HB2698 would amend the Illinois Public Utilities Act to require automatic prorated bill credits for consumers when internet, cable, or video service outages last more than one hour. The credit would be based on the consumer’s monthly service rate and the length of the outage, and it would be applied to the next billing cycle without the consumer having to request it. Providers would also have to notify customers within 24 hours after service is restored and keep outage and credit records for at least three years.
The bill also addresses channel losses caused by contract disputes between cable/video providers and programmers. If a provider knows a dispute will result in the loss of a channel that customers are being billed for, it must notify affected consumers within 10 days. If the channel is not provided, the provider must issue a prorated credit tied to the portion of the bill attributable to that channel, again applied on the next monthly statement. The bill defines key terms such as broadband internet, outage, consumer, and cable or video provider, and excludes certain landlords who only provide broadcast video programming in small residential dwellings.
Impact
HB2698 would create new Sections 13-520 and 13-521 of the Public Utilities Act, expanding Illinois Commerce Commission oversight over outage-related billing practices for internet and cable/video providers. It would impose new consumer-credit, notice, and recordkeeping obligations on providers, and authorize the Commission to enforce compliance through penalties, including fines. The bill would directly affect broadband internet providers and cable/video providers operating in Illinois, while excluding certain landlords from the definition of cable or video provider.
Sentiment
The bill appears consumer-protective in nature, with its core policy goal being to ensure customers are not billed for service they do not receive and that credits are issued automatically rather than requiring complaints or requests. The available materials do not include committee debate or recorded votes, so there is no documented opposition or support in the provided record. Based on the text alone, the measure is framed as a straightforward billing fairness and transparency proposal.
Contention
The main likely points of contention are the administrative and financial burdens on providers, including automatic credit calculations, customer notice requirements, three-year record retention, and potential penalties enforced by the Illinois Commerce Commission. Providers may also object to the bill’s treatment of contract-dispute-related channel losses, since it would require credits even when the loss stems from disputes outside ordinary outage events. On the consumer side, the bill is likely to be supported by those seeking stronger billing protections and clearer remedies for service interruptions.