Ill. House at our deadline Thurs. was poised for final vote on pa...

for Ameritech and victory for consumer groups. It would allow Ill. Commerce Commission to fine Ameritech up to $250,000 per offense for violation of competition, service quality and other commission rules, while other Ill. incumbent telcos could be fined up to $30,000 per offense. Present law caps fines at $2,000. Bill also would establish automatic credits that could exceed $50 for residential customers when Ameritech was late on installations or repairs or missed service appointment. Measure would require Ameritech to make extensive accommodations for needs of its competitors, promote Lifeline, make high-speed digital service available to 80% of customers within 5 years. It also would require Ameritech to offer residential customers 3 different unlimited service packages, including one with unlimited intraLATA toll and 2 with built-in vertical features, at capped rates to be set by Commerce Commission. It would provide $90 million rebate to business customers to settle past service complaints and establish special fund supported from telecom fines and legislative appropriations to promote advanced service infrastructure construction by smaller telcos. Bill initially passed House as innocuous measure to clarify authority of Commerce Commission, but Senate passed heavily amended version that turned it into replacement for expiring telecom statute, landing hard on Ameritech in that process. House committees recommended chamber accept Senate’s amendments late Wed. night and sent bill to House floor for final action before legislature’s adjournment at midnight Thurs. State Sen. David Sullivan (R-Park Ridge), who sponsored Senate’s amendments, called bill that left Senate “about as proconsumer as you can get.” Ill. Citizens Utility Board, AARP and several business user groups urged passage. But Ameritech said its extensive procompetition requirements would cost company up to $1 billion in unnecessary extra expenses and jeopardize long-term health of Ill. telecom network along lines of electric service problems in Cal.