Illinois Compiled Statutes
Chapter 220 - UTILITIES
220 ILCS 80/ - Broadband Advisory Council Act.

(220 ILCS 80/1)
Sec. 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Broadband Advisory Council Act.

(Source: P.A. 100-833, eff. 1-1-19.)

(220 ILCS 80/5)
Sec. 5. Legislative findings and purpose. The General
Assembly finds as follows:
(Source: P.A. 100-833, eff. 1-1-19.)

(220 ILCS 80/10)
Sec. 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
"Broadband" or "broadband service" means lines (or wireless channels) that terminate at an end-user location and enable the end-user to receive information from or send information to the Internet.
"Council" means the Broadband Advisory Council.
"Downstream data rate" means the transmission speed from
the service provider source to the end-user.
"Internet protocol address" or "IP address" means a unique
string of numbers separated by periods that identifies each
computer using the Internet protocol to communicate over a
network.
"Low-income household" means a residential household with annual household income at or below 135% of the poverty guidelines updated periodically in the Federal Register by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under the authority of 42 U.S.C. 9902(2).
"Upstream data rate" means the transmission speed from the
end-user to the service provider source.
"Unserved area" means a community that has no access to
broadband service.
(Source: P.A. 100-833, eff. 1-1-19.)

(220 ILCS 80/15)
Sec. 15. Broadband Advisory Council; members of
Council; administrative support.
(a) The Broadband Advisory Council is hereby established.
The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall house
the Council and provide administrative, personnel, and
technical support services.
(b) The Council shall consist of the following 25 voting
members:
(c) In addition to the 25 voting members of the Council, the President of the Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives shall each appoint one non-voting member of the Council.
(d) All voting and non-voting members must be appointed within 90 days after the effective date of this Act.
(e) The members shall select a vice chair from
their number. In the absence of the chair, the vice chair shall
serve as chair. The Council shall appoint a secretary-treasurer
who need not be a member of the Council and who, among other
tasks or functions designated by the Council, shall keep
records of its proceedings.
(f) The Council may appoint working groups to investigate
and make recommendations to the full Council. Members of these
working groups need not be members of the Council.
(g) Nine voting members of the Council constitute a
quorum, and the affirmative vote of a simple majority of those
members present is necessary for any action taken by vote of
the Council.
(h) The Council shall conduct its first meeting within 30 days after all members have been appointed. The Council shall meet quarterly after its first meeting. Additional hearings and public meetings are permitted at the discretion of the members. The Council may meet in person or through video or audio conference.
(i) Members shall serve without compensation and may be
reimbursed for reasonable expenses incurred in the performance
of their duties from funds appropriated for that purpose.

(Source: P.A. 102-247, eff. 1-1-22.)

(220 ILCS 80/20)
Sec. 20. Powers and duties of the Council generally.
(a) The Council shall:
(b) In addition to the powers set forth elsewhere in this
Act, the Council is hereby granted the powers necessary to
carry out the purpose and intent of this Act, as enumerated
in this Section, including, but not limited to:
(c) The Council shall also:
(d) The Council shall exercise its powers and authority to
(1) advise and make recommendations to the General Assembly and
the Governor on bringing broadband service to unserved rural and urban areas, (2) advise and make
recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor on
facilitating broadband adoption by all citizens, and (3)
propose statutory changes that may enhance and expand broadband in the State.
(e) The Council shall report to the General Assembly on or
before January 1 of each year. The report to the General Assembly shall be filed with the Clerk of the House of Representatives and the Secretary of the Senate in electronic form only, in the manner that the Clerk and the Secretary shall direct. The report shall include the
action that was taken by the Council during the previous year
in carrying out the provisions of this Act. The Council
shall also make any other reports as may be required by the
General Assembly or the Governor.

(Source: P.A. 100-833, eff. 1-1-19.)

(220 ILCS 80/25)
Sec. 25. Universal no-cost broadband Internet access.
(a) In furtherance of the purposes of this Act to expand broadband service to unserved rural and urban areas of this State and to achieve universal broadband service and Internet access for the residents of this State, the Broadband Advisory Council shall study the goal of providing free access to all residents of this State to broadband service through the expansion of the state broadband competitive matching grant program. The Broadband Advisory Council shall also study the alternative goal of providing affordable access to all residents of this State to broadband service. The Office of Broadband within the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall support and assist the Council in the development of the study.
(b) The study must include establishing access to broadband service in zip codes identified as having high levels of poverty and in the areas of the State without the infrastructure necessary to meet the requirements for high-speed access to the Internet. To the extent possible, the study shall consider the incorporation and expansion of the initiatives established in the Connect Illinois Broadband Strategic Plan. The Council's study shall identify existing and new streams of State, federal and private-public partnership revenue to underwrite the creation of necessary infrastructure and purchase unlimited broadband Internet access to be provided, without charge, to some or all residents of the State. The Council's study shall include a recommended schedule for implementation of free universal broadband to the extent determined to be feasible.
(c) The Council shall issue a report on its findings and recommendations for any necessary legislation to the General Assembly no later than January 1, 2021.

(Source: P.A. 101-640, eff. 6-12-20.)