Illinois § 19-116

§ 19-116.

Alternative gas supplier utility assistance recipient. (a) Beginning January 1, 2020, an alternative gas supplier shall not knowingly submit an enrollment to change a customer's natural gas supplier if the gas utility's records indicate that the customer received financial assistance in the previous 12 months from either the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program or, at the time of enrollment is participating in the Percentage of Income Payment Plan, unless the customer's change in gas supplier is pursuant to a Commission-approved savings guarantee plan as described in subsection (b). (b) Beginning January 1, 2020, an alternative gas supplier may apply to the Commission to offer a savings guarantee plan to recipients of Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program funding or Percentage of Income Payment Plan funding. The Commission shall initiate a public, docketed proceeding to consider whether or not to approve an alternative gas supplier's application to offer a savings guarantee plan. At a minimum, the savings guarantee plan shall charge customers for natural gas supply at an amount that is less than the amount charged by the gas utility. (c) An agreement entered into between an alternative gas supplier and a customer in violation of this Section is void and unenforceable. Before the gas utility executes a change in a customer's natural gas supplier, other than a change pursuant to a Commission-approved savings guarantee plan as described in subsection (b), the gas utility shall confirm at the time of the request whether its records indicate that the customer has either received financial assistance from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program within the previous 12 months, or, at the time of enrollment is participating in the Percentage of Income Payment Plan; and if so, shall reject such change request. Absent willful or wanton misconduct, no gas utility shall be held liable for any error in acting or failing to act pursuant to this Section. (Source: P.A. 101-590, eff. 1-1-20.)