Article VI. Capitalization  

    (220 ILCS 5/6-101) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 6-101)
    Sec. 6-101. The power of public utilities to issue stocks, stock certificates, bonds, notes and other evidences of indebtedness and to create liens on their property is a special privilege, the right of supervision, regulation, restriction and control of which is and shall continue to be vested in the State, and such power shall be exercised by the Commission hereby created according to the provisions of this Act and under such rules and regulations as the Commission may prescribe.
    The Commission shall provide, by serial number or other device to be placed on the face thereof, for the proper and easy identification of such stocks, stock certificates, bonds, notes and other evidences of indebtedness as may be issued by public utilities under the provisions of this article.
(Source: P.A. 84-617.)

    (220 ILCS 5/6-102) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 6-102)
    Sec. 6-102. Authorization of issues of stock.
    (a) Subject to the provisions of this Act and of the order of the Commission issued as provided in this Act, a public utility may issue stocks and stock certificates, and bonds, notes and other evidences of indebtedness payable at periods of more than 12 months after the date thereof for any lawful purpose. However, such public utility shall first have secured from the Commission an order authorizing such issue and stating the amount thereof and the purpose or purposes to which the issue or the proceeds thereof are to be applied, and that in the opinion of the Commission, the money, property or labor to be procured or paid for by such issue is reasonably required for the purpose or purposes specified in the order.
    (b) The provisions of this subsection (b) shall apply only to (1) any issuances of stock in a cumulative amount, exclusive of any issuances referred to in item (3), that are 10% or more in a calendar year or 20% or more in a 24-month period of the total common stockholders' equity or of the total amount of preferred stock outstanding, as the case may be, of the public utility, and (2) to any issuances of bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness in a cumulative principal amount, exclusive of any issuances referred to in item (3), that are 10% or more in a calendar year or 20% or more in a 24-month period of the aggregate principal amount of bonds, notes and other evidences of indebtedness of the public utility outstanding, all as of the date of the issuance, but shall not apply to (3) any issuances of stock or of bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness 90% or more of the proceeds of which are to be used by the public utility for purposes of refunding, redeeming or refinancing outstanding issues of stock, bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness. To enable it to determine whether it will issue the order required by subsection (a) of this Section, the Commission may hold a hearing and may make such additional inquiry or investigation, and examine such witnesses, books, papers, accounts, documents and contracts and require the filing of such data as it may deem of assistance. The public utility may be required by the Commission to disclose every interest of the directors of such public utility in any transaction under investigation. The Commission shall have power to investigate all such transactions and to inquire into the good faith thereof, to examine books, papers, accounts, documents and contracts of public utilities, construction or other companies or of firms or individuals with whom the public utility shall have had financial transactions, for the purpose of enabling it to verify any statements furnished, and to examine into the actual value of property acquired by or services rendered to such public utility. Before issuing its order, the Commission, when it is deemed necessary by the Commission, shall make an adequate physical valuation of all property of the public utility, but a valuation already made under proper public supervision may be adopted, either in whole or in part, at the discretion of the Commission; and shall also examine all previously authorized or outstanding securities of the public utility, and fixed charges attached thereto. A statement of the results of such physical valuation, and a statement of the character of all outstanding securities, together with the conditions under which they are held, shall be included in the order. The Commission may require that such information or such part thereof as it thinks proper, shall appear upon the stock, stock certificate, bond, note or other evidence of indebtedness authorized by its order. The Commission may by its order grant permission for the issue of such stock certificates, or bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness in the amount applied for, or in a lesser amount, or not at all, and may attach to the exercise of its permission such condition or conditions as it may deem reasonable and necessary. Nothing in this Section shall prevent a public utility from seeking, nor the Commission from approving, a shelf registration plan for issuing securities over a reasonable period in accordance with regulations established by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Any securities issued pursuant to an approved shelf registration plan need not be further approved by the Commission so long as they are in compliance with the approved shelf registration plan. The Commission shall have the power to refuse its approval of applications to issue securities, in whole or in part, upon a finding that the issue of such securities would be contrary to public interest. The Commission may also require the public utility to compile for the information of its shareholders such facts in regard to its financial transactions, in such form as the Commission may direct.
