility in a county with a population of 3,000,000 or more from authorizing any other person or granting any other person the right, by agreement, lease, license, or otherwise, to access, control, use, or operate any electric utility's infrastructure, facilities, or assets of any kind or to deliver or provide to the electric utility's retail customers or any other person's customers, broadband services, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, telecommunications services, or cable or video programming services. Specifies, however, that an electric utility in a county with a population of 3,000,000 or more may authorize or grant another person the right to access or use the electric utility's infrastructure, facilities, or assets, including, but not limited to, middle mile infrastructure, to facilitate the delivery of broadband services to Illinois residential and commercial customers on the condition that the access to and use of that electric utility's infrastructure, facilities, and assets (A) be granted on a non-discriminatory, non-exclusive, and competitively neutral basis; and (B) comply with all other State and federal laws, rules, and regulations, including, but not limited to, all applicable safety codes and requirements. Provides that, if there is any dispute regarding the terms, rates, or conditions of access to or use of the electric utility's infrastructure, facilities, and assets to facilitate the delivery of broadband services to Illinois residential and commercial customers, then the Commission shall hear and decide the dispute upon petition of any party.
HB 5047, Nurse Licensure was signed into law. This bill provides that the privilege to practice as a license-pending practical nurse shall terminate once 6 months (rather than 3 months) have passed since the official date of passing the licensure exam as inscribed on the formal written notification indicating passage of the exam. Provides that the privilege to practice as a license-pending registered nurse shall terminate once 6 months (rather than 3 months) have passed since the official date of passing the licensure exam as inscribed on the formal written notification indicating passage of the exam. Provides that a licensed advanced practice registered nurse certified as a nurse midwife, clinical nurse specialist, or nurse practitioner who files with the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation a notarized attestation of completion of at least 250 hours of continuing education or training in the advanced practice registered nurse's area of certification and at least 4,000 hours of clinical experience after first attaining national certification and thus having met the requirements to be granted full practice authority shall be granted the authority to practice as a full practice authority-pending advanced practice registered nurse under the supervision of a full practice advanced practice registered nurse or a physician for a period of 6 months.
HB 5138, IDOT Studies/Local Government passed the Senate 59-0-0. This bill Provides that upon request by a unit of local government, the Department shall make available any study or survey completed by the Department that concerns traffic or the environmental impact on road construction projects. Allows a study or survey conducted by the Department to be substituted for a study or survey required by a unit of local government for construction projects affecting a portion of a State right-of-way. Provides that studies or surveys prohibited from disclosure by State or federal statutory confidentiality restrictions are not required to be made available.
HB 5459, Water Usage Data was signed into law. This bill provides that in the case of a public utility that provides drinking water services, upon the request of a municipal wastewater agency or unit of local government organized under specified Acts, such public utility shall provide timely and accurate water usage data, in a format identifiable to the requester, for purposes of calculating wastewater billings. Provides that the public utility shall be entitled to collect its reasonable costs incurred to provide such data.
SB 1289 Carbon Capture & Sequestration was signed into law. Among other things, this bill creates the Safety and Aid for the Environment in Carbon Capture and Sequestration Act (which may be referred to as the SAFE CCS Act). Sets forth provisions regarding: ownership and conveyance of pore space; integration and unitization of ownership interests; surface access for pore space owners; compensation for damages to the surface; and additional landowner rights. Amends the Illinois Emergency Management Act. Amends the Carbon Dioxide Transportation and Sequestration Act. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission may grant an application for a certificate of authority authorizing the construction and operation of a carbon dioxide pipeline if, additionally, the applicant has applied for any and all other federal permits necessary to construct and operate a carbon dioxide pipeline, the applicant has held at least 2 prefiling public meetings to receive public comment concerning the proposed carbon dioxide pipeline in each county where the pipeline is to be located, the applicant has directly contacted the owner of each parcel of land located within 2 miles of the proposed pipeline route, advising them of the proposed pipeline route and of the date and time of each public meeting to be held in the county in which each landowner's property is located, and the applicant has prepared and submitted a detailed emergency operations plan. Prohibits the Commission from issuing any certificate of authority until the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has adopted final revisions to its pipeline safety rules and the Commission has verified that the submitted application complies with those finalized rules. |
