DeKalb Times

A new bill authored by State Rep. Jeff Keicher in the Illinois House aims to define and regulate off-grid electricity providers operating independently within Illinois, according to the Illinois State House.

The bill, introduced as HB4163 on Oct. 15, 2025, during the general assembly session 104, was summarized by the state legislature as follows: "Amends the Public Utilities Act. Defines "off-grid electricity provider" as an entity, person, private company, electric cooperative, municipal agency, or other organization that (1) is engaged in any combination of generating, transmitting, distributing, or selling electricity at retail to consumers, (2) is not connected to any existing electric transmission or distribution system within this State for either primary or backup supply, (3) operates independently of existing utilities and other regulated entities, (4) is not located within any federal, State, or municipal roadway or right-of-way, and (5) does not cross any federal, State, or municipal roadway or right-of-way or State boundaries. Provides that an off-grid electricity provider whose operation date is on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall be exempt from the requirements of the Utilities Chapter of the Illinois Compiled Statutes. Provides that an off-grid electricity provider shall remain subject to all other applicable laws and regulations, including municipal and State highway safety regulations, unless specifically excluded from those laws or regulations by a separate Act. Provides that an off-grid electricity provider shall cease being an off-grid electricity provider and immediately become subject to the requirements of the Utilities Chapter of the Illinois Compiled Statutes if the off-grid electricity provider does any of the following actions: (1) the provider elects to connect to any portion of an existing electric transmission or distribution system within this State for either primary or backup supply; (2) the provider locates within or crosses any federal, State, or municipal roadway or right-of-way; or (3) the provider crosses State boundaries. Effective immediately."

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, the bill amends the Public Utilities Act by defining "off-grid electricity provider" as an entity generating, transmitting, distributing, or selling electricity independently without connecting to existing electric networks within Illinois or crossing roadways and state boundaries. Such providers, operational from the effective date of the Act, will be exempt from the Utilities Chapter of the Illinois Compiled Statutes but must comply with applicable laws and regulations unless specifically excluded. Should an off-grid provider connect to existing systems, cross roadways, or state lines, they will lose their exempt status and become subject to the Utilities Chapter requirements. The Act is effective immediately upon becoming law.

Keicher has proposed another 12 bills since the beginning of the 104th session, with one of them being adopted.

Bills in Illinois follow a multi-step legislative process, beginning with introduction in either the House or Senate, followed by committee review, floor debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching the governor for approval or veto. The General Assembly operates on a biennial schedule, and while typically thousands of bills are introduced each session, only a fraction successfully pass through the process to become law.

You can read more about bills and other measures here.

Keicher graduated from Northern Illinois University in 1996 with a BS.

Keicher, a Republican, was elected to the Illinois State House in 2018 to represent the state's 70th House District, replacing previous state representative Robert W. Pritchard.

