Bill Text: IL SB2603 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Electric Cooperatives And Municipal Systems Article of the Public Utilities Act. Allows an electric cooperative organized to provided rural electric power to provide broadband service by using an easement owned, held, or used by the electric cooperative. Requires the electric cooperative to provide notice to the property owner on which the easement is located 3 months prior to beginning construction on the easement that the electric cooperative intends to use the easement for broadband purposes.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-10-18 - Referred to Assignments [SB2603 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-SB2603-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 SB2603 Introduced 10/18/2023, by Sen. Jason Plummer SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
220 ILCS 5/17-1000 new
Amends the Electric Cooperatives And Municipal Systems Article of the Public Utilities Act. Allows an electric cooperative organized to provided rural electric power to provide broadband service by using an easement owned, held, or used by the electric cooperative. Requires the electric cooperative to provide notice to the property owner on which the easement is located 3 months prior to beginning construction on the easement that the electric cooperative intends to use the easement for broadband purposes.
LRB103 33306 LNS 63116 b
A BILL FOR
SB2603 LRB103 33306 LNS 63116 b
AN ACT concerning regulation.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The Public Utilities Act is amended by adding
Section 17-1000 as follows:
(220 ILCS 5/17-1000 new)
Sec. 17-1000. Rural electric cooperatives providing
broadband services using easements.
(a) The General Assembly finds that:
(1) a goal of the State is to make available to its
citizens affordable, reliable, and state-of-the-art
Internet communications through the expansion, extension,
and general availability of broadband services and
technology, and to encourage the adoption of broadband by
all citizens;
(2) although broadband access has been extended to
many urban areas of the State, many rural areas remain
unserved; and
(3) fair and equitable access to 21st century
technology is essential to job retention and economic
growth opportunities.
(b) As used in this Section:
"Broadband infrastructure" means networks of deployed

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telecommunications equipment and technologies necessary to
provide high-speed Internet access and other advanced
telecommunications services for end users.
"Broadband service" means any service that provides
advanced telecommunications capability and Internet access.
(c) An electric cooperative organized to provide rural
electric power may, on behalf of itself, its subsidiary, or a
business partner, provide broadband service by using an
easement owned, held, or used by the electric cooperative. An
existing easement does not limit the type, size, or amount of
broadband infrastructure that may be used to provide broadband
services, nor is an electric cooperative required to obtain
additional easements or pay additional compensation to a
property owner who is a party to an existing easement
agreement in order to provide broadband services.
(d) To exercise the rights granted under this Section, the
electric cooperative must provide notice to the property owner
on which the easement is located 3 months prior to beginning
construction on the easement that the electric cooperative
intends to use the easement for broadband purposes. The notice
must be sent by certified mail to the last known address of the
property owner of the property on which the easement is
located. The notice must include:
(1) the name and mailing address of the electric
cooperative;
(2) a narrative describing the nature and purpose of

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the intended easement use;
(3) a description of any trenching or other
underground work expected to result from the intended use,
including the anticipated time frame for the work; and
(4) a telephone number of an electric cooperative
employee to contact regarding the easement.