Rep. Jay Hoffman

Amends the Board of Higher Education Act. Removes language providing that each State university must submit its plan for capital improvements of non-instructional facilities to the Board of Higher Education for approval before final commitments are made if the total cost of the project as approved by the institution's board of control is in excess of $2 million.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that the Illinois Commerce Commission, in a general rate case proceeding initiated by a public utility that provides water and wastewater service in Illinois, is authorized to approve rate designs requested by a public utility that provides water and wastewater service in Illinois if it finds that such rate designs will enhance the equitable provision of safe, reliable, and affordable water and wastewater services or are otherwise in the public interest. Provides that if the Commission finds that any rate design will enhance the equitable provision of safe, reliable, and affordable water and wastewater services or is in the public interest, the Commission shall enter an order approving such rate design. Requires the Commission to take certain evidence presented by the public utility into account when entering its order. Provides that the Commission may require the public utility, in addition to and as part of the required notice to its customers, to provide a description of any rate design being considered in the proceeding, a statement of the estimated bill impact as a result of rate design approved by the Commission, and any other information that the Commission deems necessary. Provides that the Commission may adopt rules to implement the provisions. Effective immediately.

Amends the Ticket Sale and Resale Act. Provides that a ticket seller or ticket reseller shall display the full price of a ticket, including all assessed fees, to a consumer when the price of a ticket is first shown to the consumer and shall not increase that price during the transaction with the consumer. Provides that a ticket reseller shall not sell or offer to sell a ticket that the ticket reseller does not possess or have a contract to purchase. Provides that a ticket resale marketplace shall not include the name of an artist, team, or ticket issuer in a URL of a website operated by the ticket resale marketplace unless authorized. Provides that a ticket issuer shall deliver a ticket purchased directly from the ticket issuer within 4 days after purchase unless otherwise clearly and conspicuously disclosed at the time of sale. Provides that a ticket issuer shall disclose the number of tickets for an event that are withheld from sale any time it offers tickets for that event for sale. Defines terms. Makes conforming changes.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that the date of receipt for a payment for a utility bill or invoice shall be the date a payment or payment instrument is presented to or arrives at the utility or its agent or vendor or the date the mailed payment or payment instrument is postmarked.

Provides that the amendatory Act may be referred to as the Thermal Energy Network and Jobs Acts. Sets forth a statement of legislative findings and intent. Amends the Public Utilities Act. Defines "thermal energy" and "thermal energy network". Requires the Illinois Commerce Commission to initiate a proceeding within 6 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act to support the development of pilot thermal energy networks. Provides that within 10 months after the effective date of the amendatory Act, every gas public utility, electric public utility, or combination public utility serving over 100,000 customers shall file with the Commission a petition seeking Commission-approval of at least one and no more than 3 proposed pilot thermal energy network projects. Requires every gas public utility, electric public utility, or combination public utility constructing or operating a Commission-approved pilot thermal energy network project to report to the Commission, on a quarterly basis and until completion of the pilot thermal energy network project, the status of each pilot thermal energy network project. Requires every gas public utility, electric public utility, or combination public utility constructing or operating a Commission-approved pilot thermal energy network project to demonstrate that it has entered into a labor peace agreement with a bona fide labor organization that is actively engaged in representing its employees. Requires the Commission to adopt specified rules within 4 years after the completion of the construction of all thermal energy network projects. Provides that a gas public utility, electric public utility, or combination public utility required to develop a pilot thermal energy network project shall be permitted to recover all reasonable and prudently incurred costs associated with the development, construction, and operation of one or more pilot thermal energy network projects through general rates or through rates set in a Multi-Year Rate Plan. Effective immediately.

Amends the State Finance Act. Provides that the Secretary of State may maintain a petty cash fund in excess of $1,000, solely for the purpose of making change, at any Secretary of State Motor Vehicle Facility. Provides that those funds may be retained on the premises of the facility.

Creates the Crossing of Electric Utility Property Act. Requires a public utility to provide an expedited review and grant of a crossing application and may not unreasonably withhold an allowance for a crossing, unless a public utility provides a reasonable justification that the crossing will impair or harm the right-of-way. Authorizes an occupant to commence use of a crossing within 90 days after meeting the following conditions: (i) notice is sent to the public utility that occupant owns or controls land on both sides of the public utility property and that a crossing is reasonably required to expand or maintain operations on the occupant's property or to benefit the public; (ii) provides to the public utility engineering specifications to demonstrate that the proposed crossing will not impair the public utility's occupancy and use of the right-of-way; (iii) affirms to the public utility that the occupant must maintain and repair the owner's own crossing and must bear responsibility for the owner's own acts and omissions concerning use of the crossing; and (iv) provides to the public utility a payment for establishment of the crossing and the first year of crossing fees. Prohibits a public from unreasonably denying a crossing and lists conditions that make a denial unreasonable. Requires that the occupant provide the public utility reasonable access to the crossing to inspect and monitor, and the occupant provide engineering studies that demonstrate that the crossing will not reasonably interrupt or impair the public utility's right-of-way.

Amends the Insurance Producers, Limited Insurance Representatives, and Registered Firms Article of the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that the annual registration fee for an education provider that is not based in the State of Illinois is $2,000. Makes a conforming change.

Amends the Department of Central Management Services Law of the Civil Administrative Code of Illinois. Provides that, within 30 days after the Department of Labor makes a revision to the prevailing rate of hourly wages to be paid under the Prevailing Wage Act, the Department of Central Management Services shall revise the salaries and rates of pay for all employees who are required to be paid the revised prevailing rate of hourly wages. Directs the Department to coordinate with the Department of Labor to receive updates concerning revisions to the prevailing rate of hourly wages as necessary to comply with this requirement.

Amends the State Finance Act to create the Surrogacy Agreement Escrow Protection Fund. Amends the Gestational Surrogacy Act. Provides that the Fund is to be used solely for the purpose of providing restitution to those who have suffered monetary loss arising out of an escrow transaction related to a gestational surrogacy contract as regulated by the Act. Provides that the Fund is to be applied only to restitution ordered by the Director of Public Health and restitution may not exceed the amount actually lost.