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SB 1557

MUNI CD-USE OF UTILITY POLES

104th Regular Session Introduced by Patrick Joyce

Allows municipalities to place public safety equipment on existing public-right-of-way utility poles, with fees limited to the pole owner’s lowest rate and actual costs.

Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments
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Bill Summary · SB 1557

Summary — SB 1557 (Municipal use of utility poles for public safety) — Illinois

Status: Introduced (2/4/2025) — Referred to Assignments
Primary sponsor: Sen. Patrick J. Joyce
Companion bill: HB 3187

Note: The materials provided also include an unrelated Arizona bill (also numbered SB 1557) about valuation of semiconductor clean rooms. This summary covers the Illinois bill that amends the Illinois Municipal Code (adds Section 11‑80‑25) concerning municipal use of utility poles.

Purpose

To authorize municipalities to place public-safety equipment on existing utility poles located in public rights-of-way and to limit the fees municipalities may be charged for such use.

Key provisions

  • Adds Section 11‑80‑25 to the Illinois Municipal Code.
  • Municipal authority: The corporate authorities of a municipality may use an existing utility pole within the municipality’s public rights-of-way for municipal public safety purposes. Examples include placing equipment associated with public safety (e.g., cameras, sensors, radios, small antennae, or other monitoring/communications gear).
  • Fee restriction: Any fee charged to the municipality for use of a utility pole must be:
    • At the lowest rate charged by the entity that owns the utility pole, and
    • Not greater than the entity’s actual costs for permitting or accommodating the attachment.

Who is affected

  • Municipal governments: Gains explicit statutory authority to place certain public-safety equipment on existing utility poles in public rights-of-way and financial protection via capped fees.
  • Utility pole owners: Electric, telecom, cable, and other entities that own poles may be required to allow municipal attachments at the owner’s lowest charged rate and limited to recovering actual costs.
  • Public-safety agencies and residents: Potentially improved deployment of public-safety infrastructure (faster, lower-cost siting of equipment).
  • Ratepayers/third parties: Indirect impacts may include coordination requirements, potential reduced revenue from pole-attachment fees, and operational/engineering considerations.

Likely practical effects and considerations

  • Could speed and reduce the cost of siting municipal public-safety equipment by allowing use of existing pole infrastructure.
  • The bill does not specify technical, safety, or engineering standards, nor does it detail permitting or indemnity requirements; those likely remain governed by existing municipal ordinances, utility agreements, and state/federal safety rules.
  • The fee cap ties municipal cost to the lowest rate the pole owner charges — this could require documentation or dispute resolution procedures when multiple owners or rate schedules exist.
  • Implementation will require coordination between municipalities and pole owners on scheduling, make-ready work, and compliance with applicable safety and utility codes.

Procedural history (Illinois)

  • Filed with Secretary: 2/4/2025 (Sen. Patrick J. Joyce)
  • First Reading: 2/4/2025
  • Referred to Assignments: 2/4/2025

(For further status updates, consult the Illinois General Assembly bill tracking page.)

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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