    No public utility shall, without the consent of the Commission, apply the issue of any stock or stock certificates, or bond, note or other evidence of indebtedness, which was issued pursuant to an order of the Commission entered pursuant to this subsection (b), or any part thereof, or any proceeds thereof, to any purpose not specified in the Commission's order or to any purpose specified in the Commission's order in excess of the amount authorized for such purpose; or issue or dispose of the same on any terms less favorable than those specified in such order, or a modification thereof. The Commission shall have the power to require public utilities to account for the disposition of the proceeds of all sales of stocks and stock certificates, and bonds, notes and other evidences of indebtedness, which were issued pursuant to an order of the Commission entered pursuant to this subsection (b), in such form and detail as it may deem advisable, and to establish such rules and regulations as it may deem reasonable and necessary to insure the disposition of such proceeds for the purpose or purposes specified in its order.
    (c) A public utility may issue notes, for proper purposes, and not in violation of any provision of this Act or any other Act, payable at periods of not more than 12 months after the date of issuance of the same, without the consent of the Commission; but no such note shall, in whole or in part, be renewed or be refunded from the proceeds of any other such note or evidence of indebtedness from time to time without the consent of the Commission for an aggregate period of longer than 2 years. A "telecommunications carrier" as that term is defined by Section 13-202 of this Act is exempt from the requirements of this subsection (c).
    (d) Any issuance of stock or of bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness, other than issuances of notes pursuant to subsection (c) of this Section, which is not subject to subsection (b) of this Section, shall be regulated by the Commission as follows: the public utility shall file with the Commission, at least 15 days before the date of the issuance, an informational statement setting forth the type and amount of the issue and the purpose or purposes to which the issue or the proceeds thereof are to be applied. Prior to the date of the issuance specified in the public utility's filing, the Commission, if it finds that the issuance is not subject to subsection (b) of this Section, shall issue a written order in conformance with subsection (a) of this Section authorizing the issuance. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Act, the Commission may delegate its authority to enter the order required by this subsection (d) to a hearing examiner.
    (e) The Commission shall have no power to authorize the capitalization of the right to be a corporation, or to authorize the capitalization of any franchise, license, or permit whatsoever or the right to own, operate or enjoy any such franchise, license, or permit, in excess of the amount (exclusive of any tax or annual charge) actually paid to the State or to a political subdivision thereof as the consideration for the grant of such franchise, license, permit or right; nor shall any contract for consolidation or lease be capitalized, nor shall any public utility hereafter issue any bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness against or as a lien, upon any contract for consolidation or merger.
    (f) The provisions of this Section shall not apply to public utilities which are not corporations duly incorporated under the laws of this State to the extent that any such public utility may issue stock, bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness not directly or indirectly constituting or creating a lien or charge on, or right to profits from, any property used or useful in rendering service within this State. Nothing in this Section or in Section 6-104 of this Act shall be construed to require a common carrier by railroad subject to Part I of the Interstate Commerce Act, being part of an Act of the 49th Congress of the United States entitled "An Act to Regulate Commerce", as amended, to secure from the Commission authority to issue or execute or deliver any conditional sales contract or similar contract or instrument reserving or retaining title in the seller for all or part of the purchase price of equipment or property used or to be used for or in connection with the transportation of persons or property.
(Source: P.A. 90-561, eff. 12-16-97; 91-69, eff. 7-9-99.)

