Creation of task force; 1997 through 1999 property assessments of certain utility property.
(a)This Section establishes an Electric Utility Property Assessment Task Force to advise the General Assembly with respect to the possible impact of the Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997 on the valuation of the real property component of electric generating stations owned by electric utilities and, therefore, on the taxing districts in this State in which electric generating stations are located.
(b)There shall be established and appointed in accordance with this Section an Electric Utility Property Assessment Task Force. Such Task Force shall be chaired by the President of the Taxpayers' Federation of Illinois, who shall be a non-voting member of the Task Force. The Tas
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Creation of task force; 1997 through 1999 property assessments of certain utility property. (a) This Section establishes an Electric Utility Property Assessment Task Force to advise the General Assembly with respect to the possible impact of the Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997 on the valuation of the real property component of electric generating stations owned by electric utilities and, therefore, on the taxing districts in this State in which electric generating stations are located. (b) There shall be established and appointed in accordance with this Section an Electric Utility Property Assessment Task Force. Such Task Force shall be chaired by the President of the Taxpayers' Federation of Illinois, who shall be a non-voting member of the Task Force. The Task Force shall be composed of 10 voting members, 6 of whom shall be representatives of taxing districts in which electric generating stations are located and 4 of whom shall be representatives of electric utilities in this State, at least one of whom shall be from an electric utility serving over 1,000,000 retail customers in this State and at least one of whom shall be from an electric utility serving over 500,000 but less than 1,000,000 retail customers in this State. (c) The voting members of this Task Force shall be appointed as follows: (i) 3 of the voting members, one of whom shall be from an electric utility, shall be appointed by the President of the Senate; (ii) 3 of the voting members, one of whom shall be from an electric utility, shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; (iii) 2 of the voting members, one of whom shall be from an electric utility, shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate; and (iv) 2 of the voting members, one of whom shall be from an electric utility, shall be appointed by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives. Such appointments shall be made within 30 days after the effective date of this amendatory Act of 1997. Members of the Task Force shall receive no compensation for their services but shall be entitled to reimbursement of reasonable expenses incurred while performing their duties. (d) The Task Force shall submit a report to the General Assembly by January 1, 1999 which shall: (i) analyze whether, and to what extent, taxing districts throughout this State will experience significant sustained erosions of their property tax bases and property tax revenues as a result of the restructuring of the electric industry in this State; and (ii) make recommendations for legislative changes to address any such impacts. (e) Beginning with the 1997 assessment year through the assessment year of 1999, the fair cash value of any electric power generating plant owned as of November 1, 1997, by an electric utility, as that term is defined in Section 16-102 of the Public Utilities Act, shall be determined using original cost less depreciation of the electric power generating plant. When determining original cost less depreciation, including the original cost less depreciation of all new construction, the rate or rates of depreciation applied shall be the same as the rate or rates in effect November 1, 1997, under the Public Utilities Act and the rules and orders of the Illinois Commerce Commission, irrespective of any change in ownership of the property occurring after the effective date of the provisions of the Electric Service Customer Choice and Rate Relief Law of 1997. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to affect the classification of property as real or personal. Determinations of original cost less depreciation for purposes of this subsection shall be made without regard for the use of any accelerated cost recovery method including accelerated depreciation, accelerated amortization or other capital recovery methods, or reductions to original cost of an electric power generating plant made as a result of the provisions of Senate Amendment No. 2 to House Bill 362, enacted by the 90th General Assembly.