Bill Number	Date Introduced	Short Description
HB4163	10/15/2025	Amends the Public Utilities Act. Defines "off-grid electricity provider" as an entity, person, private company, electric cooperative, municipal agency, or other organization that (1) is engaged in any combination of generating, transmitting, distributing, or selling electricity at retail to consumers, (2) is not connected to any existing electric transmission or distribution system within this State for either primary or backup supply, (3) operates independently of existing utilities and other regulated entities, (4) is not located within any federal, State, or municipal roadway or right-of-way, and (5) does not cross any federal, State, or municipal roadway or right-of-way or State boundaries. Provides that an off-grid electricity provider whose operation date is on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act shall be exempt from the requirements of the Utilities Chapter of the Illinois Compiled Statutes. Provides that an off-grid electricity provider shall remain subject to all other applicable laws and regulations, including municipal and State highway safety regulations, unless specifically excluded from those laws or regulations by a separate Act. Provides that an off-grid electricity provider shall cease being an off-grid electricity provider and immediately become subject to the requirements of the Utilities Chapter of the Illinois Compiled Statutes if the off-grid electricity provider does any of the following actions: (1) the provider elects to connect to any portion of an existing electric transmission or distribution system within this State for either primary or backup supply; (2) the provider locates within or crosses any federal, State, or municipal roadway or right-of-way; or (3) the provider crosses State boundaries. Effective immediately.
HB4142	09/29/2025	Amends the Criminal Code of 2012. Provides that a peace officer who reasonably believes that a person's presence within 14 feet of the peace officer will interfere with the performance of the peace officer's legal duties may warn the person not to approach or to remain within 14 feet of the peace officer. Provides that it is unlawful for a person, after receiving a warning not to approach from a peace officer who is engaged in the lawful performance of a legal duty, to knowingly or intentionally violate the warning and approach or remain within 14 feet of the peace officer with the intent to: (1) interrupt, disrupt, hinder, impede, or interfere with the peace officer's ability to perform the peace officer's duty; (2) threaten the peace officer with physical harm; or (3) harass the peace officer by interfering with the peace officer performing the peace officer's duty. Provides that a violation is a Class A misdemeanor. Defines "harass".
HB4043	04/24/2025	Amends the Probation Community Service Act. Provides that the court may give credit toward the fulfillment of community service hours for participation in activities and treatment as determined by court services.
HB3407	02/07/2025	Amends the Capital Development Board Act. Changes the name of the Act to the State Agency Construction Act. Repeals provisions concerning the Capital Development Board Act. Provides that State agency's shall perform the functions that were previously performed by the Capital Development Board Act. Makes conforming changes. Amends the State Finance Act to make a conforming change. Effective January 1, 2029.
HB3667	02/07/2025	Amends the Biometric Information Privacy Act. Changes the definitions of "biometric identifier" and "written release". Defines "biometric lock", "biometric time clock", "person", and "security purpose". Provides that if the biometric identifier or biometric information is collected or captured for the same repeated process, the private entity is only required to inform the subject or receive consent during the initial collection. Waives certain requirements for collecting, capturing, or otherwise obtaining a person's or a customer's biometric identifier or biometric information under certain circumstances relating to security purposes. Provides that nothing in the Act shall be construed to apply to information captured by a biometric time clock or biometric lock that converts a person's biometric identifier or biometric information to a mathematical representation. Repeals the right of action under the Act. Effective immediately.
HB3795	02/07/2025	Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Removes provisions concerning the duties of the Director of Insurance to promulgate reasonable rules requiring insurers doing business in the State of Illinois to report factual information in their possession that is pertinent to suspected fraudulent insurance claims, fraudulent insurance applications, or premium fraud after the Director has made a determination that the information is necessary to detect fraud or arson. Requires insurers to report fraudulent activity to the Director or the National Insurance Crime Bureau, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, or a similar organization. Removes provisions concerning the Director's designation of data processing organizations or governmental agencies to assist in gathering and compiling fraud information. Sets forth provisions allowing any person who has a reasonable belief that an act of insurance fraud that is or may be a crime under Illinois law has been, is being, or is about to be committed or any person who collects, reviews, or analyzes information concerning insurance fraud that is or may be a crime under Illinois law to report suspected insurance fraud activity to the Director or an authorized representative of an insurer that requests the information for the purpose of directing, prosecuting, or preventing insurance fraud. Effective immediately.
HB3141	02/06/2025	Amends the Environmental Protection Act. Provides that, in the case of water main installation projects, all water main-related appurtenances, and specifically fire hydrants and valves, shall be included in the Agency's written approval of specified public water supply plans. Requires fire hydrants and valves to be designed and installed in accordance with specified standards.
HB2766	02/05/2025	Amends the Illinois Insurance Code. Provides that nothing in provisions prohibiting the payment or acceptance of rebates shall prevent the offer or provision by insurers or producers, by or through employees, affiliates, or third-party representatives, of value-added products or services at no or reduced cost when such products or services are not specified in the policy of insurance, so long as the product or service relates to the insurance coverage and is primarily designed to satisfy specified criteria. Sets forth provisions concerning the requirements for insurers or producers offering non-cash gifts, items, or services or conducting raffles or drawings. Provides that an insurer, producer, or representative of an insurer or producer may not offer or provide insurance as an inducement to the purchase of another policy or otherwise use the words "free", "no cost", or words of similar import in an advertisement.
HB2846	02/05/2025	Amends the Business Corporation Act of 1983. Provides that, in the case of a domestic or foreign corporation, no payment is required for a franchise tax that would have been due and payable on or after January 1, 2026. Provides that all amounts remaining in the Corporate Franchise Tax Refund Fund shall be transferred to the General Revenue Fund no later than December 31, 2026. Makes changes in provisions concerning the statute of limitations. Repeals provisions concerning franchise taxes payable by domestic and foreign corporations on January 1, 2027. Effective immediately.
HB2866	02/05/2025	Amends the Biometric Information Privacy Act. Provides that the changes made by Public Act 103-769 apply to pending actions as of August 2, 2024, and any actions commenced and complaints filed on or after August 2, 2024. Effective immediately.
HB2514	02/03/2025	Amends the Illinois Prescribed Burning Act. Establishes the procedures required before conducting a prescribed burning. Provides that no landowner, agent of the landowner, or certified prescribed burn manager shall be liable for damage, injury, or loss caused by a prescribed burn or resulting smoke of a prescribed burn unless the landowner, agent of the landowner, or certified prescribed burn manager is proven to be grossly negligent. Effective immediately.
HB1142	01/09/2025	Amends the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act of the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that, before an ordinance may be adopted approving a redevelopment project area, the redevelopment project area must be approved by referendum of the voters of the affected taxing districts. Includes requirements for the ordinance or resolution proposing the redevelopment project area, for submission of and language for the referendum, and approval of the referendum when a majority of the voters in each of the affected taxing districts approve the referendum. Modifies notice requirements for the public meeting, and requires the notification of all voters of the affected taxing districts. Requires notice by publication, mailing, and on the website of the municipality (rather than by publication and mailing), and modifies the timing in which notices must be sent. Requires that a notice also must contain a copy of the proposed ordinance designating the redevelopment project area, a list of all taxes levied by each of the taxing districts that constitute the joint review board, a statement of the projected impact that the redevelopment project area will have on those taxing district, and the proposed referendum language. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.
HB1222	01/09/2025	Amends the Tax Increment Allocation Redevelopment Act of the Illinois Municipal Code. Provides that, after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the General Assembly shall not approve the extension of a redevelopment project and the retirement of its obligations to a date that is beyond the 35th calendar year after the year in which the ordinance approving the redevelopment project areas was adopted. Effective immediately.