    (220 ILCS 5/6-103) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 6-103)
    Sec. 6-103. The capitalization of a public utility formed by a merger or consolidation of two or more corporations shall be subject to the approval of the Commission, but in no event shall the Commission approve a capitalization exceeding the sum of the capital stock of the corporations so consolidated, at the par value thereof, and any additional sum actually paid in cash for improvements; nor shall any contract for consolidation or lease be capitalized in the stock of any corporation whatever; nor shall any corporation hereafter issue any bonds against or as a lien upon any contract for consolidation or merger. In any reorganization of a public utility, resulting from forced sale, or in any other manner, the amount of capitalization, including therein all stocks and stock certificates and bonds, notes and other evidences of indebtedness, shall be such as is authorized by the Commission, which in making its determination, shall not exceed the fair value of the property involved. Issuance of stocks and stock certificates, and bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness in connection with any consolidation, merger, or reorganization shall be subject to all the terms of Sections 6-101 and 6-102 of this Act.
(Source: P.A. 84-617.)

    (220 ILCS 5/6-104) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 6-104)
    Sec. 6-104. All stock and every stock certificate, and every bond, note or other evidence of indebtedness, of a public utility, not payable within twelve months issued without an order of the Commission authorizing the same then in effect shall be void, unless issued upon the authority of any articles of incorporation or amendments thereto, and of a vote of the stockholders or directors, filed and taken before January 1, 1914, and likewise all stock and every stock certificate, and every bond, note or other evidence of indebtedness of a public utility not payable within 12 months, issued with the authorization of the Commission, but not conforming in its provisions to the provisions, if any, which it is required by the order of authorization of the Commission to contain, shall be void; but no failure in any other respect to comply with the terms or conditions of the order of authorization of the Commission shall render void any stock or stock certificate, or any bond, note or other evidence of indebtedness, except as to a corporation or person taking the same with notice of the failure to comply with the order of the Commission.
(Source: P.A. 84-617.)

    (220 ILCS 5/6-105) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 6-105)
    Sec. 6-105. Every public utility which, directly or indirectly, issues or causes to be issued, any stock, stock certificate, bond, note or other evidence of indebtedness, in non-conformity with the order of the Commission authorizing the same, or contrary to the provisions of this Act, or which applies the proceeds from the sale thereof, or any part thereof, to any purpose other than the purpose or purposes specified in the Commission's order, as herein provided, or to any purpose specified in the Commission's order in excess of the amount authorized for such purpose, shall be guilty of a business offense and shall be subject to a penalty of not less than $500 nor more than $20,000 for each offense.
(Source: P.A. 84-617.)

    (220 ILCS 5/6-106) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 6-106)
    Sec. 6-106. Every officer, agent or employee of a public utility, and every other person who knowingly authorizes, directs, issues or executes, causes to be issued or executed, or aids in the issue or execution of any stock, stock certificate, bond, note or other evidence of indebtedness, in nonconformity with the order of the Commission authorizing the same, or contrary to the provisions of this Act; or who, in any proceeding before the Commission, knowingly makes any false statement or representation, or with the knowledge of its falsity files or causes to be filed with the Commission any false statement or representation, which said statement or representation so made, filed or cause to be filed, may tend in any way to influence the Commission to make an order authorizing the issue of any stock or stock certificate, or any bond, note or other evidence of indebtedness, or which results in procuring from the Commission the making of any such order, or who, with knowledge that any false statement or representation was made to the Commission, in any proceeding, tending in any way to influence the Commission to make such order, issues or executes or negotiates, or causes to be issued, executed or negotiated any such stock or stock certificate, or bond, note or other evidence of indebtedness, or who, directly or indirectly, knowingly applies, or causes or assists to be applied the proceeds or any part thereof, from the sale of any stock or stock certificate, or bond, note or other evidence of indebtedness, to any purpose not specified in the Commission's order or to any purpose specified in the Commission's order in excess of the amount authorized for such purpose, or who, with knowledge that any stock or stock certificate, or bond, note or other evidence of indebtedness, has been issued or executed in violation of any of the provisions of this Act, negotiates, or causes the same to be negotiated, shall be guilty of a Class 3 felony.
(Source: P.A. 84-617.)

    (220 ILCS 5/6-107) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 6-107)
    Sec. 6-107. No provisions of this Act, and no deed or act done or performed under or in connection therewith, shall be held or construed to obligate the State of Illinois to pay or guarantee, in any manner whatsoever, any stock or stock certificate, or bond, note or other evidence of indebtedness, authorized, issued or executed under the provisions of this Act, nor shall it be held or construed to imply any validation or approval by the State of past issues, nor that past or future or past and future issues represent actual value of property owned or to be owned by a public utility or the value of such property for rate making purposes.
(Source: P.A. 84-617.)

    (220 ILCS 5/6-108) (from Ch. 111 2/3, par. 6-108)
    Sec. 6-108. The Commission shall charge every public utility receiving permission under this Act for the issue of stocks, bonds, notes and other evidences of indebtedness an amount equal to 12 cents for every $100 of the par or stated value of stocks, and 24 cents for every $100 of the principal amount of bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness, authorized by the Commission, which shall be paid to the Commission no later than 30 days after service of the Commission order authorizing the issuance of those stocks, bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness. Provided, that if any such stock, bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness constitutes or creates a lien or charge on, or right to profits from, any property not situated in this State, this fee shall be paid only on the amount of any such issue which is the same proportion of the whole issue as the property situated in this State is of the total property on which such securities issue creates a lien or charge, or from which a right to profits is established; and provided further, that no public utility shall be required to pay any fee for permission granted to it by the Commission in any of the following cases:
    (1) To guarantee bonds or other securities.
    (2) To issue bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness issued for the purpose of converting, exchanging, taking over, refunding, discharging or retiring any bonds, notes or other evidences of indebtedness except:
        (a) When issued for an aggregate period of longer